Peace Corps Prep Foreign Language Skills

Most students must hone their capacity to interact professionally using a non-English language. Minimum course requirements vary by desired placement region.

Latin America

Students indicating an intention to serve in Spanish-speaking countries must build strong intermediate proficiency, having completed 103 and 104-level courses (at SLU, 103 and 104 are at the 200-level), or learned Spanish through another medium.

West Africa

Students indicating an intention to serve in French-speaking African countries must build proficiency in French or another Romance language, having completed 103 and 104-level courses (at SLU, 103 and 104 are at the 200-level), or learned the language through another medium.

Everywhere Else

Students indicating an intention to serve anywhere else do not have explicit language requirements to complete the Program, but they should still be encouraged to study a foreign language.

Study Abroad

Swahili courses in the Kenya Semester Program, French language courses in the Bordeaux Program, Italian language courses in the Sorrento and Rome Programs, Spanish language courses in the Spain Program and in the Costa Rica program (there may be other possibilities) all provide opportunities to hone your language skills, which will fulfill requirements or otherwise strengthen your application.

Note: If you are a strong native speaker and hope to serve in a country that speaks your same language, you can skip this requirement! Please make a note of this on your draft plan.