UW-Madison Project Go

Turkish

Turkish students partake in cultural activities and language learning in their classes.
Turkish students partake in cultural activities and language learning in their classes.

Why learn Turkish? 

  • Turkey is a key NATO ally and strategic partner in the Middle East. Knowing Turkish can be incredibly valuable for those in the military who may be stationed in the region.
  • Turkey is a rapidly growing economy with a large and diverse population, making it a potentially lucrative market for businesses and investors. Knowing Turkish can help ROTC students looking to pursue careers in fields like international business or diplomacy.
  • Learning Turkish can help ROTC students better understand Turkish culture and history, which can be valuable in building relationships with Turkish allies or understanding the geopolitical landscape of the region.
  • Finally, studying Turkish can be a challenging and rewarding experience that can help ROTC students develop critical thinking skills, cross-cultural competency, and a deeper appreciation for the diversity of the world around them.
  • For more reasons to learn Turkish, click here!

Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Turkish are offered through the Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI), formerly APTLI, via the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Classes meet in-person for up to four hours synchronously, Monday through Friday, typically from 8:30 am – 1:00 pm Central time over the span of 8 weeks. Various other activities and cultural events are scheduled throughout the summer, including weekly office hours with instructors, small group discussions, conversation tables, meetings with Turkish language partners/tutors, cooking classes, a film and lecture series, game nights, a Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL) Career Fair, Student Conference, and bi-weekly culture sessions geared towards increasing ROTC students’ intercultural mindset and developing valuable global leadership skills.

There are no language prerequisites for first year Turkish. Year 2 Turkish requires two semesters of prior language study and Year 3 Turkish requires four semesters of prior language study. All levels of Turkish are intensive and worth 8 college credits, covering two semesters of language study in one summer and focusing on speaking, listening, reading, and writing. By the end of the course, students should be proficient enough at speaking, listening, and reading to achieve ILR 1 or ILR 1+ depending on retention and prior language experience.  If you are wondering why you should study Turkish, click here!

Project GO at UW-Madison pays for: Tuition, course materials, travel to/from Madison, and room and board for all Project GO students. Please note that the room and board support is not intended to be comprehensive of all living costs a program participant may incur. The scholarship provides a meal stipend and single room occupancy in the UW-Madison residence halls. Any purchases a student wants to make outside of this will be the responsibility of the student’s.

The following costs will not be included in Project GO Funding: personal spending money, personal travel, costs for obtaining a passport, medication, and expenses for dependents.

How to Apply: Students interested in this program must complete two applications:

    1. Project GO common application – https://www.rotcprojectgo.org/apply-now (Summer 2024 domestic program deadline is February 27, 2024)
    2. For students who receive and accept a Project GO offer to study Turkish at UW-Madison, the Project GO Coordinator will be in touch with next steps for enrolling at the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI).

Please follow all application instructions carefully. For more information, please contact Project GO at UW-Madison staff at projectgo@lpo.wisc.edu or at 608-263-3724.