The 2025 session of the UW Nepali Summer Language Program marked its sixth anniversary, bringing together students from across the world for intensive Nepali language instruction.
The Nepali Summer Language Program, part of the South Asia Center’s Nepali Studies Initiative, offers students a gateway for Nepali language and cultural immersion, bringing attention to a part of the world often left out of global conversation. The online structure and affordability of the program allows students from all over the world to participate who would otherwise not have access to Nepali language instruction.
Here’s a look at what the program has accomplished since 2020.
2020-2025 Participant Profile:
Over the past six summers, this two-week online intensive language training program has included 210 students across 2 language learning levels:
- 132 beginners
- 78 advanced beginners / low intermediate
- 71% of applicants have no affiliation with UW
Participants have hailed from 7 countries:
- Bangladesh
- Canada
- China
- India
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- United States
Participants hаve included:
- artists
- public health professionals
- archivists
- study abroad professionals
- college students
- heritage learners
- nonprofit professionals
- researchers
- teachers
- travelers
- healthcare providers
Purpose for studying Nepali:
- studying abroad or conducting research in Nepal (45% of participants)
- work or professional need (30% of participants)
- improve native or heritage language ability (16%)
- upcoming personal or leisure travel to Nepal (9%)
Student testimonials:
At the heart of the program since its inception has been instructor Binod Shrestha. One constant throughline of the program’s history has been students’ positive learning experiences with Shrestha and the course:
- One participant stated that “Professor Binodji’s way of explaining the basics of the language was incredibly helpful & the class was honestly the best experience I have had in taking a language course.”
- “I now feel more confident in resuming language study on my own and knowing where to find resources to fall back on if I get stuck.”
- The instructors “helped me in overcoming my anxiety in speaking Nepali in front of others.”
- “My Nepali pronunciation has greatly improved…and I am more confident expressing myself in everyday conversations!”
- “I really loved the diversity of the crowd participating.”
- “I really enjoyed the other students, who were from all over and were taking the course for such a cool variety of reasons.”
- “There is a great value in learning a language that is so different from your own, because it forces you to think in a different way and to see things from a different perspective.”
Program evaluation (2025):
- 67% of participants rated the course as “excellent” and 33% “good”
- 100% of participants agreed the course met their expectations
- 100% of participants felt welcome and open to making mistakes in the course
Learn more about South Asian languages at UW.
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