Mayan Language Institute
Kaqchikel or K'iche' Maya
Guatemala
June 21 – August 2, 2025
Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Applications for the Summer 2025 program will open mid-November 2024
Funding Deadline (Vanderbilt FLAS and Stone Center Summer Intensive Language Study): February 1, 2025
Students interested in studying Kaqchikel should visit the Graduate and/or Undergraduate Resources pages for more information.
Students interested in studying K'iche' should visit the Vanderbilt CLACX website for more information and to apply for FLAS funding.
Please contact sclassum@tulane.edu with any questions about the program or application process. If we cannot answer your question directly, we will forward it to the appropriate member of our faculty or staff.
Program Overview
The Mayan Language Institute is a 6-week program to train students in either Kaqchikel or K’iche’ Maya, two of the most widely-spoken Mayan languages in Iximulew (Guatemala) today. Thanks to collaboration between U.S. American faculty and Mayan teachers, participants can study at the beginning, intermediate, or advanced levels of either language. The program’s highly individualized classes combine language immersion activities, lectures, one-on-one conversations, guest speakers and cultural excursions. The intensive nature of these classes, along with students’ daily immersion in Maya communities, enables them to enhance their language skills rapidly while interacting with the Indigenous Peoples who sustain them.
The Kaqchikel program takes place in Ciudad Vieja, a town about 5km outside of Antigua.
The K'iche' program location for 2025 is TBD.
Courses Offered
Kaqchikel
ANTH 6870: Kaqchikel Maya Culture (3 credits)
ANTH 6840: Beginning Kaqchikel Language (3 credits)
ANTH 7570: Intermediate Kaqchikel Language (3 credits)
ANTH 7580: Advanced Kaqchikel Language (3 credits)
K'iche'
ANTH 6860: K’iche’ Maya Culture (3 credits)
ANTH 6845: Beginning K’iche’ Language (3 credits)
ANTH 6850: Intermediate K’iche’ Language (3 credits)
ANTH 6855: Advanced K’iche’ Language (3 credits)
Housing and Meals
Students will live in homestays with families living near classroom facilities. Students will have private bedrooms with basic furnishings, and bedding. They may share a bathroom with other students or members of the host family. All homes are equipped with wifi and potable water.
Host families will provide breakfast and dinner on weekdays and 3 meals/day on Saturdays. Students will share lunch with instructors and administrators in the classroom facilities during weekdays.
Excursions
Each summer, the Program Directors organize multiple group excursions. These range from short local trips to the marketplace, a milpa (traditional farm), or a weaving co-op, to day trips to Mayan ruins, local landmarks, and conferences. Students often have the opportunity to interact with local leaders and may be invited to participate in Mayan religious and cultural ceremonies. We encourage to students come prepared with an open mind and spirit of generosity.
Cost
Total cost: $7,250
Tuition: $5,000
Housing and Logistics Fee: $2,250
Tuition and fees include 6 graduate-level Tulane credits, course materials, transportation to/from the Guatemala City Airport, full room and board, in-country excursions, group activities, and celebrations. Program costs do NOT include travel to/from Guatemala, some meals, or personal expenses like souvenirs, laundry, etc.
Financial aid
The Mayan Language Institute has been designed to meet all requirements of the federal FLAS grant, which may cover much of the cost. Non-Tulane Students should speak with the FLAS coordinator at your university.
Students interested in K'iche' should apply for funding through their home institutions or through Vanderbilt University (link to the application will be posted soon). The Vanderbilt FLAS Application Deadline is February 1, 2025.
Students interested in studying Kaqchikel should apply for FLAS funding through their home institutions.
Tulane students may apply for Summer Intensive Language Funding through the Stone Center. You'll find more information on our resource pages for Graduate and Undergraduate Students. The Stone Center Funding Application Deadline is February 1, 2025.
Tulane students may also check out this chart of undergraduate funding opportunities across Tulane's campus.
Registration and Billing
Students will receive admission decisions within 3-4 weeks of the application deadline. Once admitted, they will be asked to pay a program deposit of $500 to secure their spot. This deposit is REQUIRED to secure participation and will not be waived except under extenuating circumstances. Students facing severe financial hardship should communicate with both sclassum@tulane.edu and their FLAS coordinator to request accommodations.
All MLI registration will be processed by Stone Center staff. Students will initially be enrolled in one 3-credit Latin American Studies placeholder course, under for billing purposes only. After students' language placement in Guatemala, they will be enrolled in their respective culture and language courses.
Tuition and fees are charged to Tulane student accounts in the late spring. Students are responsible for making sure that the bill is paid in full according to the policies outlines on the Accounts Receivable website. Students can access their accounts through the Gibson Portal.
Refund and Cancellation Policy
Applicants to Stone Center and CCSI Summer Abroad Programs are required to pay a non-refundable commitment deposit of $500.00 by the commitment deadline indicated in their acceptance letter. This deposit will be subtracted from the total program fee at time of billing. If an admitted student decides to withdraw from the program after commitment but before the program start date, the student must send written notification of the withdrawal to program administrators. This notification must be in writing and sent to sclassum@tulane.edu. The effective data of cancellation is the date this official written notification is received by the Stone Center/CCSI. The refund schedule below applied to all students regardless of the date of application or the circumstances of the cancellation.
- Withdrawal or cancellation from 31 to 59 days prior to the Program start date - the cancellation fee is $500 plus all non-recoverable costs.
- Withdrawal or cancellation from 1 to 30 days prior to the Program start date - the cancellation fee is 50% of the published Program fee or the total amount of non-recoverable costs, whichever is higher.
- Tulane will be entitled to retain the entire Program fee for withdrawals or cancellations occurring on or after the Program start date.
Accessibility and Accommodations
The MLI is a strenuous program that challenges its participants physically, emotionally, and academically. Nevertheless, the Stone Center is committed to making all its programs accessible to all students. Persons requiring special facilities or accommodations should notify the Program Manager as soon as possible. All effort will be made to accommodate their needs, but students should be aware that reasonable accommodation may be required.
Medical Insurance and Travel Emergency Assistance
The Stone Center will enroll MLI students in a comprehensive study abroad medical insurance policy provided by Geoblue. This insurance is included in the cost of the program. Tulane provides students with travel emergency assistance through Crisis24. Information about this program is available on the Tulane Global website.
Applicant Eligibility
Both Tulane and non-Tulane students at the graduate and undergraduate levels are encouraged to apply. Applicants must have a GPA of at least 2.5 and hold a passport valid for at least six months following the program end date.
Contact Information
If you have questions or would like more information, visit the Mayan Languages Institute webpage or contact the Stone Center for Latin American Studies:
Phone: (504) 862 - 8629
Email: sclassum@tulane.edu
100 Jones Hall, Tulane Uptown Campus