Languages for All (LfA)
Learning a language can be a transformative experience that fosters cultural appreciation and personal growth.
Registration for our year-long courses is now closed.
We will be opening registration for our short courses in November.
Our Languages for All programme has been running since 1992 and is one of the catalysts for the University of York’s commitment to the public good. Our evening and Wednesday afternoon language courses allow you to develop communicative skills and cultural awareness for fun, pleasure, travel, study or work in a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.
They are available in a range of languages and levels and are open to students, staff and members of the public. LfA courses provide an opportunity to learn a language without the pressure of final exams and alongside your studies, work and other activities.
If you are a current University of York undergraduate student and wish to embed your language learning into your degree as a 20-credit elective module, please check the York Language Electives page.
Contact us
Department of Language and Linguistic Science
What LfA has to offer
- Year-long courses starting every October (18 weeks)
- Short courses starting every February (8 weeks)
- Classes of no more than 20 students
- A diverse community of learners (university students and members of the public)
- Access to the University of York’s Library
- Self-study supported by our Virtual Learning Environment
- The possibility of gaining a certificate of completion
General Language and Culture classes
Our General Language and Culture courses run from October to May and are available for Arabic, Chinese, Classical Latin, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Medieval Latin, Russian and Spanish. These courses give you the chance to study a new language or improve your language skills and cultural awareness in a language that you love. Classes take place in the evening or on Wednesday afternoon.
Course fee (18 weeks, 2 weekly hours):
£260 University of York students
£340 University of York staff/Over 60s/Students from other HE institutions
£355 University of York alums
£395 Members of the public
If you are a visiting student or scholar who is at the University of York for one semester only and you wish to enrol for half a course, please contact us at languages@york.ac.uk.
Short courses
Our LfA short courses run from February to May and include introductory courses that allow you to familiarise with languages with non-Roman alphabets including Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Ukrainian, and language courses with a focus on developing conversation skills for everyday communication at a range of levels. These are available for languages including French, German, Italian and Spanish.
Course fee (8 weeks, 2 weekly hours):
£116 University of York students
£150 University of York staff/Over 60s/Students from other HE institutions
£160 University of York alums
£175 Members of the public
Registration for short courses will open in November 2024.
Practical information for LfA students
If you are new to our programme and are not a student or member of staff at the University of York, please consult our Guide for new LfA students with key information.
Please make sure you have read our LfA Terms and Conditions.
Contact us
Department of Language and Linguistic Science