The Language House is Cornell’s language-learning residence. Ensconced in Boldt Hall/Alice Cook House on West Campus, the Language House Program is a living-learning program funded by the College of Arts and Sciences. Open to full-time enrolled Cornell sophomores and above in all the colleges, the goal of the program is to provide a setting in which students can become comfortably fluent in one or more of our target languages: Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, and Spanish.

With the opening of Alice Cook House in the Fall of 2004, the Language House Program in Boldt Hall became a vital part of the new house system on west campus. At the standard room costs and dining plan commitment of Alice Cook House, Language House residents now benefit from the intellectual and social life distinctive of west campus while enjoying the close-knit atmosphere unique to the Language House.

Language House residents make language learning and multicultural interests a major focus of their social and intellectual life. Living in Language House means making connections - with fellow residents in the house, with faculty members, and with student organizations. Your circle of genuine friends will grow, and your classes—in languages, area studies, anthropology, history, international relations—will take on new dimensions. Furthermore, you will graduate from Cornell with linguistic skills and cultural knowledge that will be especially attractive to employers and graduate programs.

Language House is well known for its esprit de corps and friendly atmosphere. Members live in an attractive mix of singles, doubles, and suites in Boldt Hall. Native Speakers, who are also students, live in each language section. They serve as conversation partners and organize weekly programs for the residents. Students might cook a traditional meal together, go to the theatre, picnic at a state park, play board games, practice calligraphy, take salsa lessons, or compete in intramural sports. Newspapers, periodicals, books, games, DVDs, and cable TV channels in the target languages are also available on-site. Members and resident Native Speakers dine together regularly. At least once a week, a Faculty Fellow assigned to the language section attends dinner, often bringing guests. Sumptuous brunches and parties related to celebrations of the customs and holidays of target-language countries are regular events. Once a year each language section also takes a cultural immersion trip to a nearby multilingual area or a more ambitious research trip somewhere more distant.