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UFRN Opens Free Online Language Courses in English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Portuguese for Foreigners, with Live Classes and Limited Spots
The Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte has opened new classes for free language courses in online and live format, under the Languages Without Borders (IsF) program. There are offerings in English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Portuguese for foreigners, with limited spots and deadlines varying according to each class.
For Mandarin, for example, enrollment occurs between August 20 and 25, with selection by level and confirmation via email. According to UFRN and institutional partners, the goal is to enhance internationalization and provide access to quality language training at no cost to the participants.
What is the Languages Without Borders Program at UFRN
The Languages Without Borders (IsF) is a public internationalization policy for higher education that brings together federal universities in a network, offering online classes and thematic courses by level. At UFRN, the Language Center (NucLi) coordinates the classes and communicates announcements and forms as vacancies open.
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The program’s national page emphasizes that IsF organizes recurring offerings and an activity calendar throughout the year.
In this round, UFRN confirmed languages such as English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Portuguese for foreigners, with remote meetings and conversation and culture activities, according to each class’s proposal. The online format allows participation from different profiles of students and the general public from anywhere, as long as they meet the requirements of each course announcement.
Beyond the linguistic content, IsF works with cultural themes, music, and cinema, which often facilitate speaking and listening practice at beginner and intermediate levels. These thematic lines appear in announcements of recent offers and help contextualize the profile of the classes.
Which Free Courses Are Available and What Still Has Spots
The agenda of free language courses at UFRN includes, in this offering, English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Portuguese for foreigners. The classes may have thematic titles, such as conversation with music and cinema, and are organized by proficiency levels. Enrollment occurs through specific forms, published for each language and class.
It is essential to pay attention to the deadlines, which differ for each offering. In the case of Italian, for example, UFRN indicated enrollment until August 17 at 12 PM in the latest round, with remote classes and open access to the internal community and external public. For Mandarin, the enrollment is from August 20 (starting at 12 PM) until August 25 at 11:59 PM, with classes expected to start in early September.
For Mandarin, there are three levels with limited spots and selection rules: Level 1 for beginners will have a selection by order of enrollment, and levels 2B and 3B will require proof of prior knowledge. The confirmation of selected participants is sent via email and requires a response within the deadline to secure enrollment.
Who Can Enroll and How Selection Works
Official announcements indicate that the offerings cater to different audiences, including external public, depending on the notice for each class. For intermediate and advanced levels, it may be necessary to test or prove the level; for beginner levels, generally, order of enrollment applies, according to the regulations of each course.
The recommendation is to read the announcement for your language carefully, as it provides details about the distribution of spots by profile, necessary documentation, and any waiting lists. In any scenario, it is worth emphasizing that spots are limited and deadlines are short, requiring quick completion of the form and responses to confirmation emails.
For Mandarin, the institutional partnership among UFRN, IFRN, and FUNCERN expands the reach and offers 100% online classes (Zoom), with 48 class hours distributed over 16 weeks. This model has been adopted in other IsF offerings precisely to allow remote participation with live meetings.
Dates, Class Format, and What to Expect
Although each class has its own schedule, the current standard is online and live classes, with practical themes and conversation activities. Enrollment confirmation typically occurs via email, with deadlines for responses and final list announcements. The schedules are described in the specific notice, like for Mandarin, which lists days of the week and evening slots.
This week, Mandarin has open enrollments from August 20 to 25. Preliminary and final lists are released shortly afterward, with classes expected to start in early September. If your interest is in Italian, the most recent round closed on August 17, but new classes may be announced in future IsF sessions.
For other languages, the guidance is to follow the official channels of NucLi UFRN and Rede Andifes IsF on social media, where announcements, updates, and corrections to deadlines are quickly published. This helps to not miss short windows and choose the class that best fits your level.
How to Enroll: Step by Step
- Choose the language and class of interest and check the deadline.
- Access the official form for the class and fill in your details, attaching any requested documents.
- If the class requires a level, take the test or attach proof of proficiency as per the notice.
- Monitor your email for results and respond within the deadline to confirm your spot.
If possible, organize your schedule before classes start and ensure a stable internet environment to better enjoy the synchronous sessions. As the classes are live, delays may compromise attendance and evaluative activities.
ENROLL HERE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DOgiFuKBpdp9zr1fI3jDi2ldIgKefqez/view
Why Free Language Courses Are Worth It
In addition to being free and focused on live online classes, IsF offers a pathway that combines language skills and cultural content. For those needing a language on their resume, it is an educational opportunity with institutional backing from a federal university and, in some classes, with international partners, as in the case of Mandarin.
Another point is the possibility of entry at beginner levels, which provides a gateway for those who have never studied a particular language. For those looking to advance, intermediate and advanced classes require proof of level, ensuring better homogeneity in the classrooms.
Amigos,
Encaminho o curso gratuito de mandarim da Xiao:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSA_5IcZ3282g5B1luYSP6IxPaLigxErG
Para quem quiser. Tenho um curso de mandarim gratuito, do zero ao avançado. Meu nome é Xiao e o nome do curso é Xiao Mandarim
Oi Xiao, como faço para fazer o seu curso?
Eu tbm gostaria de obter o curso
Se possível eu também gostaria de obter o curso Xião.Você pode disponibilizar para mim?
Também quero
Calorosas Saudações Xiao.
Estou interessado em fazer o curso, gostava de saber quais são os procedimentos?