Frequently Asked Questions

-- Home --         

» Incoming/Prospective Students
» Directions to DLI-W
  Student Handbook
  Academic Information
  Emergency Procedures
  FAQ's
  Organization Information
  Links

Q.How can I get training at DLI Washington?
A. DLI Washington only provides language training for students who have been assigned by their respective Service or Agency. We do not accept requests for training directly from units or individuals; the request must go through channels to the Scheduling Division at DLI Monterey, which will determine where the requirement can best be satisfied.
Q.Is leave authorized during training at DLI-Washington?
A. DLI Washington leave policy:
  • We observe all Federal holidays.
  • We observe a training holiday the Friday after Thanksgiving.
  • The break at the winter holidays is generally about ten days, depending on how the calendar falls. Students enrolled at FSI will follow that institution's schedule.
  • A one-week leave break is scheduled for students who are enrolled at commercial contract schools for a period of training in excess of 25 weeks not otherwise interrupted by the winter holidays.
Students who do not meet the criteria for taking leave during training as outlined above are encouraged to schedule leave prior to beginning or after completing their training.
Q.What is the daily schedule at DLI Washington?
A. Training at DLI-W is conducted 5 days a week, during normal duty hours (generally between the hours of 8 and 5). The amount of time spent in the classroom each day varies from 4 to 6 hours depending on class size and facility.  In addition, students are expected to spend several hours each day in out-of-class preparation, including studying and homework.
Q.What is the duty uniform?
A. Civilian clothing is authorized but not required for wear. Therefore, a civilian clothing allowance is not authorized. Proper military appearance and grooming standards apply when wearing civilian clothes.

Q.Where are language classes taught at DLI Washington?
A. Language classes are held either at one of a number of commercial contract schools in the Northern VA/DC Metro area, or at the State Department's Foreign Service Institute in Arlington. All commercial schools used by DLI Washington are within walking distance of a Metro stop. Military students in PCS status are eligible for the DoD Mass Transit Subsidy Program to help offset the costs of commuting.

Q.Can I choose where and when I attend class?
A. Training location and hours depend on several factors, including scheduling, a student’s background, and a school’s ability to staff a course. Unique student circumstances which can impact this decision may be taken into consideration, but there are no guarantees. Remember that our primary mission is to provide you with the most effective, not necessarily the most convenient, training.

Q.Will I be issued DLI materials to study?
A. Each school is responsible for providing all educational material needed for instruction, including textbooks, tapes or CDs, etc. In some cases, the schools elect to use DLI-produced material, but they are not required to do so. Also keep in mind that for some of the low-enrollment languages, there may not be much instructional material available, either commercially-produced, from FSI, or from DLIFLC. Therefore, the schools may have to use material gathered from a variety of sources rather than a complete "packaged" curriculum.

When available, DLI-W issues each basic course student (or one per couple) a dictionary in the target language.

Q.Where will I be assigned while at DLI Washington, and where will I receive administrative support?
A. Navy and Air Force personnel are assigned to DLI-Washington, with administrative support provided by Anacostia Naval Base and Bolling AFB. United States Marine Corp and Army personnel are not actually assigned to DLI-W. Instead, they are assigned to their respective Services' "holding units" in the Washington, DC area, and receive all administrative support (including in- and out-processing, housing, finance, etc.) through Service channels. However, DLI-W has staff from all military Services to assist students with getting support issues resolved. For more information, refer to the Service in-processing links on the Incoming Students page of this web site.

Q.What if I'm in the Reserve Component?
A. Reserve Component personnel from all Services get training from DLI Washington in the same way as all others: through their respective training channels. Reserve Component personnel are brought onto active duty for training at DLI Washington and receive the same administrative support as above.

Q.How can I get a transcript of training completed at DLI Washington?
A. In many languages, you can request a score report from DLIFLC in Monterey. This can be used to obtain credit based on the levels you achieved in your proficiency testing. In other languages, DLIFLC may be able to issue a transcript attesting to your attendance and recommending undergraduate credits.

DLIFLC Transcripts and Academic Records

Q.Can I get language study material if I'm not currently a student at DLI Washington?
A. Due to the contract nature of our training program, DLI Washington cannot supply materials to linguists in the field. Contact the DLI School for Continuing Education for support in this area.

Q.Can I get part-time, refresher, or sustainment training from DLI Washington?
A. If your unit wishes to send you to one of the contract schools for periodic refresher training or to ask the school to send an instructor to your location, this can be done under its Command Language Program. A number of schools, including some of those we use, are accessible through the GSA Schedule.

Q.Can I get a foreign language proficiency test administered at DLI Washington?
A. DLI Washington is only authorized to test enrolled students. Currently enrolled students needing annual recertification in another language may coordinate to test at DLI Washington. Other service members needing a DLPT should go to one of the Service testing centers in the National Capital Region.