GFRs, GERs, GDRs for International Students
re you an international student whose first language is not English, or are you a student who is fluent in a language other than English? If so, you may have already completed part of the language-culture component of the general requirements.

If you attended a secondary school and/or a university in which the language of instruction was not English, then you should fill out the application form available at the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics (AC IV 146), attach the required transcripts, and submit the form. If you attended an English-speaking secondary school in another country, but completed several years of courses in your first language, then you need to follow the same procedure. The portion of the requirements that you will have fulfilled depends on whether you come under the GFRs, GERs, or GDRs. For the GERs and GFRs, it also matters whether you are completing a BA or a BS degree.

After the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics has examined your application forms, it will notify you and the Advisement Center in writing about the results. The likely exemptions will be as follows:
GFRs (beginning with Summer 1996)
BA students: You will most likely have completed the language portion of the GFRs, i.e., proficiency at the 201 level. You will need to take only two additional courses (instead of three to four). These two courses can be culture or language (at the appropriate level) or a mix of the two. (Please see point 1 under Clarifications.) We cannot give you academic credit hours for speaking another language, but we can recommend that you be exempt from part of the requirements. You may be exempt from additional courses if you completed courses at another university. See the note at the end of this section.
BS students: You will most likely have completed the language portion of the GFRs, i.e., proficiency at the 201 level. You will need to take only two additional courses (instead of three to four). These two courses can be culture or language or a mix of the two. Additionally, one of the two courses can be replaced with a MS course in the Mathematics category. (Please see point 1 under Clarifications). We cannot give you academic credit hours for speaking another language, but we can recommend that you be exempt from part of the requirements. You may be exempt from additional courses if you completed courses at another university. See the note at the end of this section
GERs (Summer 1989 to Summer 1996): (Please note that students have the choice of completing the GFRs instead.)
BA students: You will most likely have completed the language portion of the GERs, but you will still need to take three courses to complete the language-culture requirement. There are three options:
  • You have the choice of taking three culture courses.
  • You may want to take upper level language courses in your language—if it is taught at UMBC—or you may want to take courses in other languages you know or begin a new one.
  • Finally, you may mix language courses (at the appropriate level) and culture courses to arrive at the required three courses.

You may be exempt from additional courses if you completed courses at another university. See note at the end of this section.
BS students: There is no change in the requirements, as BS students already have the option of taking two culture courses or two language courses to complete the GERs. There is no need to submit the Application Forms. You may be exempt from additional courses if you completed courses at another university. See note at the end of this section.
GDRs (before 1989):
You most likely will have completed the language portion of the GDRs. We cannot give you academic credits hours for speaking a language other than English, but we can recommend exemption from the language portion of the GDRs.
Please note that if you have completed language and/or culture courses on the college level at another university, then you should apply for transfer credit applicable to the GFRs, GERs, or GDRs from the Office of the Registrar. If you have completed university courses in a language other than English (perhaps in your own country), you should attach this information to your application form. You may be exempt from additional language-culture courses.

GFR Language/Culture Requirement Clarifications
1) What are the options for students who have completed level four in a language in high school or who have otherwise demonstrated proficiency on the 201-level?
These students have satisfied the 201-level GFR language requirement and therefore need to take only 2 more courses to complete the language/culture requirement.

The following are the options for BA students: (BS or BSE students may replace one of the two courses with a "MS" course in the Mathematics category.)
  • Two courses above the 201-level in the language already studied.
  • Beginning a new language and receiving GFR credit for that new language at the 101 level. A student may also take two different courses at the 101 level and receive GFR credit for both.
  • One "L" course, for which they have the appropriate placement level, and one "C" course.
  • Two "C" courses.
2) Do students with no prior language experience who therefore have to begin language study at the 101 level receive GFR credit for the 101 course?
Students with no prior language experience who begin language study at the 101 level do not receive GFR credit for the 101 course. Such a 101 course carries elective credit. Students will receive GFR credit for the 102 and 201 levels. (A 101 course is awarded GFR credit only under the circumstances described in number 1 above.)
3) May students who feel uncertain about the quality of their preparation in a language place themselves one course lower than the appropriate placement level based on their prior level of language study?
No, students may no longer place themselves one course lower than the appropriate placement level without permission. Students with a weak background, as well as those with five or more years since their last language class, must contact the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics about permission. If they are unable to do so before the first day of classes, they should speak to the instructor of the course in which they have enrolled for instructions about how to obtain the necessary permission.
4) Which students should be advised to take the 103 courses?
The 103 courses are intensive reviews of the 101-102 courses. They are open to students who have completed level 3 in high school but feel unprepared for 201 because of a weak background or because five years have elapsed since their last language study. Permission of the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics is required as outlined in number 3 above. Students may receive credit for either 103 or 102, but not both, and either course may be used to satisfy the GFR language requirement where appropriate.