The Furthering Language Incentive Program (FLIP) allows degree-seeking undergraduate students who already have completed the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education World Languages fourth level requirement to earn up to eight additional semester hours of college credit while studying a world language or languages. 

Students should request evaluation for FLIP credit during the semester in which they are enrolled in a FLIP-eligible course. Students also may apply for FLIP credit retroactively, provided they have not yet graduated. 

Options

FLIP 1 is designed for students wanting to continue the study of a world language at a more advanced level. A student may earn four semester hours of additional, ungraded credit for a fifth-semester level (or higher) world language course completed with a grade of B- or better. Four additional semester hours of FLIP 1 credit will be awarded for a second fifth-semester level course (or higher) in the same or in a different language with a grade of B- or better.

You are eligible if:

  1. You have completed the fourth level World Languages component of the CLAS Core General Education Program in high school or by any other acceptable means except through college-level language study
  2. You have taken the World Languages Placement Test in the desired FLIP language (you must take this prior to enrolling in a FLIP course).

Note: Students who have not yet completed the fourth level World Languages component of the CLAS General Education Program, but who take the appropriate placement test and enroll in a fifth-semester level or higher course, can be qualified to participate in FLIP. Successful completion of the course may be used to satisfy the World Languages General Education requirement. Please contact CLAS Undergraduate Programs for additional information.

FLIP 2 is designed for students who would like to study a second world language at the introductory level. Two semester hours of additional, ungraded credit will be awarded for each FLIP 2 course completed with a B- or better in the first four courses of a world language sequence for a maximum of eight semester hours. Students may also choose to study another world language at the introductory level but no more than eight hours of FLIP credit is ever awarded.

You are eligible if:

  1. You have completed the fourth level World Languages component of the CLAS Core General Education Program

Questions?

For more information on the Furthering Language Incentive Program, contact CLAS Undergraduate Programs (CLAS UP).

Apply for FLIP Credit

FLIP policies

Before signing up for FLIP credit, please review the following policies:

  • FLIP credit is awarded only for world language courses taken at the University of Iowa.
  • To be eligible for FLIP credit, a course must be taken for a minimum of three (3) semester hours of credit.
  • In order to be eligible for the first instance of FLIP 1, you must not have previously earned college credit for a fourth-semester level course or higher in that language. Instead, you may use FLIP 2 to study a new language.
  • FLIP 1 and FLIP 2 may be combined, but no more than eight semester hours of FLIP credit is ever awarded.
  • If you fail to earn a B- or higher in a FLIP-eligible course, you will not receive FLIP credit for that course, and you will no longer be eligible for FLIP credit in that language.
  • If you drop a FLIP course after the second week of the semester, you will no longer be eligible for FLIP credit in that language.
  • FLIP credit is not graded and is not included in any GPA calculations.
  • FLIP hours are counted toward hours required for graduation and are considered CLAS and UI residence credit.
  • FLIP credit is considered credit by examination. No more than a total of 30 semester hours may be earned through credit by examination (including AP, CLEP, or IB exams).
  • Credit for the first instance of FLIP 1 is awarded as four semester hours of ungraded credit for the fourth-semester level course in the same language.
  • Credit for FLIP 2 and the second instance of FLIP 1 is awarded as additional, ungraded credit for the FLIP-eligible course taken.