Student participants in the Chinese programs will be drawn from the following cohorts:
- Current high school sophomore, juniors and seniors who have taken at least three years of Chinese are taking AP Chinese equivalent (including CHIN 1114 through the ECE program), and who have progressed to intermediate low proficiency according to ACTFL guidelines. (There will be some flexibility for applicants; some beginning students may be admitted.)
- Current college/university freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who have completed elementary Chinese who are currently taking intermediate Chinese.
- Other qualified high school or college students with intermediate low Chinese proficiency according to ACTFL, i.e. Chinese heritage speakers or those who have attended weekend Chinese schools.
- ROTC students at UConn and elsewhere who are similarly qualified.
- Qualified students from various backgrounds, especially those who have attended prior STARTALK language programs, are welcome provided that they test at the intermediate low level of proficiency according to ACTFL guidelines.