The basic philosophy of UNIVERSAL is that, while a precisely-defined core program is fundamental to ensuring that the structure of the language is well-instilled, it is also important that each student’s course of study be appropriately geared for his or her aptitude, previous experiences, personal interests, and ongoing rate of progress. Consequently, prior to starting classes a course outline is developed collaboratively by the student, the program director and the instructors. Each week the student’s progress is evaluated and discussed, and adjustments are made to his or her course outline as necessary.

Classes consist of two to five students per instructor and meet for five hours daily, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 1:10 p.m. with ten-minute breaks on the hour between classes and a daily lunch break of thirty minutes. Alternatively, if their skill level does not coincide with an already-existing group, students may be assigned to individual classes which meet for three hours daily. Finally, individual tutorials may be arranged per student's request.

Program components