ESL Courses

ESL courses are fairly standard in all states. Therefore, please note that the information below is a general guide for students researching American ESL courses, and applies to all states. For the most current and specific details, students should therefore also refer to individual schools.

The different English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and programs available in the USA include:

business English

conversational English

English for specific purposes (such as medical, legal, educational, etc.)

English for the workplace

university or college preparation

high school preparation

integrated programs (read, write, listen, speak)

child/youth programs (for students 12 years old and younger)

teacher training programs (CELTA/TESL/TESOL, etc.)

English proficiency and test preparation (PTE Academic, TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS)

These programs may be offered at the beginner, intermediate or advanced level. They may be semester programs, summer programs, or immersion camps, and program length varies between 5 weeks to 15 weeks. Some programs are tailored for individuals or for groups. ESL courses and programs will differ depending on where you take them: at a university, college, public high school, private high school, or private language college. For example, some college programs allow ESL students to register for up to 2 university courses for credit during their language training. The different courses and programs also lead to different goals; some award you a certificate, while others are simply language skills upgrading. With all these options, ESL courses in the state will definitely have what you need.