For Students
English as a Second Language (ESL) and Service Programs
The Department of Linguistics offers several courses in English to nonnative speakers. An overview of our course offerings is located in the table below. Information on the specific types of classes is contained within the links following the table.
| Primary fOCUS | UNDERGRADUATE | gRADUATE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESL | Writing |
113, 114, 115 | 500, 501, 502, 503, 505 |
| ESL | Pronunciation |
110 | 510 |
| ESL | International Teaching Assistants |
- | 504, 506, 508 |
General Enrollment Guidelines for ESL Classes at Illinois
There are three categories of ESL courses at UIUC, at UIUC, administered by the Department of Linguistics:
- The ESL Writing Course Sequence (ESL 113, 114 and 115 for undergraduate students and ESL 500, 501, and 502 for all others). Note: successful completion of ESL 115 constitutes fulfillment of the first undergraduate writing requirement (‘Comp I’)
- The General Oral Course (ESL 110/510; undergraduates enroll for 110, and all others enroll for 510)
- The International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Courses (ESL 504 and 506 – graduate students only)
The General ESL Classes (categories (1) and (2) above) are typically enrolled based on results from the ESL Placement Test (EPT); however, this document outlines alternate enrollment procedures. ITA courses are enrolled as described below.
General Principles for All ESL Enrollments:
If a student is mandated to take the EPT (as stated in the letter of admission), then the results of the EPT determine mandatory courses as part of the student’s course of study. Until the student completes those courses, s/he is on limited admission status. The requirement to take the EPT is made by the Office of Admissions and Records, based on the student’s pre-matriculation TOEFL score.
If a student is not mandated to take the EPT, s/he may still enroll in ESL courses as an elective, without penalty. The student’s admission exemption from the EPT will be unaffected by any ESL course taken as an elective. However, the EPT is the primary vehicle to determine accurate placement in the general courses (Categories (1) and (2) above). Elective ESL students need to go through the EPT to allow us to properly advise them into ESL coursework.
In a related vein, if a student is not mandated to take the EPT, and if the student does take the EPT anyway, there is still no penalty. The student’s admission EPT exemption is maintained.
We accept visiting scholars and post-docs in the general ESL classes (Categories (1) and (2) above), provided that these persons can enroll in the class as described below and appear on the official class roster. Visiting scholars and post-docs should first consult with their home departments to learn if this is feasible. Appearing on the roster may trigger tuition charges.
For more information regarding enrollment into specific ESL classes, please follow the links above to the pages for specific course areas. For further information on the classes, please e-mail the contact persons shown for the particular course categories, below. For information on the EPT, please visit http://illinois.edu/goto/ept or contact Sun Joo Chung (schung26@illinois.edu, ESL Placement Advisor).