Intensive ESL on the UIW Campus

Intensive ESL classes at UIW are taught by ELS Language Centers, a division of Berlitz International.

Format of ESL on the UIW Campus

Criteria: UIW allows international students to enroll as full time students under the following conditions:

• A TOEFL score of 550 or above for undergraduate students, or 560 or above for graduate students; or
• Passing the UIW test in English as a Second Language; or
• Successful completion of Level 109 ESL coursework offered by ELS.

UIW ESL Test Description

• English as a Second Language test, developed at UIW and administered to students, whose TOEFL scores are below 550 (UG) or 560 (G), upon their arrival at UIW.
• Test is administered on a pre/post basis for diagnostic and assessment purposes to students who enroll in ESL coursework (see below).

UIW ESL Coursework

Description

• ESL coursework consists of multiple levels (101-109) offered by ELS.
• Each level of intensive ESL is four weeks in length.
• Thirteen sessions of the four-week format classes begin at UIW each year.
• Each four-week session begins on a Monday.
• Classes include conversation, reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary skills.
• Each class meets six and one-half hours per day, Monday-Thursday, and four hours on Friday mornings, for a total of thirty hours each week, or 120 hours each session.

Procedures

• International students will be given a placement test by ELS Language Centers, and then placed into the appropriate level.
• Upon satisfactory completion of level nine, international students will be authorized to enroll in 12 or more hours of academic coursework.

Cost of Intensive ESL on the UIW Campus

• The fee for each four-week intensive ESL session is US$ 1,395.00.
• International students, including Sister School Exchange Students, are required to pay this fee. This is not tuition, but is rather, a fee charged for ESL.
• This fee to be paid also applies to any other UIW dependent.
• International students, whether in a UIW degree plan or not, pay the same fee.

Documentation of ESL Achievement for UIW Students

• Grades are not given upon completion of ESL classes.
• UIW Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation does not include any ESL class grades.
• Students must successfully complete each level of ESL before progressing to the next level.
• Certificates are awarded by ELS Language Centers for each level successfully complete.
• A Certificate of Completion is awarded to students who successfully complete all nine levels of ESL.

Progression Through ESL on the UIW Campus

• Students in ELS levels one through seven are permitted to take only ESL until they have successfully completed the equivalent of seven complete levels of ESL.
• After having successfully completed ELS level seven, students are allowed to take ELS levels eight and nine plus two (for level eight) or three (for level eight) academic courses in a degree plan during a fall or spring semester in order to reach the twelve-h academic courses our enrollment required to maintain a student visa.

Location of the ESL Program on the UIW Campus

• ELS Language Centers is located in the center of the UIW campus, in Marian Hall.
• Housing for ESL students is located on Marian Hall’s upper floor.
• Food service for ESL students is located on level one of Marian Hall.
• Marian Hall is the approximate geographic center of the UIW campus.