Intensive English Program
FAQ
What documents do I need to prepare in order to register for the Intensive English Program?
You will need to prepare three documents:
If I already have other degrees from my home country, do I need to submit all of my certified transcripts from high school to graduate school?
- No, you do not need to submit certified transcripts of your undergraduate or graduate degrees.
- If you have completed an undergraduate degree in your country, you need to submit either a course-by-course evaluation or a credential evaluation via a NACES member organization.
How do I get an F1 visa?
- After your application has been approved, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas will issue you an I-20. This happens in 7-10 business days.
- You will need to schedule an interview and present your I-20 to the U.S. Embassy in your home country and apply for an F1 visa. If you are approved, the U.S. Consulate will issue you your F1 visa.
Do I need to take an English placement exam such as TOEFL, IELTS, or MTELP?
When you arrive on campus, the English Language Center will administer AccuplacerESL.
There are five parts to this test: ESL Reading Skills, ESL Sentence Meaning, ESL Language Use, and WritePlacer ESL.
The ESL Language Use test measures your proficiency in using correct grammar in English sentences.
The ESL Listening test measures your ability to listen to and understand one or more people speaking in English. Conversations take place in a wide range of locations including lecture halls, grocery stores, and libraries.
The ESL Reading Skills test measures your ability to read English through the comprehension of short passages.
The ESL Sentence Meaning test measures how well you understand the meaning of sentences in English.
To prepare for AccuplacerESL, please visit the AccuplacerESL Sample Questions (https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/accuplacer/pdf/accuplacer-esl-tests-sample-questions.pdf) and WritePlacer ESL Guide with Sample Essays (https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/accuplacer/pdf/accuplacer-writeplacer-esl-sample-essays.pdf).
No, you do not need to submit a standardized English language test.
How many levels does the Intensive English Program have?
The Intensive English Program has 6 levels. Level 6 (Academic) is the only exit level into UNLV undergraduate majors except Nursing.
What does my tuition cover?
- Tuition and fees include the Program Registration fee, OIT fee, and placement exam fee. Not included in your tuition and fees are the mandatory health insurance premium for F1 students, Student Wellness fee, Rebel Card fee, the Recreation Center fee, textbooks, dining, or housing.
What are my Housing options and how much do they cost?
- On-campus residence hall housing options are: Dayton Community, Tonopah Community, South Complex, and Upper Class Complex. On-campus housing costs can be up to $2,940 ($735 per month).
- Off-campus housing complexes are: Echo1055, LegacyLV, The Degree, and the Rebel Place. U-District’s Legacy LV housing costs range from $406 to $600 monthly depending on the floor plan, furnished vs. unfurnished and gated vs ungated options.
What are my on-campus meal plan options?
- UNLV Dining Services offer different meal plans to fit any budget.
What are my health insurance options?
- Health Insurance: All international students are required to have health insurance.
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Students can submit a Health Insurance Waiver form (https://unlv.myahpcare.com/) to waive the mandatory health insurance requirement.
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For more information, please visit https://www.unlv.edu/studentwellness/health-center/health-insurance
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Why should I enroll in the Intensive English Program instead of your other ESL programs?
Affordable Cost
- The Intensive English Program is priced competitively and is approximately half of the regular international student tuition.
Time-on-Task
- 20 face-to-face hours of ESL Instruction per week.
- 320 face-to-face hours of ESL Instruction per semester.
Waiver for the Standardized Language Tests
- Upon re-applying to UNLV, successful Intensive English Program graduates who have earned a 3.0 GPA in all four Level 6 courses enter their programs of study (except Nursing) without submitting an English language proficiency test score.
About
The Intensive English Program is a non-credit program which offers 20 hours of instruction per week at six proficiency levels
- beginning
- higher beginning
- lower intermediate
- higher intermediate
- advanced ESL
- academic ESL
This program is open to international, domestic, and transfer non-native speaker undergraduate and graduate students.
If you require an F-1 visa to study in the US, you are considered an international student. For further details contact the Office of Admissions directly.
Program Overview
The Intensive English Program provides expert scaffolded ESL instruction in reading, writing, listening, speaking, vocabulary, and standardized test preparation to develop students’ inquiry, critical thinking, and communication skills in order to exit into their major of choice at UNLV.
Placement
All incoming ESL students take the Accuplacer ESL test for final placement purposes in each level prior to the beginning of each semester.
Registration
All Intensive English Program classes are built in the Educational Outreach system. Each level - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 - consists of four classes.
Completion and Progression
Undergraduate students who successfully complete the Intensive English Program with a 3.0 GPA in all four classes in level 6 may advance to UNLV without the TOEFL, IELTS, or Michigan test language proficiency requirement.
Disclaimer: The Intensive English Program at UNLV is not designed for international students on probation or college/university suspension because it is non-credit and as such cannot positively affect a student's GPA.
Any requests of incoming Intensive English Program students on probation/suspension will be addressed on an individual basis by the Director of the English Language Center.
Scholarships
International students qualify for the following scholarships:
Intensive English Program Checklist
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- Submit your UNLV Application.
- Pay the $95 non-refundable application fee.
- Submit a certified high school transcript via a Financial Certification Form and Bank Letter
- Receive an email with your NSHE ID number and another email with your password and log in MyUNLV.
- If available, submit a test score (TOEFL, IELTS, MTELP, Duolingo English Test, etc.) for initial placement purposes.
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Contact marieta.simeonovapissarro@unlv.edu to obtain the registration link for each semester.
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- Earn a B average in all Level 6 classes.
- Re-apply to UNLV if you have spend more than one semester in the Intensive English Program. The $95 application fee will be waived.
- Contact your advisor, fill in the change of major form, and register for classes in MyUNLV.
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Students may take from 1 semester to 6 semesters to complete the Intensive English Program depending on their placement test or standardized English test scores at the time of enrollment.
Session Dates
Intake of new students is in August, October, January, and March.
Full-time International and Domestic Students
16-weeks
| Application Deadline | Payment Deadline | Session | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1, 2022 | August 22 | Fall 2022 | August 29 | December 10 |
*To receive an I-20 for language study, an F1 student needs to enroll as a full-time degree-seeking student in one (1) 16-week session if s/he starts as a Level 6 (Academic) student.
8-week Format
| Application Deadline | Payment Deadline | Session | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1, 2022 | August 22 | Fall I 2022 | August 29 | October 21 |
| October 1, 2022 | October 17 | Fall II 2022 | October 23 | December 16 |
*To receive an I-20 for language study, an F1 student needs to enroll as a full time degree-seeking student in two (2) consecutive 8-week sessions.
Program Costs*
Full-Time* Option, 16-Weeks
| Tuition | $4,550 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $778 |
| Total | $5,328 |
| Tuition | $4,550 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $631 |
| Total | $5,181 |
Part-Time** Option, 16-Weeks
| Tuition | $1,175 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $202 |
| Total | $1,377 |
| Tuition | $2,300 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $345 |
| Total | $2,645 |
| Tuition | $3,425 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $488 |
| Total | $3,913 |
Full-Time Option, 8-Weeks
| 4-Course Tuition | $2,300 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $495 |
| Total Tuition & Fees | $2,795 |
| 4-Course Tuition | $2,300 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $345 |
| Total Tuition & Fees | $2,645 |
*4 courses meet for 20 hours of instruction per week.
Part-Time** Option, 8-Weeks
| 3-Course Tuition | $1,737.50 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $273.00 |
| Total Tuition & Fees | $2,010.50 |
| 2-Course Tuition | $1,175 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $202 |
| Total Tuition & Fees | $1,377 |
| 1-Course Tuition | $612.50 |
|---|---|
| Mandatory Fees | $140 |
| Total Tuition & Fees | $752.50 |
**2 courses meet for 10 hours of instruction per week.
**1 course meet for 5 hours of instruction per week.
*All costs are subject to change without prior notice.
Part-time study options are available for permanent residents (green card) holders and U.S. citizens.
For tuition and fee information for the current semester, please email elc@unlv.edu or call 702-895-3925.
Classes
| Level | CEFR Band Level Description | Intensive English Program Class Title |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | C2 Proficient | Academic Listening and Speaking Academic Reading and Vocabulary Academic Writing English for Specific Purposes (e.g. ESL for Hospitality) |
| 5 | C1 Advanced | Advanced Listening, Speaking, and Accent Reduction Advanced Extensive Reading & Vocabulary Acquisition Advanced Composition Advanced Integrated Grammar |
| 4 | B2 Vantage | Higher Intermediate Grammar Higher Intermediate Listening & Speaking Higher Intermediate Reading & Vocabulary Higher Intermediate Writing |
| 3 | B1 Threshold | Lower Intermediate Grammar Lower Intermediate Listening & Speaking Lower Intermediate Reading & Vocabulary Lower Intermediate Writing |
| 2 | A2 Waystage | Higher Beginning Grammar Higher Beginning Listening & Speaking Higher Beginning Reading & Vocabulary Higher Beginning Writing |
| 1 | A1 Breakthrough | Beginning Grammar Beginning Listening & Speaking Beginning Reading & Vocabulary Beginning Writing |