Students must be 18 years of age by the first day of the semester to apply and have graduated from high school (or the equivalent of 12th grade in the US) by the application deadline. Applicants who will turn 18 during their first semester may request an exception to the age requirement by emailing the ELC Office (elcsec@byu.edu) to request the forms for an exception.

Semester	Semester Dates	Application Accepted
Summer 2019 (1 semester)	May 6 to Aug 15, 2019	Only open to applicants inside the US-Email us for info
Summer 2019 and Fall 2019	May 6 to Dec 12, 2019	Only open to applicants inside the US-Email us for info
Fall 2019 (1 semester)	September 3 to December 12, 2019	January 15 to May 15, 2019
Fall 2019 and Winter 2020	September 3, 2019 to April 16, 2020	January 15 to May 15, 2019
Winter 2020 (1 semester)	January 6 to April 16, 2020	May 1 to September 15, 2019

The English Language Center (ELC) at Brigham Young University is under the direction of the Department of Linguistics and the Division of Continuing Education. The program is designed to provide a laboratory school for teachers learning to teach English to speakers of other languages and to provide high quality English language instruction for students desiring to improve their English language skills. Students can expect most of the teachers at the ELC to be graduate students studying in the TESOL master’s degree program or to have graduated from that program with a graduate certificate or master’s degree.

Although ELC students are not BYU students, they nevertheless have access to many BYU facilities including the university library as well as to the ELC computer lab and resource center.

The English Language Center strongly promotes an English-only environment. At the ELC, language instruction and testing take place Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Students are expected to complete 2 to 3 hours of homework assignments daily. They also participate in social activities sponsored by the ELC. Above all, the intensive nature of the program supports language development; students attend 20 hours a week of in-class instruction plus lab work.

Entering students are tested in order to determine their level of English proficiency and are placed in the appropriate program level according to their performance on the placement test.

The ELC has two general types of courses. Foundations Courses focus on basic language skills. Students admitted to this track usually have some foundation in English prior to coming to the ELC. While at the ELC, they will work to improve their skills. Academic Courses focus specifically on preparing students to develop English language skills in order to attend a university where English is the medium of instruction. Students in Academic Courses should have at least a high intermediate level of English proficiency.

The table below shows each level offered in both the Foundations and Academic Program.

A modern computer lab is available in the English Language Center. Also, an innovative Self-Access Study Center (SASC) provides students with the opportunity of working individually on their specific language needs. Tutoring is available to help students with their coursework. Software programs for helping students with listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, and TOEFL are available.

Visa Information

BYU will not process applications for admission to the ELC from international students entering the United States on a visitor's visa (B-2). This is university policy. A Form I-20 will be issued to the student after all admission requirements and procedures for entrance into the program have been completed. The applicant must present the I-20 at the nearest American Embassy or Consulate in order to request an F1 visa to enter the United States.

Driver's License and Social Security Number

Social security numbers are only issued for employment purposes. They are not issued to allow students to apply for a US drivers license. We recommend that students who plan on driving and need a driver's license obtain an international driving permit in their country before entering the US.

Policies, Rules, and Guidelines

Health Insurance

Health insurance coverage is mandatory. Students can purchase BYU health and accident insurance for the period they are in residency at the ELC. Students who do not purchase BYU health and accident insurance will be required to sign a waiver agreement that proves they have other coverage.

Attendance and Academic Policy

Attendance is recorded daily in each class. In order to remain in the program, a student must maintain a minimum of 80% attendance in each class and not receive a citizenship grade below 84% in any class.

English Use

English use at the ELC can be captured in one sentence: We expect excellence; you should too.
The ELC is an English language school. As such, you are expected to speak English as much as possible in and out of class. Your teachers will insist that you speak English all the time you are in their classroom. We expect you will do the same outside of class. You are here to improve your English, the greatest language development will occur when students are using English.

Q: Can I move from the Foundations courses to Academic courses?
A: Yes, but you will be required to achieve the same proficiency required for other students entering Academic courses.

Q: What if I come to study and I place in the Foundations Courses, but I want to study Academic English?
A: You will be placed in the appropriate courses according to your proficiency, but you will work with a teacher to set up an individual language plan to meet your language needs until you demonstrate the proficiency necessary to study in Academic courses.

Q: What if I come to study and I place in the Academic courses, but I don’t want to study academic English?
A: You will be placed in the appropriate courses according to your proficiency, but you will work with a teacher to set up an individual language plan to meet your language needs.

Q: Can I take both types of courses at the same time?
A: No. These courses are designed to meet the learning needs of students at different proficiency levels.

Q: How do I skip a level?
A: The placement test will be used to identify the courses that would be best for you as well as the most appropriate level within a group of courses. Since language learning takes a great deal of time and effort, it is unlikely that most students would be able to skip a level. However, if a student does well enough on the exams at the end of the semester, it may be possible to skip a level (less than 1% of our students have been able to skip a level).

Q: Are Academic courses actually university courses? Do I get university credit for them?
A: No. Academic courses at the ELC are designed to prepare students to use English at a university where English is the medium of instruction. However, the classes are not regular university classes, nor do students earn university credit for them.

Q: What's the difference between University Prep Curriculum A and University Prep Curriculum B?
A: Both curriculums target the same proficiency level but use different content and textbooks to help you develop the language and skills necessary to succeed in university course work.

Q: Do I have to take the University Prep Curriculums in order?
A: No. The two curriculums are different but equivalent.

Q: If I am placed in the University Prep level, can I choose which curriculum I am enrolled in?
A: No. The curriculum rotates each semester.

Q: How many times can I take the University Prep Level?
A: Every student can take the University Prep level twice—once with curriculum A and once with curriculum B.