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English Language Courses

There are over 400 educational institutions that offer English language programs, spread across the many geographic and cultural regions of the United States. These programs provide a variety of courses, from academic English for university-bound students to language and culture courses for travelers. High-quality programs have a professionally trained faculty, an excellent curriculum, and superior facilities for study. Such facilities may include classrooms, libraries, laboratories, computers, and other equipment. Before you apply to a language school, you should make sure it meets accepted minimum standards.

Accreditation is the process whereby standards are established and maintained for educational institutions in the United States. There are two specialized accrediting bodies for Intensive English Programs in the United States: the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) and the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA). Check to see whether the programs you are considering are accredited by either of these bodies.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) authorizes English language programs to issue the government Form I-20, which you will need to apply for your student visa. The USCIS will consider a program as an Intensive English Program only if it offers a minimum of 18 classroom hours (also called contact hours) per week for its students, and if it is accredited by a national or regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Therefore, if an Intensive English Program has approval by the USCIS to issue the government Form I-20, that is one indicator that the program is accredited.

Excerpt: English Language Programs (EducationUSA/Department of State).

• American Association of Intensive English Programs (AAIEP) - provides help in choosing an English language program in the U.S.
• Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA)
• Directory of ESL Program Websites in the United States (GlobalStudy Website)
• Edupass: English As A Second Language
• English Language Courses (Kaplan)
• Language Schools Guide.com
• Language Schools in the U.S. - directory of American English language schools
• Peterson's English as a Second Language - Alphabetical listing of institutions that offer programs in English as a Second Language.
• Study in the USA: English for Specific Purposes (ESP) - these courses help prepare students and professionals for careers in fields such as law, medicine, tourism or teaching.
• Study in the USA: Learning English - information on evaluating an English language school
• UCIEP - an independent consortium of university and college-administered intensive English programs in the United States.

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