ESL Program Elegible for Financial Aid
The United States Department of Education has approved the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program eligible to receive Federal Financial Aid.
Residents and citizens of the United States can now attend this unique ESL program and receive Federal Pell Grants funds.
Students interested in the ESL program and benefit from Federal Financial Aid must have (1) high school diploma or GED (2) high school transcripts (3) government issued ID (4) take UIC’s placement test (5) submit evidence of previous professional experience or training and (6) submit application for admission.
The ESL program offers five levels of intensive English Language training in the skill areas of grammar, reading, writing, listening, and conversation. Additionally, the program has an integrated laboratory for each level in order to reinforce the learning in each of the skill areas through continued focused practice. All new students are placed in specific levels based on their knowledge of each skill area and their proficiency test scores.
The ESL program at UIC was first launched in 2005 and, throughout the years, it has continued to build and stay progressive in both its innovation of teaching techniques and community engagement.
David Lesser, the program director, states, “UIC’s ESL program focuses more on a broader communicative/collocative approach, backed up by years of sound second-language-acquisition research. UIC teaches English in a similar way to how all people learn their first language, naturally. All the dynamic teaching techniques and cultural engagement within the program lead a student from the basics of comprehension and speaking skills to becoming a highly-developed, academically prepared individual, ready to take on a degree program or move up within their profession.”
An important goal of the ESL program is to help students embrace American Culture through language and cultural understanding. Therefore, UIC’s professors not only teach students formal English, but also colloquial expressions to allow them to fluently comprehend and express themselves in daily American situations.
“UIC offers dynamic and practical student-focused programs that inspire students to read, write, speak and understand the English language at an exceptional level. To us, each person is more than just a number; they are part of our family and we treat them as so – Lydia Bautista Moller, UIC’s President”
UIC’s ESL program is cutting edge. Involving students in fun activities like karaoke, international presentation projects, mock interviews, local restaurant visits and related-business engagement, extra-curricular team-building events, and many more. In addition, UIC organizes program field trips to the most exciting touristic attractions of South Florida each quarter.
“We have offered the ESL program for the last 11 years to international students, and now we are excited to offer this quality program to local students who can greatly benefit from financial aid” – Angelica Moyano, Academic Director.
Students applying to FAFSA.GOV must enter UIC’s code: 042332 when prompted. Classes for the spring term start on April 4th, 2016. For more information about the ESL program and the financial aid application process, please contact Carolina Arenas, admissions coordinator at (954) 607-4344 or at uicadmissions@uinternational.edu