Students walking on the Brooklyn Bridge,

Pre-Academic English Program

Learn Academic Skills Essential For Your Success

Many international students want to complete a degree in the U.S., but are concerned about their English proficiency and cultural differences. Success in an American university requires a special set of skills. The Pre-Academic English programs help you prepare for the American university experience by learning the skills that you will use in your American university degree.

Flexible Study Options

Fall 2022 Pre-Academic English Classes will be held on-campus in New York City, as well as Online (HyFlex*).

Note that proof of COVID-19 vaccination or an approved exemption is required for all on-campus students at the New York City campus. This requirement is only to access the university’s physical campuses; online only students are not subject to this requirement. View upload instructions and other important information, including how to request an extension or exemption.

*Our Online Pre-Academic English courses are delivered in a HyFlex model. In this model, the course is taught both on-campus and online at the same time by the same faculty member. The instructor will be in the classroom and teaching on-campus students while simultaneously live-streaming to remote students.

High Quality, Innovative Instruction

Our experienced instructors use innovative, student-centered methods to teach. The classes are small, so you will get focused feedback to help you improve quickly.

Focus On Content That You Choose

Classes include an extended research topic that you will work on throughout the courses. Choose a topic you intend to study at university or a different topic to mix it up. This is a unique opportunity to learn essential research, writing and communication skills and apply them immediately towards a content topic of your choosing.

Individual Assistance With Your University Application

Every student receives assistance on their university application materials from the ELI Admissions team through a series of private meetings during the Pre-Academic program.

Program Summary

  • One level of Pre-Academic English will help you prepare for success in an undergraduate degree program in the United States.

    Completing one level makes you eligible for a TOEFL waiver to Pace University undergraduate degrees.

  • Two levels of Pre-Academic English will help you prepare for success in a graduate degree program in the United States. Level Two is the most advanced level at the ELI and helps students enter degree programs with the highest English proficiency requirements.

    Completing two levels makes you eligible for a TOEFL waiver to Pace University graduate degrees**.

Course Descriptions

The Pre-Academic Program is a 12-week (Summer) or 14-week (Spring/Fall) per level program. This program is taken by students planning to study at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This program is delivered online in Fall 2020.

  • Learn the critical thinking, research, and writing skills needed in an American university. Work on research projects on a topic that you choose.

    Hours/week: 5 (2.5 with teacher and 2.5 self-paced)
    Days: Classes with teacher are Monday. Students will work independently with instructor support an additional 2.5 hours per week.
    Time: 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

  • Learn and practice skills for group discussions and class presentations. Work on real graduate projects, and use your new skill to organize, research, and deliver professional presentations.

    Hours/week: 5 (4 with teacher and 1 self-paced)
    Days: Classes with teacher are Wednesday and Friday. Students will work independently with instructor support an additional 2.5 hours per week.
    Time: 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

  • Improve reading, writing and critical thinking skills necessary for success in an American University. The focus of this course is on reading and high order critical thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, interpretation, evaluation, and application) with a minor emphasis on writing as a measure of assessment.

    Hours/week: 4 (2 with teacher and 2 self-paced)
    Days: Classes with teacher are Tuesday. Students will work independently with instructor support an additional 2 hours per week.
    Time: 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

  • Gain insight into American culture, practice and acquire English by viewing and analyzing different genres of film and other audio-visual based media. You will use learning strategies and methods to gain insight into cultural norms in the United States, acquire vocabulary, practice pronunciation, listen more attentively, engage in discussion and write reviews.

    In this course, you will:

    • Identify and evaluate cultural references found in films and other audio-visual based media
    • Acquire slang, idiomatic expressions, and other informal language
    • Acquire topic specific vocabulary and use this flexibly with other topics and in other contexts
    • Outline, summarize and provide a critical review of a feature length film
    • Participate and lead class discussions over movies and audio-video media
    • Recognize and produce pronunciation features such as intonation, word and sentence stress, reduced and connected speech

    This class may be taken fully online or may be taken as a hybrid class with some in person classes. The in-person classes will be delivered in a way that allows for safe social distancing. It will be a modified version of 'live' classes featuring a mix of in-person live classes (with a small number of students, to allow for social distancing), remote learning with a teacher 'live' and self-paced remote study (with instructor support).

    Start Dates: January and March, 2022
    Hours/week: 4 (2 with teacher and 2 self-paced)
    Days: Classes with teacher* are Thursday. Students will work independently with instructor support an additional 2 hours per week.
    Time: 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

    *Classes with teacher are online with the instructor. These classes are recorded. Schedule subject to change without notice.

  • Develop the informal language and stylistic features needed for social interaction with their classmates and for a deeper understanding of their professors. The course focuses on interactions and language that is found in university lectures, materials and classroom/campus situations.

    Special emphasis is on learning the key differences in formal versus informal language use, vocabulary (idiomatic expressions, phrasal verbs, slang) and how language is used to express sarcasm and humor in American culture.

    Start Dates: September and October, 2021
    Hours/week: 4 (2 with teacher and 2 self-paced)
    Days: Classes with teacher* are Thursday. Students will work independently with instructor support an additional 2 hours per week.
    Time: 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

Schedule

Our Pre-Academic English program features multiple levels of instruction. The results of your online placement exam and academic advisement meeting will determine the level you attend at our institute.

Registration and Fees

Please note that the English Language Institute only accepts online Form I-20 applications for our Intensive and Pre-Academic English programs.

Apply Now Tuition and Fees

TOEFL Waiver for Pace University

  • The TOEFL requirement will be waived for students who successfully complete the first Pre-Academic Program level (for prospective Pace Undergraduate students only) and are academically qualified. ELI Students will apply to the Undergraduate Admission department before the completion of the Pre-Academic Program Level One.

    While attending ELI, students can receive assistance with undergraduate applications. An advisor will review the following documents:

    • Completed application for errors
    • Personal essay

    **The TOEFL waiver does not apply to students that have already been accepted to the Pace Global Pathways Program.

  • The TOEFL requirement will be waived for prospective Pace University graduate students who successfully complete both levels of the Pre-Academic Program and are academically qualified. ELI Students will apply to the Graduate Admission department before the completion of their Pre-Academic Program.

    While attending ELI, students can receive assistance with graduate applications. An advisor will review the following documents:

    • Completed application for errors
    • Personal essay
    • Resume (if applicable)

    *Note that the first level of the Pre-Academic Program will waive the TOEFL requirement from the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems Masters-level programs. LLM and JD applicants must complete the Pre-Law English program to waive the TOEFL requirement. All other colleges and Masters-level programs at Pace University require completion of both levels of the Pre-Academic Program (Level Two) to waive the TOEFL requirement.

    **The TOEFL waiver does not apply to students that have already been accepted to the Pace Global Pathways Program.

Contact Us

For more information, please contact the English Language Institute. You may also schedule a visit to campus or an online meeting.

Contact Us

Quick Facts

99%

student satisfaction rate. Pace ELI students see results.

50+

countries represented annually in our classes.

"one of the best"

ways to improve English Speaking Skills (Source: US News & World Report)