English Language Institute (ELI)

The English Language Institute (ELI) at CCNY provides in-person intensive instruction and practice for non-native speakers who want to improve their English skills to achieve their academic and professional goals. Our program prepares international and local students to study at American universities and enhance their academic success and employability.

While our classes are in-person on the CCNY campus, the entire New York City is also your learning space. There is no better place to learn English than the cosmopolitan city of New York. 

Please Note: We have a different registration and payment process for international students on F-1 visa and NYC residents.  

Are you an international student? You must apply for an F-1 student visa to study in our program. Please also read our international student page for more information about the application and payment process.

When you're ready, you can start the process by completing our International Student Application Form.

We will send you our Next Steps Email with further instructions on how to pay your tuition, take a level test, and be admitted to our program. Only then will you start the I-20 application process.  

International students are required to enroll for a minimum of 15 weeks or three sessions in order for your Form I-20 to be processed.

Immigration Questions

Our program does not answer questions about immigration. Please contact our International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS) https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/isss

Please also familiarize yourself with non-immigrant visas and SEVP: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/Nonimmigrant%20Class%20Who%20Can%20Study.pdf

And student visas: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

Are you a NYC resident? ELI provides intensive classes that are designed to improve reading, writing, and speaking skills of non-native English language learners. If you live, work, or study in the New York area, this program is the right choice for you!   Please apply through our NYC Resident Application Form.

We will send you our Next Steps Email with further instructions on how to pay your tuition, take a level test, and be admitted to our program.  NYC residents may register for one session at a time.  

Please also read our NYC resident for more details.

If you are an international student with an F-1 visa and are transferring from another program to ELI, please follow the same steps above.  The Form I-20 application also includes International Transfer students.  The I-20 process for new students also apply to transfer students.  Transfer students must show evidence of financial support and resources ($47,143).

What is the cost and how do you pay?

The tuition cost for a semester or for three sessions is $2700 plus a $25 registration fee. International students are required to register for at least three sessions. 

Each session costs $900 plus a $25 registration fee. 

We accept credit cards for payments including Discover, American Express, Visa, and Mastercard.

All international students on F-1 visa are required to register for least three sessions in order for the Form I-20 to be processed. 

How long is the class?

Each session is for five weeks. There are 20 in-person classes, totaling 90 hours of intensive instruction. One semester comprises three (3) five-week intensive sessions and is approximately four to five months.   

What are the levels? 

Upon admission, students receive a link to an online multiple-choice test to assess their proficiency level for program placement and instruction; it takes about one hour to complete. Levels run from Beginner to Advanced.

What is the schedule?

Classes are held Monday through Thursday in-person on campus, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., including a half an hour lunch break. The time it takes to complete our program depends on the student's starting level and progress. 

Please always confirm these dates prior to registration. These are tentative schedule and may change.

Are classes on-line or in-person?

Our intensive English classes are in-person at the CCNY Campus in Harlem or Downtown. If for any reason during the session, the class has to move on-line, you will be notified by your teacher. 

I have been studying at the English Language Institute (ELI) at City College of New York (CCNY) for one year and have successfully completed the program. My teachers, Ramon and Kathy, significantly improved my English skills. Ramon helped elevate my grammar from level 2 to level 3, while Kathy advanced my grammar to level 4 and taught me how to write academic essays. I highly recommend this school to students who want to improve their English speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills.

Additionally, I want to share my positive experience with the ELI staff, who were always pleasant and kind in assisting me. It's also wonderful that we can study in undergraduate and graduate programs at CUNY without needing any English exams, simply by completing the English courses at ELI.

  -Sanzhar Azhimurat, Fall 2023 – Spring 2024 ELI Student

As a newcomer in New York, I couldn’t speak fluently last year although I was familiar with basic grammar. I was so lucky to find ESL English class in ELI City College last year and took part in it. After 4 sessions of intense English studying, I can communicate with native speakers very well now. At the beginning, it was so hard for me to express myself. Especially when we showed our presentations, I had to prepare a long script to help me the first time. Teachers are so nice and patient, and they encouraged me a lot. Therefore, my speaking improved step by step. By the end of level 4, I could show my presentation confidently only using simple outlines. I am grateful for the ESL program in ELI City College. Anyone who hopes to improve their English will gain progress here.

- Evelyn (China) Spring 2021 English Language Institute

I chose the English Language Institute of City College to be close to my family and have the best quality of education for the low price. I was impressed by the school organization, and the way that the teachers explained the course was outstanding. I really enjoy the online classes. They teach lessons with simplicity and efficiency, and give the homework online. They take care of the smallest details of your problems. During my studies with ELI, I have improved a lot in my writing skills as I am writing essays every week. At first, I could barely write a paragraph without many errors. I was not able to speak with people without mistakes but only after 3 months of taking the class from ELI City College. Now, I can speak with a lot of people and write entire essays virtually error-free. In the class, we try to interact with people virtually to involve our own English speaking. Three months ago, I was worried about how to understand English by only doing online studying classes, but ELI City College helped me to prove to me that I can learn online as well as studying in person. Learning English at ELI City College helps me to achieve my goals.​ 

- Mohamed (Guinea) Spring 2021 English Language Institute 

I found ELI courses last year and I enjoyed them in October, 2020. As we know, the whole world has changed about the Covid -19 and of course studying style. The very first time, online class was difficult and uncomfortable, but teachers helped me every single step and now studying is easier and more flexible. ELI courses are one of the best exemplary courses which support students to improve their English language skills. I learnt how to write essays correctly, how to understand and listen to the expressions of foreign people in English, because classes are very mixed.  I made new friends and practicing with them is the most helpful for me to develop my English. Teachers are very professionals and very friendly and always helping students individually which is one of the most important. I have a fourth level ahead, which will be harder, but I hope with the help of teachers everything will end well. Believe me, whoever joins this course will never regret it.

- Ana (Georgia) Fall 2020 English Language Institute

Email us if you have more questions after reading the information on our website at ELI@ccny.cuny.edu .