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ESL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ELA

Please use this page to find answers to the most common questions we receive at the English Learning Academy! And, of course, if you have other questions that are not addressed below, please feel free to contact us at ELA@AState.edu.


  • ADMISSION
    • How can I apply to study at the English Learning Academy (for English as a Second Language)?
    • Do I have to have a certain grade point average (GPA) to be admitted to study English as a Second Language (ESL) in your program? 
      • If you are planning to study only ESL, then no GPA is required to be admitted.
      • If you are requesting conditional admission (meaning ESL + a degree program), you will need to upload your transcripts and meet the GPA requirement for the program you are entering. 
    • What documents should I submit to study ESL? 
    • When can I start the program? 
      • Because courses start every 7-weeks (or 5-weeks in the summer), you can choose from six different intakes/start dates: January, March, June, July, August, or October. 
    • Can I come and enroll just for the summer semester? 
      • We do not have a specific program just for the summer semester for our ESL program.
      • However, you can apply as a regular ESL student, arrive and take our placement exam to see which level of the program you would start in, and just enroll in that level (or possibly one more if you stay for both of our 5-week summer terms and pass your first level) while you are here. 
  • PLACEMENT AND PROGRESSION
    • Do I have to start in the Foundations level of the program?
      • No. When you arrive, you will be given a placement exam. This placement exam will tell our faculty which level you should start in.
    • Is there any way I can know ahead of time what level I might place in?
      • While we cannot guarantee that you will place into the corresponding level, here is a good chart that shows what level our program matches up with for corresponding TOEFL/IELTS scores. 
    • How long will I be in the program? 
      • The answer to this question will depend on two factors: what level you place into when you first start the program and if you continue to pass each level of the program. 
      • For example: If you start in level three of our program, you would have to take level three, four, and five. If you pass each level on the first try, the minimum time in the program would be seventeen weeks (if you start in a first summer and do summer one, summer two, and fall one), while the maximum time would be twenty-one weeks (if you started in a fall one and did fall one, fall two, and spring one). However, if you were to fail any level on the first attempt (which is perfectly fine because we want to make sure you learn the skills), it would extend the time. 
  • SCHEDULE AND COURSES
    • What are the classes like? 
      • For information about each course, please click here. 
    • Do I have to go to class every day of the week or can I arrange it where I only come some days of the week?
      • Being an intensive English program, we do meet five days a week. You may find a sample schedule here.
    • What is the student-to-teacher ratio in the classes?
      • The current student-to-teacher ratio is no more than 15 students to 1 teacher with an average ratio of 12 to 1.
    • Can I take classes at the university while enrolled in the ESL program?
      • Unfortunately, no. You must complete the ESL program before you can take any undergraduate or graduate courses at the university. After you graduate from the ESL program, you can enroll in our degree programs: https://degree.astate.edu/. 
  • COSTS
    • How much will I have to pay in tuition and fees? 
      • You may find our tuition and fees broken down by seven-weeks and a semester long program here.
    • Will I have to pay for my textbooks?
      • No. We will provide you with your textbooks to use in class.
      • However, you must return the textbooks at the end of the course. If you do not return your textbook or you return it with writing or marks or damage, you will be charged the fee for the textbook. 
    • Do I have to live on-campus and pay for on-campus housing? 
      • No. You do not have to live on-campus. You may choose to live off-campus.
      • However, living on-campus does provide you with an opportunity to embrace the full college experience and get connected to other students staying on-campus, in order to make friends and practice your English!
  • OTHER
    • Are there extracurricular activities that I can participate in while in the ESL program?
      • Yes! Our ESL students are part of the campus community! Anything that is offered on campus as far as an activity or a registered student organization, you can participate in. 
    • What countries do the majority of your students come from?

      • The majority of our students come from China, Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea. However, we also have students from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and Turkey.

    • If visitors (friends or relatives) come to Jonesboro to see me, can they come to class with me? 
      • Unfortunately, no. To have the best learning experience possible for all students, we do not allow visitors to sit in on the classes. However, we would be delighted to meet them, if you want to bring them by the office during non-class times!

ESL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS