Programs for English Language Learners
Our mission
Northwestern University brings students and scholars from around the world to engage in research, graduate study, teaching, and intellectual exchange. English Language Programs provides English language training, orientation, and testing for international graduate students and scholars, in order to help them improve their ability to communicate in the classroom and beyond.
Services for students and scholars
We offer English group language classes and one-on-one language tutoring, as well as orientation programs for new international graduate students (the International Summer Institute and Integrated Academic Skills programming). We also offer NativeAccent™ online speech training software for students and scholars who are interested in self study. We allow and encourage students to enroll in multiple services in a given quarter if needed, for as long as is needed during their stay at Northwestern. There is no charge for any of our services, which are limited to students and employees of Northwestern University.
Assessment
We provide English language proficiency testing for PhD and MFA students in The Graduate School. We administer the Versant English and SPEAK tests periodically throughout the academic year. During the summer quarter, we conduct language assessment through student teaching demonstrations at the end of Linguistics 480 (The Language of Teaching and Learning) taught in partnership with the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching.
Our students
We support students who are enrolled in programs sponsored by The Graduate School, including PhD programs, MFA programs, TGS masters programs, and postdoctoral fellows, in order to improve their communication skills for teaching and their own graduate studies. When space is available, we allow other Northwestern students and scholars to attend our classes and use our services. See our eligibility page for more information on who may use our services.
Learn more about our programs by exploring the topics on the left.
English Language Programs is a program of The Graduate School.
