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Intensive English Program

General Overview 

The English Language Institute (ELI) at the University of Pittsburgh offers a CEA-accredited Intensive English Program (IEP) with classes at five proficiency levels. The number of levels offered depends on enrollments.

  • High beginning* 
  • Low intermediate
  • Intermediate  
  • High intermediate
  • Low advanced

*High beginning is approximately equivalent to 24 on the Internet-based TOEFL.

All students take a pre-arrival entrance exam to determine their placement and level in the IEP. The availability of levels depends on enrollment. Please contact us to confirm availability. Complete information about studying in the IEP can be found in the ELI Student Handbook on the Application page.  

Dates and Deadlines 

The Intensive English Program term lasts 13 weeks. Programs begin in September, January, and May. Click here for the complete academic calendar.  If you cannot start your classes on the start date, please contact us to discuss options. 

Go to Deadlines

Classes and Skills Developed 

The program focuses on developing language skills for academic, professional, and personal needs.

Class Language Skills
Speaking
  • Developing and giving presentations 
  • Building speaking fluency
  • Improving pronunciation
  • Enhancing conversational abilities
Writing
  • Improving organization and accuracy
  • Writing essays and research papers
Listening
  • Developing comprehension skills for understanding lectures
  • Understanding authentic audio and video
  • Increasing comprehension of conversational English
Reading
  • Developing vocabulary
  • Increasing reading fluency
  • Improving reading comprehension
Grammar
  • Learning to understand grammar in listening and reading
  • Using appropriate grammar to communicate effectively in writing and speaking

The first week of the program includes several orientation sessions, and the last week includes final exams and a closing ceremony. All students receive a final grade report, and students who complete a course of study with satisfactory attendance also receive a certificate of attendance. 

Students should be prepared to use their own laptop or device for assessments completed during class and for final exams. A limited number of laptops may be available for students to borrow for an 8-hour period from the University Library System.

Class Schedule 

Full-time students receive 20 class hours of intensive English instruction each week per academic term.  Currently, each class meets two days a week for two class hours, and classes are scheduled between 8 am and 5 pm.  That schedule may change based on classroom availability. 

Part-time Study 

Part-time study is when a student studies for four or fewer classes. Students who are not on an F-1 student visa can study part-time.