Undergraduate Students

English Language Center courses prepare students for classes and campus life at RIT. In addition to advancing your English skills, you will become a confident participant in the RIT community.

The English Language Center offers specialized courses to students in preparation for university study. If you have been accepted to RIT, please review your acceptance letter to determine your English language requirements.

Courses

Most first-semester students are enrolled full time in the English Language Center. Full-time students take the 4 core courses at your placement level.

Learn more about courses

Placement and Testing

Students are placed into English levels by TOEFL or IELTS scores. Students also have the option to take the RIT English Language Exam if you’d like a chance to change your placement. Students are placed into full-time English study (21 hours per week) or half-time English study (12 hours per week) according to test results.

Students with eligible TOEFL or IELTS scores may take part-time RIT degree courses as part of their first semester. Students at the final level Academic English level with qualifying exam scores may be placed into part-time English taking ELCA 55 and two degree courses with either a Writing/Reading focus or a Speaking/Listening focus. Courses include:

Writing/Reading Focus:
ELCA 22 Academic Writing and Reading + ELCA 24 Academic Language Analysis
Speaking/Listening Focus:
ELCA 26 Academic Speaking and Listening + ELCA 50 Interactions
<ELCA 55 Academic Discourse in Context:
2 hour/week course focusing on undergraduate syllabi, assignments, advising and study skills

Summer Study Option

If your schedule allows you to come to the RIT campus in the summer, you can study English to prepare for the fall and meet your English requirements early!

Learn more about Summer Study

Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

If you are not yet admitted to RIT and have questions about undergraduate enrollment, please visit the RIT International Student Admissions website.

Students must complete the language requirements to progress to degree study. Students program of study will be English Language Center until all requirements are met. Failure to complete language course requirements results in suspension from the RIT degree program.

Dates and Costs

New undergraduate students complete English language courses during their first term or terms at RIT. Students may start in the fall, or complete English course early in the spring or summer term. Students with full-time English requirements pay only English Language Center tuition and fees until they begin taking undergraduate degree courses. Students with a part-time English courses will pay English language course fees by the course and RIT courses by the credit hour (see RIT undergraduate fees). When English courses are completed, undergraduates pay full-time RIT undergraduate tuition.

English courses follow the RIT fall and spring semester schedule. However, the short summer terms follow a special schedule. Summer Schedule

Spring 2025 Dates

Deadline to register for the RIT English Language Exam: December 13, 2024. This exam is not required if you have TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Deadline to submit any new IELTS or TOEFL scores: January 3, 2025. No new scores are considered after this date.
Orientation: January 10, 2025
Classes begin: January 13, 2025
Classes end: April 28, 2025

Full-time English study expenses per term (2024-2025)

Full-time English language program tuition:	$8736
Housing and meals:	$7785 est.
Health Center fee:	$255 est.
Health insurance:	$950 est.
Books and materials:	$350 est.

Half-time English study expenses per term for Undergraduates

Half-time ELC for undergraduates (includes 3 courses):	$5460
RIT credit courses (six credits required to maintain F-1 visa status):	$12,960
Health Center fee:	$255 est.
Health insurance:	$950 est.
Books and materials:	$350 est.

Note: F-1 and J-1 visa undergraduate students must maintain the equivalent of 12 credit hours per term as defined by RIT. Please contact ritelc@rit.edu if you have specific questions about your situation.

All admitted undergraduate students with English requirements are considered full-time students at RIT. The program meets requirements for US F and J study visas. See the ELC Handbook for more information on status requirements.

English Language Center courses are zero-credit at RIT.

All English Language Center courses and course grades appear on official RIT transcripts.