Language a Second English as Institute
How Can I Apply?
Visit utc.edu/esl to submit the online application.
Pay a non-refundable application fee of $30.
Submit:
a clear copy of your current passport. a copy of your high school diploma. an English translation of your high school diploma. documentation of financial resources (F1 applicants only). your other immigration documents (for applicants already in the USA).
All admitted students must fulfill immunization requirements before registering for classes.
What Does Tuition Include?
Course fees
Three textbooks
University fees
Access to academic facilities, student health services, and the ARC fitness center.
Entry to sporting events, UTC Outdoors trips, open lectures, concerts, and art exhibits.
Participation in events and field trips organized by the Center for Global Education.
Student UTCID card.
Complimentary use of Chattanooga’s CARTA public transportation system.
Yvonne Dunham Slobodenko
ESL Director
Yvonne-Slobodenko@utc.edu
Dr. Takeo Suzuki
UTC Center for Global Education
20 Hours
Our ESL program is year-round. Students attend immersive classes for up to 20 hours weekly, walking distance from the Tennessee riverfront and downtown Chattanooga. Our program empowers students with the linguistic and cultural competence necessary for success in academic, professional, and social settings.
6 Levels
We offer courses for students at six levels of English proficiency: starter, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate, upperintermediate, and advanced. Students complete the Oxford Online Placement Test and an oral assessment to ensure their placement in the level best suited to their needs. Our instructors use researchbased teaching methods and state-of-the-art academic resources to address individual learning needs.
3 Textbooks
Tuition buys a lot at UTC, but we know you’re here to learn. That’s why the ESL Institute includes textbooks in your tuition. We use titles from two leading publishing houses, Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. These texts grant online access to exclusive learning resources.
Duolingo English Test
At the end of each session, students take the Duolingo English Test. This is a computer-based test which is used to measure the language progress students have made during the semester. It can also be used for undergraduate and graduate level admissions at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Highly Qualified Instructors
Our faculty possess diverse experience and respected credentials. Our instructors hold degrees from accredited undergraduate and graduate programs. They have taught English to learners of all ages in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Our instructors utilize the communicative language teaching approach, helping students develop English-language competence through interpersonal interaction. 1 2 3
Executive Director
Xin Chongqing, China
Our professors are very nice, and the classes are interesting. They give us a chance to talk to each other and express ourselves. They help us to know America more and adjust and fit into our new surroundings.
Sovanmony
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
I like living on campus because of my American roommates. I can improve my English by talking with them every day. I also feel happy on campus. I have everything I need.
Juria Nagoya, Japan
[The library] is very clean and comfortable, and the first floor is open 24 hours. I live in my dorm, so whenever I want to go, I can just go and study. And it has Starbucks next to the library.
Ngan Trang Bom, Vietnam
I really feel like the ESL program is preparing me for the TOEFL. I feel more confident after taking the ESL program and feel that it improved my ESL skill a lot.
Learning English here is better than learning it in my home country because I am able to apply more listening and speaking skills by being surrounded by English speakers.
Rodolfo Cuiabá, Brazil
The teachers are professionals at their job and know how to teach well. There is a large diverse group of students, which allows us to learn about one another’s cultures along with English.
Ho Chi Mihn, Vietnam