Pearce Auditorium seen from the front lawn
Brenau University English Language Institute

You will learn English in a supportive environment dedicated to your success

The English Language Institute at Brenau University provides an interactive, supportive and culturally aware education that prepares students to enroll at Brenau University, or build the skills they need to thrive in the English-speaking world. Within three semesters or less, students of any English level will be taught the skills needed to succeed in an English proficiency test.

Why The ELI at Brenau? 

  • Learn in small, interactive classes of around 7 students and receive the personalized attention you deserve 
  • Receive the language skills you need through our research-based and field-tested curriculum
  • Spend time talking with your classmates and learn how to communicate in real-world, everyday scenarios, including buying groceries, checking into a hotel, asking for directions and more 
  • Meet in person for four hours a day, five days a week, in the Intensive English Program (IEP) to quickly grow your language fluency 
  • Take classes and practice tests that prepare you to take and pass the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) at a level required for your academic goals (5.5 for undergraduate programs or 6.0 for graduate programs) 
  • Learn in a judgment-free and supportive environment with teachers and staff that are dedicated to your success
ELI Student Handbook

Intensive English Program

What you will learn

The Intensive English Program (IEP) consists of three levels — beginner, intermediate and advanced — and meets in person for 22 hours per week for 15 weeks per semester. Each level consists of one semester of classes and costs $6,000 per student. At the beginning of the program, students will take a placement test to determine where they should begin.

No English skills are necessary to enter the beginner level
In this level, you will:

  • Build the foundation for your future English education 
  • Focus on pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary 
  • Begin to become comfortable with the English language 
  • Start to write sentences and paragraphs with adequate grammar and organization 

At the end of this level, you should be able to:

  • Hold a short conversation on familiar, everyday topics, such as family, hobbies, interests, jobs and goals 
  • Communicate your immediate needs, including expressing your feelings, making appointments, accepting or declining an invitation, or introducing yourself

In this level you will:

  • Expand on your skills to gain the confidence to succeed in everyday life
  • Engage in small talk, and have conversations on familiar and new topics 
  • Practice conversational listening, focusing on faster speech from native speakers 

At the end of this level, you should be able to:

  • Function comfortably as a community member in an English speaking country 
  • Write essays and emails for different everyday purposes
  • Have the skills to complete everyday tasks in English 
  • Begin to read more academic texts and articles

In this level you will:

  • Engage in academic discussions and debates 
  • Share your opinions on abstract topics, such as how to resolve conflicts or how to identify misinformation
  • Learn to develop an argument and support your ideas in a convincing way
  • Prepare to take and pass the IELTS 

At the end of this level, you should be able to:

  • Receive an IELTS score required for undergraduate or graduate admission to Brenau University 
  • Research and write academic papers using citations
  • Give professional presentations 
  • Communicate complex topics comfortably while using correct grammar and organization

Admissions

To be admitted to the IEP, applicants must meet the following criteria: 

  • Be at least 17 years of age 
  • Be willing to attend all classes and complete all assignments 
  • Have a minimum of a high school education 
  • Provide official college or university transcripts 
    • All foreign transcripts must be officially translated and verified by a service such as NACES, USCES or WES
English Language Institute Application

6:1

average student to faculty ratio

90%

of ELI students have passed an English proficiency test

3

semesters from no English to college level

Other Programs

English for Specific Purposes

The English for Specific Purposes (ESP) program provides a customized plan for students who need specific English skills for their professions. This short-term program is specific to the needs of the students and is developed for each group.

Pathway Program

The Pathway Program provides students with the opportunity to enroll in some Brenau classes while finishing their English education and preparing for the IELTS.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and Fees per Semester

Tuition $6,000
Room & Board and Meals $6,300
University Services and Health Care $750
Total per Semester $13,050

Tuition and Fees per Year (3 Semesters)

Tuition $18,000
Room & Board and Meals $18,900
University Services and Health Care $2,250
Total per Year $39,150

Our Mission

To provide English language learners with opportunities and skills that aid in the development of English proficiency in preparation for admission to a degree program at Brenau University and/or to enhance proficiency for professional pathways.

This supports the overall mission of Brenau University by providing English language learners with the opportunities to develop skills that will lead to “lives of personal and professional fulfillment.”

Accreditation

Brenau University Intensive English Program is accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation for the period August 2018 through December 2024 and agrees to uphold the CEA Standards for English Language Programs and Institutions. CEA is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency for English language programs and institutions in the U.S. For further information about this accreditation, please contact CEA, 1001 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 630, Alexandria, VA 22314, (703) 665-3400, www.cea-accredit.org.

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Helpful Links

Meet our staff

Contact Us

Phone: (770) 297 -5862

Jessica Drexler, BFA

Operations Manager

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Erika Alcantar Anguiano, MA

Affiliate Faculty

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