English Courses at the University of Pennsylvania

The ELP at the University of Pennsylvania is an English language institute founded in the 1960’s, with the aim of offering English instruction for foreign students. 50+ years of experience, plus the endorsement of an Ivy League University, guarantees you will receive an excellent English instruction that will be fundamental for your academic and career future.

The University of Pennsylvania is currently place at #15 in the 2020 QS Ranking of all the universities around the world, and Penn has more than 50 years of experience in English language teaching, and its teachers and staff are always making efforts to improve the school’s high-level of English language instruction. Moreover, ELP has a wide selection of English programs you can choose from based on your needs and goals, so you can make the best of your experience abroad. Finally, you will have plenty of opportunities to meet other people, create networking relations, visit popular tourist attractions in Philadelphia, and participate in fascinating cultural activities.

Yes, in some cases you must be 18 years old, while in others you must turn 18 years old within 6 months of the first day of the program. This means for the latter, you can apply while being 17, but you must turn 18 years old within the 6 months following the first day of the program.

Please check with us what type of visa you need to take the program you are interested in.

• All full-time programs in the U.S. require a F-1 student Visa. With an F-1 visa you can extend your stay in the United States as long as you continue studying.
• Part-time programs (less than 18 hours a week) can be taken with a tourist visa or visa waiver ESTA. With a tourist visa, you can only stay in the U.S. the duration your tourist visa allows, since your main purpose in the U.S. should be tourism.

If you need an F-1 student visa, please apply as soon as you receive your acceptance documents (I-20 form) from the English Language Programs at The University of Pennsylvania. In some countries it can take several weeks to obtain a visa interview at the U.S. embassy.

You must confirm these steps on the website of the U.S. embassy in your country. You can look for your nearest U.S. embassy here: https://www.usembassy.gov/

For the Intensive Program and the University Connection Program you will take an online placement test, and the results will be used to place you in the right English level.

Some programs do require an IELTS, TOEFL, or TOEIC test score result, which you must submit along with all the application document.

Yes, you will receive a final transcript with your scores and a certificate of attendance, if you meet the minimum attendance requirements.

In some cases, yes, since while some programs may require previous studies or to be currently studying, for others you do not have to be currently studying to apply. You can check this information by looking at the requirements for the specific program you wish to enroll on, as well as the visa requirements.

No, you must apply with a F-1 Student Visa, as these are intensive programs that require this kind of visa.

Penn ELP has 7 different levels, from pre-intermediate to advanced.

Classes have normally 12 to 16 students, with 20 students maximum.

Each academic hour is 50 minutes long and classes are between 8:00 a.m. and 5:55 p.m.

You can choose from different off-campus accommodations, whichever fits your needs the best. Off-campus options include homestays and private rentals. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding housing.

Yes, ELP students are allowed to attend regular Penn lectures that are open for the Penn community. You can also attend closed lectures by asking the professor by email.

Yes, by being an ELP student you will have access to libraries, museums, computer labs, arboretum, and access to Penn’s student clubs and organizations. Additionally, you can access to Penn’s recreational facilities by paying a fee.

There are both free and payed school activities. You can contact the ELP staff for more information about these activities.

Yes, all students on an F-1 Student Visa must have the health insurance offered through ELP. Those who are not F-1 Visa recipients (e.g. American citizens or permanent residents), must provide proof of health insurance coverage.

Yes, you must buy books and materials from Penn’s bookstore. ELP will provide the list of books and materials you will need.

Yes, there is a $310 non-refundable deposit and a $90 enrollment fee. These will be applied towards your final course fee payment.

You must make the payments once you arrive to the school. The payment methods for the initial fees are check, international money order or wire transfer by Flywire. The remaining payment can be done via wire transfer, check, money order, or cash. Credit card payments are not accepted.

There are no scholarships offered for these programs.

You can work up to 20 hours on campus. Nonetheless, you will be competing with regular Penn students for on-campus job positions, so it is very difficult to find a job.