Studying English as a Second Language
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English Proficiency Programme:
Who is the course for?
Weekly activities
Final Assessment
Course Dates
Fees
How to Apply
The Victoria University English Language Institute.
Students from over 90 countries have studied English at the Institute over the past 40 years. The Institute is within the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies and is internationally respected for its teacher education programmes.
Postgraduate courses offered at the School include the MA and PhD in Applied Linguistics. The highly qualified staff have had professional experience in many parts of the world and have worked with students from many regions.
Language teaching at the Institute benefits directly from our long-established research programme on English language use and learning. Most of our course materials are designed and developed at the Institute in response to the needs of our students.
The Institute also provides English language courses and consultancies for special professional or academic groups at other times on request.
The English Proficiency Programme (EPP):
The programme improves your performance in:
reading and listening to complex information;
taking an active part in discussions;
expressing complex ideas and facts through speech and writing;
becoming an independent learner of English.
Courses are 12 weeks long and offered at different times of the year. You can combine two or three into a 24- or 36-week programme of intensive English. Short breaks in the middle of courses and between courses give you time to relax and enjoy Wellington or visit other parts of New Zealand.
Special courses can be arranged at any time to meet the needs of particular groups of students – contact the Institute for more information.
Who is the Programme for?
This is an English Academic Preparation (EAP) programme for students of an intermediate level or above (4.5 IELTS). You will be tested on the first day of the programme. If your English language ability is assessed to be lower than the appropriate level, you should consider undertaking an alternative course of English language study before entering this programme.
Most English language students enrol at the Institute for at least one of the following reasons:
to prepare for study at a university;
to improve employment prospects – English is in demand all over the world as an international language of trade and industry;
Whatever your purpose, the staff at the Institute will work with you to provide a course of study that meets your own personal needs. Your teacher will monitor and discuss your progress with you throughout the course.
Weekly Activities
The programme is full-time and consists of 20 - 25 hours per week of class work, as well as your own independent study.
Class work includes:
activities in which you practise listening to talks and lectures, taking part in discussions, reading effectively, writing essays or reports;
listening and speaking practice in audio-visual classrooms;
vocabulary and grammar study;
media studies in which you read, listen to and discuss information from the radio, television and newspapers;
regular tests to give you feedback on your progress.
Outside the regular class hours you will have access to independent learning materials in the Language Learning Centre and the University Library.
Final Assessment and Certificate
At the end of the course, you will receive a final written report on your English proficiency. This includes a proficiency rating indicating the level of English you have achieved.
With an overall rating of ‘4’ you will be awarded with a Certificate of Proficiency. The Certificate is accepted by most universities in New Zealand as an alternative to IELTS and TOEFL for admission to undergraduate degree programmes.
Course Dates
Course dates for 2006 - 2007
ELIN 933*
8 November 2006 – 8 February 2007
ELIN 931
8 March – 8 June 2007
ELIN 932
25 July – 19 October 2007
ELIN 933*
8 November 2007 – 8 February 2008
* includes a separate class for postgraduate students
The English Language Institute also offers ELIN 935, a six-week course for school-leavers during January and February each year.
Fees
International students: $4,950 per course
NZ Permanent residents: $1,351.20 per course
All fees include Goods and Services Tax (GST). Each student must also pay $170-$200 for Students’ Association Fees and Student Levies, and up to $100 on class materials.
As a student at Victoria you can use the University facilities available to all students, including the Recreation Centre and the University doctors. Private students from outside New Zealand must have health insurance. The course fees quoted for New Zealand students are for citizens and residents of New Zealand. Contact Victoria International for further details.
How to Join the Programme
Complete and send us an application form obtainable from an ELI brochure, or click here to apply online.
Send your application as early as possible, as there is a heavy demand for places on all courses. Do not send any money – when we offer you a place we will request an application fee of NZ$100. This fee cannot be refunded but will be deducted from your tuition fees when you pay them.