English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Non-native English speakers (international and community foreign students) are required to take the CTC-approved English Language Proficiency Test before beginning the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. Only international or community foreign students with TOEFL scores of at least 68 iBT or 5.8 on IELTS will be exempt from English language pretesting and the ESOL program. The test may be taken once per year. Transfer students who have taken ESOL courses elsewhere and wish to continue ESOL at CTC must take the English Language Proficiency Test.

The ESOL program includes nine required courses and 3 optional courses and may include entry-level developmental student courses for students without TSIA2 testing. The English Language Proficiency Test provides individualized course placement into appropriate levels of grammar/writing, reading/vocabulary, and listening/speaking. Based on sufficient test scores students may be exempt from courses already mastered, ensuring that students do not take unnecessary courses.

Students whose English Language Proficiency Test scores fall within the parameters of the ESOL program must enroll in the ESOL program. Students enrolled in the ESOL program may receive a temporary waiver from taking the Texas Success Initiative 2.0 Assessment (TSIA2) until such time the student has attempted 15 semester credit hours of developmental ESOL courses or prior to enrolling in entry-level freshman coursework, whichever comes first.