ESL Courses and Tutoring

Funding

Where do I go to get funding for an IEL course?
If you have never received funding from GSAS for an IEL course or for tutoring, GSAS will pay for you to take a non-intensive IEL course. Come to the GSAS Dean's Office, Holyoke Center 350 to fill out the registration and payment forms. Please bring your passport and US Visa.

If I have been funded before by GSAS for tutoring or an IEL course, can I still receive funding?
Probably, but come to the GSAS Dean’s Office, Holyoke Center 350, to inquire.

Choosing a course

How do I choose an appropriate course and level?
Take the English Language Placement test administered by the Extension School, and meet with Lilith Haynes at the Institute of English Language if you have questions. Check with Lilith Haynes for exact placement test dates. If you have missed the dates of the placement test, you should arrange with IEL to take a placement test as soon as possible.

Do I have to take an English Language Placement Test?
Yes. The IEL program uses the results of this test to customize the instruction level of the courses they offer to GSAS students. Your test results will help them teach you at the appropriate level.

If I have taken the TOEFL exam, do I also have to take the English Language Placement Test?
Yes. Even if you have taken the TOEFL exam, the IEL program requires you to take the English Language Placement Test.

What is the difference between the GSAS IEL course and the other IEL courses offered at the Extension School?
Enrollment in the GSAS IEL course is limited to GSAS students. The course focuses on issues and skills relevant to being a graduate student and provides an opportunity to meet other GSAS students. The regular IEL courses are open to the general public and provide an opportunity to interact with individuals with a variety of backgrounds and interests.

Can I take an intensive IEL course?
Yes, but GSAS will only fund $650 of the fee.

Can I get tutored instead of taking an IEL course?
Yes. If GSAS has not funded you in the past to take an IEL course or for tutoring, GSAS will pay for you to be tutored at the Bureau of Study Counsel. The Bureau has established a group of undergraduate peer tutors who are trained to work with international students to help them with their oral language skills. The tutoring is one-on-one. The program also includes optional video nights and informal meals in undergraduate houses. These tutors are not available to assist with writing skills. The tutor and student discuss the student's needs and the process of working toward improvement of his/her language skills. Communicating with each other about the goals and format of tutoring is itself an important part of the tutoring process. The Bureau tries to find tutors available at the time the students are available for the tutoring.Please contact Rise Shepsle at the GSAS Dean's Office (617-495-1814) for more information. (If GSAS has already funded you for an IEL course, please contact Rise about the possibility of getting funded for tutoring as well.)

Course registration

Where do I go to register?
Please come to the GSAS Dean's Office, Holyoke Center, Suite 350, to fill out the registration forms.

What is the deadline for registration?
The deadline for fall term registration is usually in late September, and the deadline for the spring term is usually in late January. Check with the Dean's Office or the IEL for exact deadlines. Late registration is possible for one week following the normal registration period, with payment of a $50 late fee.

Course schedule

When does the GSAS IEL course meet?
Class times vary by term; check with the Dean's Office or IEL shortly before each term for exact dates and times.

What if I can't fit the GSAS IEL course into my schedule? Are there other courses I can take?
Yes. You can select any of the regular IEL courses offered at the Extension School. These are listed in the Extension School Catalog or in the pamphlet entitled "Institute for English Language Programs" available at the GSAS Dean's Office and the IEL offices. Please note that GSAS and the Extension School will only fully fund a non-intensive course. If you want to take an intensive IEL course, GSAS will fund $650 of the fee.

Dropping your course

Where do I go to drop my IEL course?
Go first to the IEL Office, 51 Brattle Street, 3rd Floor. They will send you to the Extension School Student Accounts Office. Please also notify Rise Shepsle at the GSAS Dean's Office.

What is the deadline for dropping my ESL course without losing my funding?
Deadlines vary each term. Check directly with the Dean's Office or IEL for an exact date. The deadline for receiving 100% of the tuition is usually roughly one week after the normal registration period.

If I drop the course, can I get funded for a course or for tutoring at another time?
If the Graduate School has funded you for this course, and you dropped it by the deadline, you will be eligible for funding from GSAS to be tutored at the Bureau or take another IEL course. If you have been funded before by GSAS and wish to take a regular, non-intensive IEL course instead of the GSAS only course, please come to Holyoke Center 350 to inquire.

Concerns

Whom can I contact if I have questions?
Rise Shepsle, the GSAS Student Affairs Officer, can help you if you have questions about either taking a course or being tutored. She can be reached at the GSAS Dean's Office, by phone at 617-495-1814, or by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .Lilith Haynes, Director of Institute for English Language Programs, can help you if you have any questions about taking the placement test, receiving funding from the Extension School, or anything else about the IEL courses. She can be reached at the Extension School 3rd Floor, by phone at 617-495-2929.