Our English as a Second Language (ESL) courses will help you to become more successful in your academic studies by improving your English language skills. Classes will focus on key subject areas like writing, reading, listening, speaking, and English pronunciation and fluency. 

Lilia Moyer, ESL Director, will help you along your Rio journey. With Lilia, you will set a date for your written English Placement Test. The result of this test will tell you what ESL course you will take during your first semester. There are four levels of ESL Program courses at Rio to help you develop the necessary academic skills you need to succeed in your academic studies. Each course is more difficult, more complex, and demands higher language proficiency. Class sizes are small, which will help you learn all the skills you will need to be successful in your academic life.

What are the courses in this program?

ESL 11103 - Basic Integrated Skills in English

ESL 12103/ ESL 28802 - Intermediate Integrated Skills in English

ESL 13103 High-Intermediate Integrated Skills in English

ESL 21102 - Academic Studies

ESL 14103 - Advanced Integrated Skills in English

If I already speak English, do I still need to take the ESL Placement Test?

Yes, all non-native speakers of English need to take the ESL Placement Test. However, after the interview and the test, you may be excused from taking any ESL courses.

If I come from a country where English is spoken as a first language, do I have to take the ESL Placement Test?

No, but you have to be interviewed by the ESL Director. She will be one of the many people at Rio to help you succeed in college.

Do I have to take all ESL courses?

No, international students that come to Rio take an average of two courses.

When do I take the Written English Placement Test?

Fall Semester: Thursday before classes at 10 am (second week of August).

Spring Semester: First day of class at 4 pm.