English Language Center

William Carey University is authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enroll nonimmigrant alien students. International students who wish to be admitted to the English Language Center (ELC) must meet the requirements listed below. The ELC program does not grant a degree upon completion.

1. Application for ELC admission: Application for ELC admission may be downloaded here. Applications for admission must be downloaded from the WCU website, completed, and returned by email to internationaladmissions@wmcarey.edu 
2. Academic Records: The following information is required for consideration for admission to the ELC program.
   • Freshmen Students (first-time university/college students):
     Official academic records indicating the level of secondary completion must be provided with official English translation.
   • Transfer Students:
     Academic records indicating the level of secondary completion or course work completed at a foreign institution(s) must be provided.
     Academic records indicating course progress from any institution(s) of higher education or official transcript(s) from U.S. institution(s) attended are required. An official transcript is defined as one mailed directly from one institution to another. All records must be in English before an I-20 from William Carey University is issued.

   • Academic records from each college/university attended must be provided for consideration for admission to WCU. Students with coursework from an institution outside the U.S. must provide transcripts from each institution attended outside the U.S. Each transcript must undergo a course-by-course credential evaluation from a WCU approved credential evaluator. The credential evaluation process provides the equivalency to the U.S. education system. All transcripts from all institutions of higher learning in countries other than the United States must be evaluated by an approved transcript evaluation service before being transmitted to William Carey University. The four approved services are: World Education Services (WES) http://www.wes.org; SpanTran (The Evaluation Company) SpanTran Application (salesforce-sites.com); GCE (Global Credential Evaluators) https://www.gceus.com/; and ECE (Educational Credential Evaluators) https://www.ece.org/. Students must choose one of these approved services to complete the credential evaluation for his/her official transcripts and are responsible for the service fee. William Carey University must receive an official transcript that has been evaluated by one of the four approved services before the admission file can be processed.

   • Students transferring from any American college or university must coordinate the transfer of their I-20 status from their current institution to William Carey University. The requirements for obtaining such transfer are established by each individual institution.
3. Official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo (DET) scores: WCU accepts TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo (DET). A minimum score of 433 is required on the paper-based TOEFL; a minimum score of 120 on the computer-based TOEFL; or a minimum score of 40 on the internet-based TOEFL. Students who wish to take the IELTS must meet the minimum required score of 3.5. Students who take DET must submit an official test score for review.
4. Proof of Finances: An Affidavit of Support and letter(s) from a bank or financial institution are required to show a student's ability to pay for his/her educational expenses for the duration of the international student's stay in the United States. Students may have family or sponsor support to cover the remaining cost of attendance not covered by a scholarship or other financial aid. This financial documentation is required before admission and the issuance of the Form I-20 to begin the visa application process. Currently the cost of attendance for William Carey University as an ELC student is US $26,350 per academic year. Students who receive scholarships are responsible for the balance of their cost of attendance once all scholarship amounts are posted. WCU does not offer academic scholarships for the ELC program.
5. Proof of Immunizations: William Carey University requires proof of two (2) measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations prior to arrival to the United States. Additionally, each students must have a chest x-ray and Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) performed in the United States and submit the results to the office of international admissions prior to starting class.
6. Major Medical Insurance: Medical coverage while attending WCU is required with no exceptions.  All international students must be enrolled in the major medical insurance policy with the university. Students will be charged for the policy coverage each academic term.

In the ELC program, students study in a class with others at the same level of English proficiency determined by the placement test. The test is divided into four parts: grammar, listening, language use, and writing. This test will be provided to an enrolled ELC student on the first day of class. Following testing, students are interviewed and placed in levels accordingly.

William Carey University is authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enroll nonimmigrant alien students. WCU's ELC program grants certificates of completion. The certificates are used to waive the language proficiency requirement at William Carey University and may be used to waive English proficiency requirements at other institutions across the United States. However, each institution sets its own English proficiency requirements. Consult each institution's Designated School Official (DSO) for more information about English proficiency requirements. 

By combining small class size with personalized instruction, we are able to meet the language needs of all students and assist them with a smooth transition into their undergraduate or graduate studies.

For years, our dedicated language teachers assisted international students of different nationalities to improve their language: communication, grammar, writing, and social skills. “We`ve had students from all over the world: China, Germany, Chile, Russia, Mexico, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, France, Ukraine… As our program improves, we will be glad to serve our students and help them out as much as we can. The program is designed to deliver an excellent language education to diverse students,”- says Dr. Laine Bourdene, Director of the English Language Center.

The ELC program allows starting terms four times each year and follows the same scheduling system as undergraduate and graduate programs to encourage communication between ELC students and degree-seeking students. The students can start the program when it is most convenient for them.

WCU's international students receive a complete orientation to American culture by participating in the same activities as degree-seeking students admitted to William Carey University. They live by the same student Code of Conduct, schedule, and live in the same residence halls. It is important for us to ensure that students have a complete campus experience while enrolled in the ELC. Also, the ELC students can participate in all university student activities and be a part of William Carey University campus life by joining various societies and on-campus organizations.