International Education Center

Intensive English Program (IEP)

 

Intensive English Program (IEP)

The Intensive English Program at Santa Monica College will help you improve your skills in writing, reading, speaking and listening to English.

Classes start every month. The tuition cost is only $1,000 per month! (NOTE: Tuition is billed for number of months enrolled. The College does not offer monthly payment plans. Tuition and fees are due by the first week of class.)

The Intensive English Program is for F-1 visa international students. To apply, please start with the International Application.

Schedule and Attendance Policy

The Intensive English Program classes meet 20 hours per week. Classes meet 4 hours per day Monday through Friday on SMC Main Campus. Students are assigned to a morning and an afternoon session with a lunch break. Participants will be notified of this schedule prior to the start of the session.

Class attendance is mandatory to maintain your F-1 Student Visa Status. Students who do not meet attendance requirements will be dismissed from the Program.

Intensive English Program - Monthly Start Dates

Students may join the program on any of the start dates listed below for intensive preparation in academic English and campus culture. 

During the Summer Session, the program offers a special Language and Culture session, which includes field trips into the community, an emphasis on developing social English skills, and learning about American culture both on and off-campus.  The Language and Culture session is also open to new academic students as well as IEP students.

Students are enrolled in all monthly sessions through the entire semester that they are admitted for. Students who finish a semester of IEP will have the option to continue into SMC's Academic program.

2025-2026  Intensive English Program Session Dates

Levels: High Beginner/Intermediate (Not For Credit)

The IEP is a not-for-credit course intended for F-1 international students who have studied English in the past, but do not meet the minimum TOEFL or alternative proof of English proficiency to be admitted as an Academic Program F-1 international student at Santa Monica College.

This multi-skills course is designed for high beginners and intermediate level students who are literate in one language and interested in improving their English for academic communication, reading and writing, and ultimately for success in for-credit college classes.

The course provides an introduction to the basic structures of the English language and focuses on the reading, writing, listening and speaking skills necessary for living and studying in the U.S.

Mandatory IEP Orientation

All students accepted into the SMC Intensive English Program must participate in a mandatory orientation, which takes place before the start of classes. This is an in-person orientation on SMC Main Campus.

You will need to arrive in the U.S. before your orientation date to secure your own housing. Students who do not arrive in time for their orientation program may be deferred to the following month, session, or semester at SMC.

After IEP: SMC English as a Second Language (ESL)- For Academic Credit

Students who COMPLETE the Intensive English Program (IEP) may enroll in Credit ESL courses after they are admitted to the Academic program. Students may take other college-level courses while completing the higher levels of the ESL courses. To learn more about the for-credit ESL program, please visit the ESL Department website.