Language learning comes as much from real experience as it does from the study of the subject. The English as a Second Language Program places international students in a modified program of mainstream academic study with language support tailored to individual learning needs. Different ESL course levels offer instruction and guided practice in grammar, pronunciation, listening and speaking, and reading and writing.

For a new student, the immediate goal of ESL instruction is to ensure that the student quickly gains competence and assurance in understanding the English spoken by the faculty and native English-speaking students. It's approached through a combination of more intensive instruction in basic listening and speaking skills and tutorial support for mainstream classes. More advanced students are guided toward the development of an extensive vocabulary, good reading comprehension of higher-level academic texts, and competence in academic writing. Advanced students receive guided preparation for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), a standard college admissions test for international students.