School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Applied Language Institute

Applied Language Institute

Home / Areas of Study / Applied Language Institute / Programs / Intensive English Program
Our Intensive English Program is designed to not only teach you English, but also prepare you for the university classroom.

The ALI's Intensive English Program (IEP) has small classes and dedicated instructors and staff. Whether your studies are for personal, academic or professional purposes, classes are designed for success in English fluency and for your cultural enrichment.

  • Up to 16 weeks of intensive instruction per fall/spring semester
  • 20 hours of instruction per week
  • Sample Class Schedule (PDF)
  • Social and Cultural activities every month

Many academic units at UMKC will accept completion of the ALI's level 4 (undergraduate) or level 5 (graduate) in place of English proficiency scores. Many of these same academic units will also offer conditional admission when you apply. Check out our Conditional Admission page to learn which units offer conditional admission. 

Conditional Admission at UMKC

Program Dates and Costs

IEP for International Students

Spring 2023 - Fall 2023
Semester Weeks Start Date End Date Cost
Spring 2023 full semester January 17, 2023 May 6, 2023 $8,100
12 weeks February 13, 2023 $6,500
8 weeks March 6, 2023 $4,400
Fall 2023 full semester August 21, 2023 December 8, 2023 $8,100
12 weeks September 18, 2023 $6,500
8 weeks October 9, 2023 $4,400

IEP for U.S. Residents

US residents can take fewer than 3 classes. For rates, contact the ALI.

Spring 2023 - Fall 2023
Semester Weeks Start Date End Date Cost
Spring 2023 full semester January 17, 2023 May 6, 2023 $4,861
12 weeks February 13, 2023 $3,808
8 weeks March 6, 2023 $2,412
Fall 2023 full semester August 21, 2023 December 8, 2023 $4,861
12 weeks September 18, 2023 $3,808
8 weeks October 9, 2023 $2,412

 Costs reflect full-time enrollment. For a detailed explanation of costs, visit our Program Cost page. 

Program Cost

IEP Courses and Levels

Our IEP offers three courses in all levels of instruction. Our three courses are: 

  • Writing & Grammar
  • Listening & Speaking
  • Reading & Vocabulary

We offer five levels of instruction, ranging from very little English to preparation for graduate studies.

Students who successfully complete the ALI’s Level One courses will be able to read and comprehend sentence-level and short-paragraph descriptions of familiar situations and be able to communicate, orally and in writing, in areas of personal needs, immediate surroundings, and some social situations such as shopping, ordering food, and most other basic needs.

Students who successfully complete the ALI’s Level Two courses will be able to read and comprehend clearly-connected and organized texts, and students will be able to communicate in writing and orally in a variety of basic and social communicative needs, including participating in simple conversations on topics beyond most immediate needs. Students at this level develop a beginning competency in understanding texts written for a general audience.

Students who successfully complete the ALI’s Level Three courses will be able to read and comprehend more extended texts with an ability to recognize main ideas and clear supporting ideas. Students begin expressing cohesiveness in multi-paragraph writing, and are able to communicate orally in most social situations and, though with some difficulty, sustain a conversation related to a variety of social situations, and read a range of texts written for a general audience.

Students who successfully complete the ALI’s Level Four courses will be able to communicate orally in almost all social situations in a highly interactive manner, read texts written to the general population at the post-secondary level, and meet college-level writing requirements. Students are able to employ various rhetorical styles in writing such as cause-and-effect, narration and logical division. Students may be ready to begin academic work at the post-secondary (university/college) level upon completion of level four ALI courses.

Students who successfully complete the ALI’s Level Five courses will be ready to begin academic work at the graduate level with an ability to read on unfamiliar topics and comprehend more complex language, to write with greater coherency and detailed support of ideas, and with oral communication skills for handling more specialized areas of knowledge and discussion.