Practical Help for New Houston Immigrants

English classes (college)

ESL classes at colleges and universities

You may take ESL classes from colleges or universities. These classes cost money, but they are taught by professional instructors. If you need to understand English very well so you can become a university student, or if you are a professional who needs to speak very good English for your job, the classes taught by colleges or universities can help you a lot.

Textbooks and supplies for ESL classes at colleges or universities are not included in the price of the class. Some schools also require students to have health insurance, which can be purchased from the school.

Community college ESL classes

Houston Community College provides many kinds of ESL classes. Basic classes meet only 4-8 hours per week for 5-10 weeks, and cost as little as $125-250 (or free for some students). Intensive English Program classes meet 10 or 20 hours per week for 16 weeks. If you are a resident of Houston, the 16-week course costs about $900 (or $450 if you only go 10 hours per week). Classes are offered in evenings as well as days. Locations include:

  • Central College, 3821 Caroline, close to downtown. Phone 713.718.6954

  • Northeast College, at Northline Mall on I-45 about 7 miles north of downtown. Phone 713.718.8181.

  • Northwest College, on I-10 about 15 miles west of downtown. Phone 713.718.5515

  • Southeast College, on I-45 about 10 miles southeast of downtown. Phone 713.718.7203.

  • Southwest College, on Highway 59 about 6 miles southwest of downtown. Phone 713.718.7752.

Lone Star College System offers many types of ESL classes. Basic ESL classes are for people who speak very little English. These classes are free, and they meet for a few hours each week. They will teach you basic conversation and vocabulary. For people who already speak some English, there is an Intensive English Program. These classes meet 4 or 5 days per week, usually 90 minutes per day. You can take up to 3 classes at a time, one for writing, one for vocabulary, and one for speaking. The cost is about $150 per class. Lone Star College System has campuses in CyFair, Kingwood, the Woodlands, North Harris County, and Tomball.

San Jacinto College is located in Pasadena, east of Houston. They offer ESL classes that meet 3 hours per day, 2 days each week. These Continuing Education classes last 6 to 8 weeks, and the cost is about $90. They also offer intensive English classes for people who plan to become college students. Phone 281.476.1838.

ESL classes at Houston-area universities

University of Houston Downtown offers English classes through the English Language Institute.  There are seven different levels of classes.  Classes meet 5 mornings per week, and each course lasts 7 weeks.  Courses cost about $800.  Phone 713.221.8546.

Rice University offers excellent ESL classes.  Classes are 4 hours a day, 5 days per week, and each course lasts 7 weeks.  There are six courses for different levels of English skill, and after you finish one course you can take the next course.  Each course costs about $1,400 for seven weeks of classes.  Rice University is located a few miles south of downtown Houston, near Texas Medical Center.  Phone 713.348.4019.

Online ESL classes

Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab contains about 75 dialogues and stories sorted by level of difficulty (beginning to advanced). It also includes Academic Listening lectures and conversations with video.