The critical role of intensive English programmes in the US

Presenter:

Kathryn Kohut, Executive Director

The Critical Role of Intensive English Programs in the USA

Presented by:

Industry Growth

• Enrollment Growth in specific markets

• Government Sponsored Programs such as Iraqi

Scholarships and Brazil Without Borders

Critical Policy Topics

• Pending Policy: Conditional Admissions and Bridge

Programs; IEP Vacation Policy

• Congressional stops and starts in Immigration

Reform

• Accreditation Act deadline December

EnglishUSA is Growing!

• Largest professional development conference ever

• First Stakeholders Conference in DC

• Unprecedented growth in membership: 40 new programs in 2013!

• Role of Intensive English Programs (IEPs)

• Snapshot: IEPs in the USA

• Recent Enrollment Trends

• Hot Topics!

• What is EnglishUSA?

• How do we support the IEP field?

• Question and Answer Time

• The IEP often serves as the point of entry for

students coming to the USA.

• It provides pre-degree academic English or

English for specific purposes (e.g. medical, law,

etc.).

• It provides general English training for students

(from 1 week to several months).

• It may provide customized individual or group

programs (e.g. summer camps, specific grant

programs, tours, or scholarships).

• It often serves as a center for internationalization

efforts in the campus or community.

1. According to SEVP, how many

students were enrolled in language

training in the USA as of March 2013?

2. What was the #1 country of origin for

these students?

3. What was the #2 country of origin?

4. What is the average length of stay for

an IEP student?

5. Which country showed the largest

increase from 2011 to 2012?

1. 99,328 active students, or 11% of the

total active F-1 or M-1s in the USA.

2. Saudi Arabia was the #1 country of

origin.

3. Not far behind, China was the the #2

country of origin.

4. It is estimated that the average length

of stay for an IEP student is 15 weeks.

5. Saudi Arabia with an estimated

growth of 42% in 2012. China

followed at about 27% growth.

Intensive English Programs are:

• Full-time (18 clock hours per week or more)

• Authorized to enroll non-immigrant

students who are studying on the F-1

Student Visa Program.

• Where students learn English skills for

academic, career, test prep and/or

general communication.

Intensive English Programs are classified as:

• Being under the governance of a college or university

• Single proprietary institutions (campus or city-based)

• Non-profit, vocational, and other types

We have over 350 member programs; we estimate there to be

over 500 intensive English programs in the USA.

• IEP enrollment represents about 10-

12% of active F-1/M-1 students.

(33% Undergraduate,

25% Masters, 13% Doctorate,

8% Associates, 5% secondary,

4% other)

• Overall, IEP enrollment increased 3%

from 2012 to 2013, according to Open

Doors.

• Saudi Arabia and China continue to

drive IEP enrollment in the US, with a

growth of 42% and 27% respectively

from 2011 to 2012.

TOP US Destinations

New York City Metropolitan Area

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

States: Texas, Massachusetts, Florida, California, Illinois

Top Ten Countries of Origin for IEP students

1. Saudi Arabia 6. Taiwan

2. China 7. Turkey

3. South Korea 8. Venezuela

4. Japan 9. Germany

5. Brazil 10. Vietnam

IEP Enrollment since 2000, Open Doors

World Regions of Origin, 2011

1) Ramifications of The Accreditation of Intensive English

Language Programs Act.

- Went into effect in December 2011. Unaccredited programs must

secure accreditation by December 14, 2013.

- Stand alone vs. “combined” programs.

- Huge volume of applications for two main accrediting bodies to

review. Needed to hire more staff, add more review cycles.

- Difficult for brand new private programs to gain SEVP

authorization = increases value of existing, accredited programs.

Encourages existing programs to add locations.

2) Increasing enrollments and managing diversity within

programs.

3) Conditional admissions procedures (university-based

programs). SEVP has published two rounds of draft policy

guidance. We are still waiting for the final policy guidance on this.

4) Annual Vacation Policy – SEVP has published one round of draft

policy for this, allowing programs to provide comments. We are

eagerly awaiting the final policy guidance on this.

www.ice.gov/sevis/accreditation-act

https://www.ice.gov/sevis/esl/faq.htm

http://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2013/12/schools-upcoming-esl-accreditation-act-

deadline

http://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2013/10/extension-of-deadline-for-commenting-

on-policy-draft-guidance

EnglishUSA promotes and supports

ethical and professional

standards for intensive English

programs in the U.S.

communicates and champions

the value of English language

study

enhances the visibility of

member programs

and fosters professional

development among members.

What we are:

• Professional membership

organization of accredited

intensive English programs.

• Over 350 member IEPs in 49

states; many types of

programs.

• Critical Information source

for the IEP Field.

• We have one Executive

Director and a volunteer

Executive Board from the

industry.

What we’re not:

• We are not an

accrediting body.

• Our organization does

not own or operate

any schools.

Executive Board, 2013-2014

1) For Member Programs: Provide policy

updates, organize advocacy efforts and policy

comments, provide professional development

and opportunities for networking throughout

the year. We also promote our member

programs through detailed website profiles, an

annual directory, and conference exhibitions.

1) For Agents: We provide detailed profiles of all

of our member programs, with opportunities to

search for specific types of programs. We are

also happy to answer questions and provide

information. Finally, we offer an Associate

program.

• Must be accredited by ACCET, CEA or

under the governance of a regionally

accredited institution.

• Stand-alone programs, university and

college-based programs.

• Programs must meet our quality

standards, such as providing at least

18 hours per week of English training,

having dedicated staff, and providing

student services.

Nearly 150 attendees representing programs in 20 states!

San Francisco, CA

Washington, DC October 2013

6th Annual Professional Development Workshop

for IEPs, San Francisco - January 23 – 24, 2013

Member and Non-Member IEPs welcome; registration closing soon!

Ask us about Exhibitor and Sponsorship Opportunities.

Increase the visibility of member

programs by exhibiting,

presenting, and attending events

on behalf of IEP membership.

IEP focused

SEVP

Presentation,

NAFSA 2013

Contact Information:

Kathryn Kohut, Executive Director [email protected]

www.englishusa.org

For more information, please stop by

Exhibitor Booth 59 during the workshop.