English Language Certificate

Okanagan College offers English language students an opportunity to improve their general English skills. The English Language Certificate (ELC) is a four level program. The goal of this program is to develop general language skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Full time students take 20 hours of classes per week. There are classes for listening and speaking (ELLS) 10 hours per week,  reading and writing (ElRW) 10 hours per week, reading (ELR) 5 hours per week, and writing (ELW) 5 hours per week.

Admission Requirements

The department will place students depending on one of the following test scores: OCELA, IELTS, TOEFL, or Duolingo. Students who score lower than EL Level 1 may begin the English Language Certificate at Semester One.

Students will place at EL level 1 with an overall placement at Level 1 OCELA, or an overall IELTS less than 3.5, or a Duolingo score of less than 45.

Students will place at EL level 2 with an overall placement at Level 2 OCELA, or an overall IELTS 3.5, or a Duolingo score of 45-50.

Students will place at EL level 3 with an overall placement at Level 3 OCELA, or an overall IELTS 4.0, or a Duolingo score of 55-60.

Students will place at EL level 4 with an overall placement at Level 4 OCELA, or an overall IELTS 4.5, or a Duolingo score of 65-70, or a TOEFL IBT score of 52-59.

Program Outline

Graduation Requirements

Minimum grade of 65% in ELRW 040 or ELW 040 and ELR 040, and ELLS 040.

This level of achievement is necessary for entrance into the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Certificate program.