Noncredit ESL Program

The Noncredit ESL Program offers a variety of free classes:

1) General Noncredit ESL


  • Improves English language skills for immigrants living and working in the United States.Prepares students for further academic work.
  • Nine levels of instruction ranging from Literacy, and Beginning (Level 1) to high intermediate (Level 8).
  • Most classes are 2 hours a day, 10 hours a week and focus on all four skills: listening,speaking, reading and writing.
  • One-hour a day, five-hour a week classes which focus on a specific skill and intensivenon-credit ESL courses are also available.
  • Limited homework. No grades.
  • Students may enroll in more than one class.
  • Classes are offered mornings, afternoons, Monday through Friday, and evenings, Monday throughThursday at seven campuses at many locations in San Francisco.


2) Vocational ESL


  • Improve English for getting a job, improving on-the-job skills or preparing for a specificjob field.
  • Types of classes offered include: computers for ESL, ESL office occupations, and communicationon the job.
  • Classes are offered morning, afternoon and evening, Monday through Friday at selected campuses.


3) Citizenship Classes


  • Preparation for the citizenship exam.
  • Citizenship classes are offered morning, afternoon and evening, Monday through Saturday atselected campuses.

How to Enroll in Noncredit Classes

1) Location - Choose a campus that is convenientfor you.
Noncredit classes are offered at:
Civic Center Campus 561-1020
John Adams Campus 561-1835  
Chinatown/North Beach Campus 561-1017
Downtown Campus 267-6543
Mission Campus 550-4430
Southeast Campus 550-4344

2) Placement Test - Call the campus you areinterested in, or go in person to get an appointment for a placement test. Placement tests areoffered at various times throughout the semester.

3) Counseling and Registration - After theplacement test, you will have an appointment with a counselor to discuss the classes you want andthe times you can study. The counselor will register you into a class (or classes) and tell youexactly when and where to go.



For more information about the noncredit program call the campus you are interested in,or the ESL Department office at 239-3003.