Conditional Admission
Learn English for Undergraduate Success
Small classes, expert instructors
Safety and personal support
Real university experience from day one
Your Path in 3 Steps
Step 1
Begin in the Intensive English Program. Build academic speaking, writing, reading and listening skills in one or two semesters.
Step 2
Meet English Language Requirements by completing the required English coursework.
Step 3
Transition to Your Degree Program. You receive admission to your undergraduate program when you apply and choose conditional admission.
All full-time Intensive English Program tuition paid is applied as a scholarship over four years.
Calendar & Cost Estimates
For program dates and cost estimates, see the Intensive English Program page.
Conditional Admission Frequently Asked Questions
What is conditional admission?
Conditional admission is admission to an undergraduate degree at North Central. Students who do conditional admission choose to meet the English proficiency requirement by studying in our Intensive English Program.
Why conditional admission instead of taking a test like the TOEFL or IELTS?
Students who study in the Intensive English program gain many benefits. A few include:
- improving English while doing tasks and projects very similar to those in university - our conditionally admitted students usually have an excellent GPA after they go into university coursework.
- getting more scholarship! All fulltime Intensive English Program tuition paid is applied as a scholarship over four years of undergraduate study.
- gaining knowledge of campus and faculty and making friends.
Who can be conditionally admitted?
Students interested in undergraduate study who meet requirements for our degree programs but still need to meet English proficiency requirements. These students should have a high-beginning to low-advanced level of English proficiency.
How do I apply for conditional admission?
- Complete an online application. To start your application, you'll need to create a North Central College account. Immediately after creating an account by entering your personal information, you will receive an email with your username and a password/pin. Please use these credentials to log back in to your North Central College account to continue and submit your application.
- Submit your official secondary school transcripts and certification of graduation. These transcripts should be in English.
- Submit evidence of high-beginning to low-advanced English proficiency. A short writing sample or interview with staff may meet this requirement.
Optional Documents:
- One letter of recommendation from a teacher or instructor
Can I get scholarships?
- Yes, for your undergraduate studies. 100% of admitted international students get a scholarship.
- We have a special scholarship, the ELI to Degree scholarship, for students who go through the ELI to achieve English proficiency. All fulltime Intensive English Program tuition paid is applied as a scholarship over four years of undergraduate study.
- Learn more about our scholarships here!
When will I know if I have conditional admission?
After your application is complete, we review your file and let you know your admission status and scholarship eligibility within approximately two weeks.
How long do I have to study in the Intensive English Program?
After you submit English proficiency scores or take our placement test, the program director can tell you how long you need to study in the Intensive English Program.
Our Intensive English Program and Excel Program are designed to serve students at different stages of their English learning journey. Your English proficiency will determine your track into the College (see chart below). For questions about which track is the right fit for you, please contact our director Kate Pope at eli@noctrl.edu.
Other Program Benefits and Resources
Campus Resources for Students
- Full access to North Central College computer, recreational, cultural, and health facilities
- Participation in the International Club, one of the most active clubs on campus
- Participation in North Central College clubs and recreational sports
- Convenient housing in campus residence halls
- Walking distance to downtown Naperville and to the commuter train to Chicago
- Free campus internet access and laundry
