ELI classes are generally small in order to ensure individualized attention. Instruction at the ELI is student-centered and interactive. Students’ active participation is required to make classes successful and to help students progress in their English language proficiency.

Conditional Admission

Conditional Admission means a student has filled out a UM application, paid the application fee, submitted high school or university transcripts to Enrollment Services and had their university admission conditionally approved, but this student cannot yet show sufficient proficiency in English.  Conditionally admitted students must attain sufficient proficiency in English before they can fully enroll at the University of Montana.

Transition from ELI to UM

For students to be admitted to the University of Montana, they must achieve one of the following criteria:

• Receive a recommendation from ELI based on their grades: Minimum GPA of 3.5 or 90% in Level 6.
• Receive a recommendation from ELI based on their grades and a score on a standardized test such as IELTS or TOEFL: Minimum GPA of 3.0 or 85% in Level 6 AND a documented TOEFL score of 500 (pBT) or 61 (iBT) or IELTS 5.5 (with no band lower than a 5.0).
• Receive an acceptable TOEFL/IELTS/IBT score: Minimum score of 525 or higher on an ELI-administered paper-based institutional TOEFL (pBT), 70 or higher on the Internet-based TOEFL (iBT), or a 6.0 composite score on the IELTS exam. Official test scores must be presented before classes begin or order to be admitted to the university.