ESL PROGRAM RULES AND POLICIES

General Expectations: Full-time ESL students attend twenty hours of classes each week. All VIU students are expected to purchase specified textbooks and supplies and to complete projects and homework assignments. They are also expected to participate in class discussions and activities and to come to class prepared. Students are bound by the VIU code of honor and are responsible for the integrity and originality of their work. VIU expects students to be respectful of all students' ethnic, religious, and language backgrounds. VIU is a diverse program, with as many as 50 nations represented in the student body. We value sharing those experiences in cooperative learning environments.

Attendance: F-1 student visa regulations and VIU's own attendance policy require all students to attend at least 80% of their scheduled classes and to arrive to class on time. VIU maintains meticulous attendance records and will cancel students' I-20's if they cannot maintain their visa status. Furthermore, low attendance will have a negative effect on a student's grades and may result in a failing grade. Failing more than one course per semester means that the student will have to repeat the whole level.

Program Advancement and Completion: All ESL classes are graded on a pass/fail basis. In other words, there are no grades. An average score of 75% is required to pass an ESL class, as well as an adequate attendance record. Full-time students who pass at least 75% of their ESL courses receive a certificate of level completion and are qualified to take classes at the next level during the following semester. Full-time students who pass at least 80% of their classes at the college preparatory level of instruction receive a certificate of program completion, which satisfies VIU's English proficiency requirements for entering our academic programs.