Designed to give you the English skills you need to be successful in Canada
With a strong focus on your academic and career success, our ESL program provides you with a welcoming environment in which to develop your English abilities.
Applying to George Brown College as an international ESL student is easy.
Simply complete and submit your application online attaching scanned copies of necessary supporting documents. Please see below for information on ESL level placement.
Are you still in high school and want to learn English? Our Summer English program may be right for you. Designed for students aged 15 years and up and for groups of 10 students or more.
George Brown's EAP (ESL) program is a full-time program divided into 9 levels of 8 weeks each. Your language skills are assessed when you arrive, or at the time of admissions based on a TOEFL/IELTS/*Duolingo score, and you are placed in the level that is right for you.
NEW - *Given the recent suspension of activities at English language proficiency testing centres around the world, George Brown College will accept the Duolingo English Test (DET) as a means to demonstrate English language proficiency, effective immediately. The Duolingo English Test is an English proficiency test that can be taken online and on-demand.
For more information and to take the Duolingo test please visit: https://englishtest.duolingo.com/
If you are applying for George Brown’s ESL program, English for Academic Purposes (EAP), as a conditional pathway to a post-secondary program please see below for further information.
More Information
- ESL Level Placement
- Using TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo for Level Placement
- Conditional Admission through GBC’s EAP (ESL) Program
- EAP (ESL) Weekly Timetable
- EAP (ESL) Session Dates
Applicants have 2 options for determining level placement:
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ESL applicants who do not have an IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo score will need to take the ESL level placement test after arrival in Toronto. (*Update: onsite testing is not currently available due to COVID-19)
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ESL applicants who have an IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo score can submit their score rather than writing the GBC level placement test. With the appropriate overall TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores and the minimum Writing and Speaking score requirements, you can be placed directly into an ESL level appropriate for your abilities. Please see below for the chart of scores for each specific test that will allow you direct entry into George Brown’s ESL program.
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Note: The Educational Testing Service (ETS) announced last week that it has rolled out a new global service to allow students to take the TOEFL iBT exams at home. We will accept this at-home test at the same score levels as the regular test. The new at-home service is nearly global in that it is available to students worldwide with the exception of those in Mainland China and Iran.
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Note: Starting April 22, 2020, British Council will also provide testing options for applicants through their IELTS Indicator tool. GBC will accept this at-home test at the same score levels as the regular test during this Covid-19 period. https://www.ieltsindicator.com
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Note: Students either take the George Brown College EAP level placement test or choose to submit IELTS, TOEFL, or Duolingo for level placement into the EAP program, but they may not choose more than one. Once the choice is made, it is final. The IELTS, TOEFL, or Duolingo score report must be achieved within (2) years prior to the EAP program session start date and must be submitted before the session start date.
Using TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo for Level Placement
EAP STARTING LEVEL* | *NEW* Duolingo | IELTS: ENTRY Requirements | TOEFL: ENTRY Requirements | |||
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Overall | Writing & Speaking | Overall | Speaking | Writing | ||
9 | 105+ | 6 | 6.5 | 80-91 | 22 | 22 |
8 | 95-104 | 5.5 | 6 | 62-79 | 20 | 20 |
7 | 85-94 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 50-61 | 18 | 18 |
6 | 75-84 | 5 | 5 | 40-49 | 15 | 14 |
5 | 65-74 | 4-4.5 | 4.5 | 31-39 | 13 | 12 |
4 | 55-64 | 3.5 | 4 | 26-30 | 11 | 8 |
3 | 45-54 | 3 | 3.5 | 19-25 | 8 | 6 |
2 | 30-44 | 2.5 | 3 | 10-18 | 5 | 4 |
1 | >29 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0-9 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
* 2-year test validation maximum.
You will be placed in the EAP starting level that corresponds to your lowest score. For students interested in taking the IELTS test in Toronto, the George Brown college Official IELTS Test Centre provides a complete IELTS Testing service. For more information, please visit: georgebrown.ca/ielts.
Conditional Admission through GBC’s EAP (ESL) Program
Applicants from eligible countries who do not meet George Brown’s English language requirements may be offered conditional admission to a post-secondary program through George Brown’s ESL Program, English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Depending on the option you have chosen for ESL level placement you may need to re-apply for your diploma/degree/postgraduate program.
IMPORTANT: If you are applying for the George Brown College English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program as a conditional pathway to a post-secondary program, please note the following:
- You must meet eligibility requirements for the diploma/degree/postgraduate program you are applying for and submit supporting documents required. Please see here for a list of supporting documents required.
- We will review your application and if you are eligible, we will issue you a conditional letter of acceptance for both the ESL and the post-secondary program. This letter will assist you in applying for a Study Permit.
- If you did not submit an IELTS or TOEFL score, you will be required to take the EAP level placement test after you arrive at George Brown College.
- The results of the placement test will reflect your language ability and determine your starting level in the ESL program.
- Once you know your ESL level, you will be required to contact your admissions officer at the International Centre to re-initiate your post-secondary program application because the date of your post-secondary program may have changed due to your ESL placement test result.
- When you are finally accepted to the post-secondary program at this second stage, depending on availability, your post-secondary seat will be secure.
In all cases, final admission will be subject to diploma/degree/postgraduate program availability at the time of completion of ESL requirements.
EAP (ESL) Weekly Timetable
The EAP program runs from 9 am to 5 pm daily. Students are assigned to either a morning schedule or to an afternoon schedule, and not both. The morning schedule is from 9 am to 1 pm, and the afternoon schedule is from 1 pm to 5 pm. Unfortunately, the School of ESL is unable to accommodate students’ schedule change requests. By registering for the EAP program, students will be expected to attend the schedule to which they are assigned.
TIME | MONDAY | MONDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY |
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LEVELS 1-6 | LEVELS 7-8* | LEVEL 9 | LEVELS 1-9 | LEVELS 1-9 | LEVELS 1-9 | LEVELS 1-9 | |
9:00-9:50 | Specialized Class | General Education | Independent Study | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class |
9:50-10:40 | Specialized Class | General Education | Independent Study | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class |
10:40-11:20 | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK |
11:20-12:10 | Specialized Class | General Education | Independent Study | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class |
12:10-1:00 | Specialized Class | General Education | Independent Study | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class |
OR
TIME | MONDAY | MONDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY |
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LEVELS 1-6 | LEVELS 7-8* | LEVEL 9 | LEVELS 1-9 | LEVELS 1-9 | LEVELS 1-9 | LEVELS 1-9 | |
1:00-1:50 | Specialized Class | General Education | Independent Study | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class |
1:50-2:40 | Specialized Class | General Education | Independent Study | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class |
2:40-3:20 | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK |
3:20-4:10 | Specialized Class | General Education | Independent Study | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class |
4:10-5 | Specialized Class | General Education | Independent Study | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class | Core Class |
* Level 7 and 8 students have the option to attend George Brown college Credit Courses. Note: Space is limited
English in Practice Schedule* - Sign up at www.gbcesl.com
10:30-12:30 | Workshops | Workshops | Workshops | Workshops | Workshops |
1:30-3:30 | Workshops | Workshops | Workshops | Workshops | Workshops |
* Workshops are optional in Levels 7-9. In Levels 1-6, international students attend 7 per session.
Core Class (Levels 1-9): 2 hours/week on-line. General Education(Levels 7-8): 2 hours/week on-line.
Students in levels 7 and 8 complete General Education courses that can also be used as credits that count towards their GPA for diplomas at many Ontario colleges.
Academic Year: 2020 – 2021
Placement Test | Start Date | End Date |
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Aug 26, 2020 | Aug 31, 2020 | Oct 23, 2020 |
Oct 20, 2020 | Oct 26, 2020 | Dec 18, 2020 |
Jan 5, 2021 | Jan 11, 2021 | Mar 5, 2021 |
Mar 2, 2021 | Mar 8, 2021 | Apr 30, 2021 |
May 4, 2021 | May 10, 2021 | Jul 2, 2021 |
Jun 29, 2021 | Jul 5, 2021 | Aug 27, 2021 |
Academic Year: 2021 - 2022
Placement Test | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|
Aug 31, 2021 | Sept 7, 2021 | Oct 29, 2021 |
Oct 26, 2021 | Nov 1, 2021 | Dec 22, 2021 |
Jan 5, 2022 | Jan 10, 2022 | Mar 4, 2022 |
Mar 1, 2022 | Mar 7, 2022 | Apr 29, 2022 |
May 3, 2022 | May 9, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 |
Jun 28, 2022 | Jul 4, 2022 | Aug 26, 2022 |
George Brown College has also signed an articulation agreement establishing exit standards that allow EAP graduates to satisfy English language proficiency requirements at 14 participating colleges, without requiring further admissions testing for a diploma program. Find more information about Ontario Colleges ESL Program Articulation Agreement.