$500/month (3-month contract)
English courses in California for international students
English courses in California for international students: locations, I-20 records and costs
California's 44 programs are spread across 16 cities, with Los Angeles carrying the most at 9. No single city holds a majority of these listings. Use the school records below to compare what is documented, then ask each school about dates, course fit, housing and the full cost.
26 of 44 listings have confirmed SEVP matches. CEA accreditation, EnglishUSA membership and SEVP certification are separate checks. Confirm the specific school and campus in the DHS school search and ask its designated school official about Form I-20 eligibility.
English courses in California for international students at a glance
- Programs
- 44
- Cities
- 16
- University or college
- 5
- SEVP matches
- 26
- Publish a price
- 19
$90national range$1638
- California, $90–$586
- Median $374
- National median $319
15 of the 44 publish both a price and a session length, so a weekly rate can be worked out: $90 to $586 a week, median $374 , above the $319 median across all 95 programs we have priced. For the remaining listings, a comparable weekly rate is not confirmed here. Check the current fee schedule or ask the school.
- University or college (5)
- Private language school (22)
- Not on record (17)
These are the affiliations recorded in our directory. Confirm each course's start dates, minimum enrollment and campus access directly; school type alone does not establish them.
If your city has one program
9 cities on this list have exactly one program. Our directory may not include every local option. Ask about availability and alternatives before committing to housing or travel.
National operators here
EC English, EF International, ELS Language Centers, Kaplan International, POLY Languages. Compare actual course conditions and sourced tuition using the comparison guide to prepare questions for each school.
Compare on price
The 19 programs in California that publish their figures
Every figure was read off the school's own page. 15 qualify for the program-level weekly comparison used here; the other 4 do not, and that column stays empty rather than presenting a misleading rate. Prices for the remaining 25 are not confirmed here. The letter template helps you request current tuition and fees.
| Program | City | What the school publishes | Works out at | Go to the school |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Academy of English (IAE) - San Diego | San Diego | $360 over 4 weeks | $90/wk | |
| Campus English Academy | Irvine | $500 over 4 weeks | $125/wk | |
| American Academy of English | San Francisco | $595 over 4 weeks | $136/wk | |
| POLY Languages Institute Los Angeles | Irvine | $880 over 4 weeks | $220/wk | |
| POLY Languages Institute, Irvine | Irvine | $880 over 4 weeks | $220/wk | |
| POLY Languages Institute, Los Angeles | Los Angeles | $880 over 4 weeks | $220/wk | |
| American Language Institute Intensive English Program, California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach | $5,980 over 16 weeks | $374/wk | |
| American Language Institute, California State University Long Beach | Long Beach | $5,980 over 16 weeks | $374/wk | |
| American Language Institute, San Diego State University | San Diego | $6,350 over 16 weeks | $397/wk | |
| American English Institute | Riverside | $3,395 over 8 weeks | $424/wk | |
| USC International Academy | Los Angeles | $6,500 over 14 weeks | $464/wk | |
| English Language Academy, University of San Diego | San Diego | $3,900 over 7 weeks | $489/wk | |
| ELS La Verne | La Verne | $570 per week | $570/wk | |
| ELS San Rafael | San Rafael | $570 per week | $570/wk | |
| English Language Institute, UC San Diego | San Diego | $1,795 over 4 weeks | $586/wk | |
| California Language School | Los Angeles | $500, Per month, on a three-month contract | Not weekly-comparable | |
| EC San Francisco | San Francisco | $455 per week | Not weekly-comparable | |
| EC Santa Monica | Santa Monica | $450 per week | Not weekly-comparable | |
| International Education Center at Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | $3,400, One session | Not weekly-comparable |
The full directory
Our 44 English-language listings in California, by city
English programs in Los Angeles9 listings
1 university-run. National operators here: Kaplan International, POLY Languages.
English as a Foreign Language Program and TOEFL iBT Program, Learnet Academy
English as a Second Language Program, Los Angeles Pacific College
Internexus Los Angeles
Just English - Los Angeles
Kaplan International, Westwood
Language Systems International (LSI) - Downtown Los Angeles
POLY Languages Institute, Los Angeles
$220/wk
$464/wk
English programs in San Diego9 listings
2 university-run. National operators here: EF International.
$397/wk
$489/wk
$586/wk
$90/wk
English programs in Irvine4 listings
National operators here: POLY Languages.
$125/wk
International Academy of English (IAE) - Irvine
POLY Languages Institute Los Angeles
$220/wk
$220/wk
English programs in Long Beach2 listings
1 university-run.
American Language Institute Intensive English Program, California State University, Long Beach
$374/wk
$374/wk
English programs in Riverside2 listings
English programs in San Francisco2 listings
National operators here: EC English.
$136/wk
$455total
English programs in Santa Barbara2 listings
National operators here: EF International, Kaplan International.
English programs in Berkeley1 listing
National operators here: Kaplan International.
English programs in Costa Mesa1 listing
$3,400total2027
English programs in La Jolla1 listing
National operators here: EC English.
English programs in La Verne1 listing
National operators here: ELS Language Centers.
English programs in Pasadena1 listing
English programs in Placentia1 listing
English programs in Pomona1 listing
1 university-run.
English programs in San Rafael1 listing
National operators here: ELS Language Centers.
English programs in Santa Monica1 listing
National operators here: EC English.
$450total
Elsewhere in California5 listings
A F International School of Languages / Westlake Village
American English Language School
Language Systems International (LSI) - South Bay
Lingua Prime CA
36 of these carry a full profile with confirmed costs. The rest link straight to the program, here is what to ask them.
Plan a course in California
Los Angeles has 9 of our 44 programs in this state. Published tuition is available for 19 programs here; 15 qualify for that comparison. This sample uses information published by the schools and is not a state-wide price average. Ask each school where classes meet, what housing is available and how long the trip from housing to campus takes.
Find programs with school-published details in California · See every California program · Build a study budget
Do you need a student visa to study in California?
Immigration rules are federal, but a weekly-hour number alone does not decide your route. Confirm the actual course and your circumstances with the school. Read the US visitor-study questions.
Common questions
How many english courses in california for international students are listed?
44 programs are listed in California; 27 have CEA records and 26 have confirmed SEVP matches. CEA accreditation, EnglishUSA membership and SEVP certification are separate checks. Confirm the specific school and campus in the DHS school search and ask its designated school official about Form I-20 eligibility.
Which city in California has the most English programs?
Los Angeles, with 9 of the state's 44, 20 percent. 9 cities on this list have exactly one program. Our directory may not include every local option. Ask about availability and alternatives before committing to housing or travel.
What does an English-language program in California cost?
15 programs publish a weekly rate we could read off the school's own page, and the median of those is $374 a week. Every figure is dated and links to the page it came from, and tuition is only part of the cost, proof-of-funds requirements and your actual budget have different purposes. Confirm the required amount and coverage period, then budget for your own expenses.