University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)

Applied Language Institute (ALI) [Kansas City, Missouri]

Virtual Tour

HIGHLIGHTS

• Information
  • About the ESL Program
  • The Applied Language Institute (ALI) features a full Intensive English Program (IEP), which includes 20 hours of in-class instruction across three courses in the areas of Reading & Vocabulary, Speaking & Listening, and Writing & Grammar. The curriculum allows students to develop and improve their English proficiency methodically across five levels of proficiency, from level one (CEFR A1) through L5 (CEFR C1). One core advantage of the ALI as a program integrated with the university is that ALI IEP coursework and curriculum, vetted by the university curriculum committee, meets university English proficiency requirements for undergraduate and graduate academic admission, replacing the requirement to submit other forms of language proficiency such as TOEFL or IELTS scoring. Students who successfully complete ALI level 4 qualify for UMKC undergraduate study, and students who successfully complete ALI level 5 qualify for UMKC graduate study.
    
    The Applied Language Institute also offers a pathway program, called the Paseo Program. The Paseo Program serves the needs of students interested in pursuing undergraduate degree study at UMKC who do not need full-time English proficiency study but who do not yet meet English-proficiency regular admission requirements. The Paseo Program accomplishes this through a university-vetted co-curricular program of three English-skill courses each matched to a skill-related undergraduate academic course, which allows qualified candidates to combine English proficiency study with academic study in the same semester. This allows students to begin degree-seeking undergraduate academic study while simultaneously improving the one or two English skill areas needed to qualify for regular admission to their selected degree program.
    
  • Fast Facts
  • Affiliation : Public University
    Establishment : 1991
    Membership/Accreditation : UCIEP / CEA, HLC
    Enrollment : 60
    Average Class Size : 4 - 15
    

    Airport Pickup : Available Free of Charge
    Tuition : Low
    Community Type : Urban
    Transportation : Bus, Train, Taxi
  • A Message from School
  • Warm greetings from UMKC and Kansas City! I was very happy to become director of the Applied Language Institute because I always wanted to live in Kansas City. I’m originally from Wisconsin, but I’ve heard good things about Kansas City for many years. For example, the metro region is often ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States. Also, it has the conveniences of every major city in the United States, but it’s not as crowded with people. My family and I moved here in 2019 after living in Wisconsin, Maryland, Iowa, and Illinois, and we love our Kansas City home!
    
    UMKC is a lot like Kansas City in that it is a hidden gem. Not only is it part of the University of Missouri System but it’s in the middle of the city. Students can choose to enjoy the campus life in two distinct ways of Kansas City living—busy city or comfortable small town. International students from urban and rural backgrounds can find student life to match their preferences. And since UMKC is a large university, international students can easily find the majors they want. Most importantly, the ALI is a students’ home away from home. I, along with many of our faculty, know what it’s like to live and study abroad. We want to make sure that students’ time at the ALI is educational and comfortable.
    
    Jeremy D. Slagoski
    Assistant Dean of the Applied Language Institute
    University of Missouri-Kansas City
    
  • CONTACT INFORMATION
  • University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)
    213 Haag Hall, 5120 Rockhill Road
    Kansas City, Missouri  64110  U.S.A.

    TEL: +1 (816) 235-5405
    FAX: +1 (816) 235-5405
    E-mail: buttsce@umkc.edu
    Website: https://shss.umkc.edu/areas-of-study/applied-language-institute/index.html
  • 
• More Details
  • Housing
  • UMKC provides students with the opportunity to live in on-campus dormitories, off-campus residences, or enjoy a homestay experience. Students living on-campus will be close to classes, campus activities and other students. For students who prefer a more independent lifestyle, off-campus residences provide more privacy and offer opportunities to interact with people in the community outside the campus environment. The school also arranges homestays for those students who want to experience local culture first-hand as a member of a family and practice their conversational English. Students are encouraged to make their housing arrangements as early as possible due to the limited amount of space available. Private off-campus apartments are also available; however students must make their own arrangements. For more information, contact the school directly.
    
  • Surrounding Area
  • At UMKC, the staff and students consider all of Kansas City to be their campus. The ties to the community are essential, and those relationships make the university stronger every day. Over 3,200 local business clients benefit from UMKC outreach programs each year. At the Health Sciences Campus, the clinical faculty, staff, and students provide millions of dollars in dental, nursing, pharmaceutical, and medical care annually.
    
    UMKC’s main campus, Volker Campus, is located between residential and light commercial districts. It is one of the safest urban campuses in the United States and will soon be the southern terminus of Kansas City’s new streetcar, which runs through the city towards the River Market neighborhood, a popular tourist destination. UMKC is also within walking distance to the Country Club Plaza, an upscale shopping and dining district, designed in 1922 with fountains, sculptures, and murals to resemble our sister city of Seville, Spain. The Sister Cities International Bridge takes pedestrians from the Country Club Plaza to the South Plaza district for more dining options and to Jacob L. Loose Park, which hosts Kansas City’s cherry blossoms, a gift from Kurashiki, our sister city in Japan, that bloom every spring.
    
    UMKC’s Volker Campus surrounds the Linda Hall Library, a privately endowed American library of science, engineering, and technology, sitting within an urban arboretum. Surrounding the UMKC campus are several shopping and dining establishments, including Whole Foods, Crows Coffee, Kin Lin (a Chinese restaurant), Pizza 51, Aixois (a French café), Tiki Taco, Gaels Public House & Sports Grill, Urban Café, and Blackhole Bakery. For lovers of art and nature, UMKC’s most noticeable neighbor is the world-famous Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which faces Brush Creek and a large park from Volker Campus. Just next to the Nelson-Atkins is the Kauffman Legacy Park with the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Also near the Nelson-Atkins Museum is the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and the Kansas City Art Institute.
    
  • About the College/University
  • UMKC is the largest, fully accredited university in the Kansas City area. The faculty are leaders in their fields — and they're within reach. The 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio means professors know their students' names and take mentorship seriously. The students come from all 50 states and 85+ countries, enriching the community with diverse perspectives. And with more than 125 academic areas, students have a lot of opportunities to explore on their way to discovering and creating their perfect career.
    
    Many international students are drawn to the School of Science and Engineering because Kansas City is one of the nation’s largest engineering hubs where employers are always looking for new engineers from UMKC. The School of Science and Engineering has a great relationship with many local businesses and industries to help students find a job. The School of Law is also a popular destination for international students because of its connection to the community and its high employment rate.
    
    UMKC also has plenty of student services and organizations. All students have free access to campus recreation facilities. For more information about housing, dining, safety, and entertainment opportunities, Click Here
    
  • Conditional Admission / Credit Courses
  • Conditional admission for undergraduate and graduate programs is available for qualified students. Students who successfully complete ALI level 4 qualify for UMKC undergraduate study, and students who successfully complete ALI level 5 qualify for UMKC graduate study.
    
• Study Options

  • Intensive English Program (IEP)

  • Overview
  • The ALI offers a broad selection of programming to meet academic, professional, and/or personal purposes. The three general areas of programming are English proficiency programs, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs, and the English + academic study Paseo Program.
    
    The ALI features (2) types of English proficiency programming: intensive and non-intensive. The intensive English Program is for students interested in full-time English study. The IEP provides 20 hours of in-class instruction across three courses in the areas of Reading & Vocabulary, Speaking & Listening, and Writing & Grammar, with students progressing from CEFR A1 to CEFR C1 across five levels of proficiency. Students are in class five hours per day, Monday through Thursday. Courses are held in regular UMKC classrooms in the same buildings as UMKC academic classes, following UMKC course schedules, so ALI students have many opportunities to see and talk with many other students at UMKC. The non-intensive programming is designed for English learners who cannot commit to full-time English study. The non-intensive program includes two multi-skill courses – Reading & Writing, and Speaking & Listening, with classes meeting two evenings per week.
    
    ALI English for Specific Purposes (ESP) offers contextualized English language study in areas such as English for Medicine, English for Business, or English for Journalism. ALI ESP programs feature an ‘in-class + field experience’ format, with in-class language and ESP content programming complemented by extensive topic-related activities, field trips and guest speakers. The English Medical Camp, for example, includes guest lectures, classroom and facility visits, and tours of the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry, the School of Pharmacy, and the School of Nursing and Health Studies at our Health Sciences Campus. Teacher Education Programs are another ESP offering which integrates extensive field experience to solidify and further contextualize in-class instruction, through a full program of public-school and university class visits, faculty meet-and-greets, and mentor-guided workshops and lesson development.
    
    The ALI Paseo Program allows qualified students to pursue degree-seeking coursework and English study together in the same semester. This program meets the needs of students who do not need full-time English proficiency study but whose English proficiency does not meet regular academic admission requirements. Candidates are rigorously tested to ensure that proficiency improvement is needed on only one or two English skill areas. Successful Paseo Program students complete the curriculum in one regular semester, with admission to regular undergraduate academics upon completion of the Paseo Program.
    
  • Data

  • CLASS SIZE:	4 - 15 Students
    CLASS LEVELS:	6 Levels
    COURSE LENGTH:	8,12,16 Weeks
    MINIMUM AGE:	18 Years Old
    REQUIREMENT:	N/A
    VISA INFORMATION:	I-20 Issued Upon Request
    HOUSING:	Homestay On-Campus Dormitory Off-Campus Residence

  • Dates
  • 2024

    8 WEEKS:
    10/7 - 12/6 Apply by 9/30

    2025

    8 WEEKS:
    3/3 - 5/2 Apply by 2/28

    12 WEEKS:
    2/10 - 5/2 Apply by 2/3

    16 WEEKS:
    1/13 - 5/2 Apply by 1/8

  • Costs

  • APPLICATION FEE

    US$ 75

    TUITION FEE (2024 - 2025)

    8 WEEKS	US$ 5,530
    12 WEEKS	US$ 8,294
    16 WEEKS	US$ 11,060

    HOUSING
    PLACEMENT FEE

    N/A

    HOUSING FEE

    LENGTH	HOMESTAY	DORMITORY / ON-CAMPUS APARTMENT	OFF-CAMPUS RESIDENCE
    8-16 WEEKS	US$ 1000 Per Month	US$ 1500-2000 Per Month	US$ 600-2000 Per Month

    Airport Pickup Service

    Available from School (Free of Charge)

  • Remarks / Other Information
  • Dates and Fees are approximate and may change without prior notice.
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• Location
  • United States　Kansas City, Missouri
  • Location
    University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)
    213 Haag Hall, 5120 Rockhill Road Kansas City, Missouri  64110  U.S.A.
  • Getting To Your School
  • From Kansas City International Airport (MCI):
    School provides a free pick up service that brings students directly to campus in approximately 30 minutes.
    
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