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General Information

Christian Faith Statement

CELE students are not required to have a personal faith in Jesus Christ, however, NU is a Christian university and CELE students are expected to follow the Community Handbook and attend chapel with NU students two times per week.

Language Placement Exam

After arriving at NU, all CELE students take a Language Placement exam which will determine the course levels they will enroll in. Students must pass Level 6 (Bridge) to graduate from CELE and to qualify to matriculate to an NU degree program.

Students who are in the Kirkland/Seattle area and are seeking conditional enrollment into an Undergraduate or Master's program may schedule a placement exam through cele@northwestu.edu at any time to evaluate their language readiness for admittance. There is a $100 testing fee, which will cover up to 2 testing sessions. Students will receive a comprehensive 5 skill evaluation report (Grammar, Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing) within 1 week of testing.

Levels of Instruction

Based on testing results, students will be placed in one of our 4 levels of instruction:

  1. True Beginner
  2. High Beginner
  3. Elementary
  4. Low Intermediate
  5. High Intermediate
  6. Advanced: Bridge/Undergraduate (successful completion qualifies for undergraduate and graduate admission)
    • Students in the Bridge level take 2 ESL and 2-3 NU courses for credit.

Courses

The CELE program is academically rigorous to prepare students for university success. Students take Grammar, Comprehensive English, and Reading and Vocabulary courses in Levels 1 through 4, adding new classes in Levels 5 and 6.

  • Grammar: Learn grammatical structures and practice them in writing and speaking.

  • Comprehensive English: Grow English grammar and 4-skills (writing, reading, listening, and speaking) and expand your vocabulary while learning how to use English in everyday situations.

  • Reading and Vocabulary: Build academic vocabulary and reading strategies for faster and more accurate reading comprehension.

  • Academic Writing Elective (Level 5 only): Learn academic essay structures and use the writing process to improve your work.

  • Speaking and Listening (Level 6 only): Increase academic listening competence and respond through spoken and written English.

  • Bridge Writing (Level 6 only): Continue to strengthen your academic writing and learn to analyze literature at the undergraduate level. This is a hybrid class taken concurrently with the undergraduate course Composition I: Expository Writing.

CELE Activities

Throughout the semester, CELE organizes activities and field trips for students to learn about the American culture and traditions. Students enjoy trips into Seattle, Bellevue, and other towns to visit parks, museums, sporting events, and much more! During their first week on campus students participate in an interactive orientation to get to know other CELE and NU students. Some say it is one of their favorite experiences at NU.

Airport Pickup

The CELE office will provide airport pick up at the Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEATAC) on a selected day. Upon acceptance to NU, the CELE office will contact you with information regarding arrival dates and orientation.