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American College English (ACE) is an intensive program for students who have lived in the U.S. for several years and require more practice in writing and speaking college-level English, for students who plan to live in the U.S. while attending college, and for students who simply desire greater English fluency to function well in their community.

Is the ACE/ESL Course Pathway right for me?
If English is your second language and you have not intensively studied English in school for the past seven years, or if you do not use English frequently, you will benefit from enrolling in ACE courses.  

​In order to be placed into any ACE/ESL course, students will need to complete the Guided Placement.  

Guided Placement

Learn more about our programs:

At SCC, we have three ESL programs to help you become fluent in English. Please review the chart below to see the differ​ences.  The chart shows the Noncredit ESL courses that combine with the College Credit ACE courses.  These combined courses are taught by credit ACE faculty with both credit and noncredit students in the same class at the same time.  Our Continuing Education Noncredit Program offers additional foundational course levels.

ESL PROGRAM NAME COST COLLEGE CREDIT GRADES

COLLEGE CREDIT PROGRAM

American College English (ACE)

ACE 091                            Pronunciation​ Intermediate   2 units​

ACE 104 + ACE 094 (Optional) Intermediate ​4.5 units + 2 units  

ACE 106 + ACE 095 (Optional)        High Intermediate   4.5 units + 2 units

ACE 116  Advanced-Composition    4.5 units

All ACE Courses

 

 

 

  • $46 per unit for CA residents;
  • Tuition for international and non-resident students; + additional fees

 

 

 

  • ACE 104, 106 and 116 transfe​r to ​CSU/UC colleges.

 

 

 

  • A, B, C, D or F

CONTINUING EDUCATION NONCREDIT PROGRAM 

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Literacy                          

Beginning English                

Intermediate English                          

Advanced English 

All ESL Classes


 

 

  • $0 per course for CA residents;
  • not open to Non-residents + additional fees

 

 

  • No credits; no units
  • Some ACE courses fulfill certain Continuing Education High School Diploma areas.

 

 

  • P = Pass
  • SP = Satisfactory
  • Progress
  • NP = No Progress

COMMUNITY SERVICES  (fee based)

English Language Program  (ELP)


  • About $900 per 4 weeks to about $3500 per 16 weeks;
  • Involves 20+ hrs/week;
  • For F-1 students who are not yet ready for ACE courses

  • No - This program is designed to prepare international students for the ACE courses.

  • No - Progress is monitored by the SCC International Students' Office