ESL Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes! Our six core courses offer transferability:

• ESL 110C, a transfer-level composition course equivalent to English 100, transfers to CSUs, UCs and some privates.
• ESL 109 & ESL 108 fulfill the Humanities requirements for UC (IGETC 3B) and CSU (C2) GE requirements for transfer.
• ESL 107, ESL 106, & ESL 105 have CSU elective transferability.

Yes! Our advanced-level core courses fulfill GE requirements for the local degree:

• ESL 110 fulfills the written communication A1 requirement (equivalent to English 100/English 101).
• ESL 109 & ESL 108 fulfill IGETC 3B, CSU C2, and Cypress College Native C2 degree Humanities requirement.

You should take ESL 110 C if you want to …

• transfer to a college or university: ESL 110 C fulfills CSU A2 or UC 1A GE requirements for written communication
• earn a degree: ESL 110 C fulfills the Cypress College local degree requirement for written communication
• focus on refining your language skills: ESL 110 C emphasizes grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary for non-native English learners
• work with ESL professors who are experts in teaching the English language: ESL professors have master’s degrees in Linguistics or TESL (or related field)

• Credit ESL courses are advanced, academic courses that focus on preparing you for college-level reading and writing.
• Non-credit classes are offered through North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE). These FREE classes are typically open-entry and open-exit. For more information, please visit the NOCE ESL page, call (714) 808-4638, or email ESL4all@noce.edu.
• Students can be enrolled in both credit and non-credit courses at the same time.

For an overview of the registration process and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the Admissions and Registration page.

No. As of July 1, 2023, the ESL Assessment test is no longer offered at Cypress College. Cypress College has implemented a placement process known as Guided Placement. English Language Learners are invited to participate in this process. For more details, review the ESL Guided Placement page. Access the Guided Placement tool through myGateway.

If you experience any problems using the Guided Placement tool, selecting a course, and/or registering for an ESL course, let us know, and we will help you through the process! Email esl@cypresscollege.edu.

No, you do not need to take an English assessment. Instead, you will use our Guided Placement Tool because you have the right to access transfer-level composition coursework:  

You will use the Guided Placement Tool to determine which transfer level English class to take:

• ESL 110 C (ESL support – 5 units)
• ENGL 101 C (with support – 5 units)
• ENGL 100 C (without support – 4 units)

If you are an English Language Learner who has graduated from a U.S. high school, you also have the right to access academic credit ESL coursework according to AB 1805 and can follow the ESL Guided Placement process. 

If you did NOT attend a U.S. high school, you will follow the ESL Guided Placement process. The ESL Guided Placement tool is linked in the Guided Placement tool for math, so you must complete that tool first.

Go to the top of this page and click on CANVAS, located in the blue toolbar. Log in with same login for myGateway (registration).

There are numerous services and resources at Cypress College to help students in their classes:

• English Success Center (ESC)
The English Success Center (ESC) is the primary resource for reading and writing help in any course at Cypress College. The ESC offers drop-in tutoring (for questions or brainstorming), Directed Learning Activities (DLAs), small-group workshops, ESL conversation labs, and a computer lab. The ESC also has helpful handouts and reference books. All of the services are free, and for the majority of activities, no appointment is necessary.
• Learning Resource Center (LRC)

For other resources, see the student resources page.

We want to advance you toward your educational goals as quickly and efficiently as possible, so the ESL program has several ways to help you maximize your ability to move through the ESL course sequence:

• Most students will not start at the beginning of the sequence. You will choose a class in the sequence according to your skills.
• For more information on the ESL Guided Placement tool, visit the ESL Guided Placement page. The ESL Guided Placement tool is linked in the Guided Placement tool for math, so you must complete that tool first.
• At the end of the semester, you may have the option to take an exam that challenges the next level in the sequence; discuss the end-of-semester challenge option with your instructor if you are enrolled in ESL 105 C, ESL 106 C, ESL 107 C, or ESL 108 C.
• Our credit ESL sequence ends with ESL 110 C, an ESL course equivalent to English 100, so when you finish ESL 110 C, your next class will be a critical thinking course such as English 103 C.

• CC = Cypress College
• HUM = Humanities Building
• LA = Language Arts Division (HUM 2nd floor)
• ESL = English as a Second Language
• CELSA = the assessment used for credit ESL at Cypress College
• CRN = Course Record Number (identifier of a specific class)
• CSLO = Course Student Learning Outcome (Ask your instructor!)
• L/LRC = Library & Learning Resource Center Building
• LRC = Learning Resource Center (1st floor of the L/LRC building)
• ESC = English Success Center (1st floor of the L/LRC building Room 130)