Academics

Applied English Center
Enrollment Guidelines
Academic Calendar
The American Classroom

Applied English Center

The Applied English Center (AEC) at the University of Kansas has 35 years of experience in providing intensive English instruction, preparing students for study in American universities, and helping students participate in American society. The AEC offers five levels of instruction, from beginning to advanced, with all courses taught by experienced professionals.

As an exchange student through the Office of Study Abroad, you will be required to check-in with the AEC during your first week at KU. If you plan to attend International Orientation, you will be given a specific time to go to the AEC during orientation.

Native English Speakers: If you are a native speaker of English, you must still go to the AEC for an interview in order to obtain a waiver from taking English language classes. You will not be allowed to enroll in any classes without this waiver!

Non-Native English Speakers: When you check in at the AEC, the staff will verify your official scores of your TOEFL or IELTS test, if applicable (it is not required by KU).  Your TOEFL or IELTS scores must be reported directly from the testing agencies to the University of Kansas.  KU must receive official scores prior to your arrival on campus.  If you have a copy of your TOEFL or IELTS scores, please also include it in your application packet to the Office of Study Abroad.   

If you have taken the TOEFL (it is not required by KU), and your scores meet the requirements below, you will be excused from the on-campus English Language Proficiency Exam, and you will be allowed to enroll full-time in university courses. If your TOEFL scores do not meet the requirements listed below, you will be required to take the English Language Proficiency Exam.

The minimum scores required are as follows:

Computer-Based TOEFL Exam
• Minimum of 23 on each section
• Score of 4.5 or higher on the essay

Internet-Based TOEFL Exam
• Minimum of 23 on each section

Paper-Based TOEFL Exam
• Minimum score of 57 on each section
• Score of 4.5 or higher on the essay

The AEC Proficiency Exam is divided into three parts as follows:

Part I: Reading and Writing
Worth 200 points
1. Three reading passages, with 30 multiple-choice questions testing
comprehension and vocabulary
2. One reading passage, with five questions; students take notes over the reading passage and using the notes, write answers in paragraph form

Part II: Listening
Worth 200 points
1. Three to four dialogues and two short lectures with 61 questions: students read/listen to dialoques and then answer questions

Part III: Grammar for Communication
Worth 200 points
1. Guided paraphrase, 40 items
2. Thirty minute timed essay on a composition topic given to you, minimum of 200 words required

If you pass the AEC English Language Proficiency Exam, you will not be required to take courses in English as a Second Language.

If you do not pass the exam, you will be required to enroll in one or more courses in English as a Second Language. The number of courses required depends on how many sections of the AEC test that you pass.

If you test into Level 1,2 or 3 at the AEC, you will receive grades of A,B,C, D, or F. If you test into Level 4, 5 or Special Studies, you will receive credit for your AEC classes if you receive a grade of A, B or C, and pass the AEC proficiency exam at the end of the semester. You will not receive credit if you receive a grade of D or F.

adapted from: Applied English Center brochure

Enrollment Guidelines

Before the beginning of the semester, you will be enrolling in courses at the University of Kansas in consultation with an academic advisor and/or a study abroad advisor. Timetables (class schedules) are available on-line at www.opensections.ku.edu. Students should complete a course request form before arriving on the KU campus. Please keep the following guidelines in mind when deciding on classes:

Undergraduate Students – You must enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester

The Office of Study Abroad will pay for the following options:

Option 1: You may enroll in a maximum of 15 credit hours with a course number of 699 or below.
Option 2: You may enroll in a combination of courses as long as the cost does not exceed the equivalent of 15 credit hours of undergraduate tuition.

Note: Classes numbered 700 and above require departmental approval for all undergraduates.

Graduate Students – You must enroll in a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester

If you have applied for and received graduate status, the Office of Study Abroad will pay for the equivalent cost of 15 credit hours for an undergraduate student - "approximately 12 graduate credit hours". You will receive more information regarding specific costs once you arrive at KU.

You are responsible for any costs above this amount.

Tuition costs for graduate students are based on the course number according to the following schedule: 000-499 are undergraduate costs; 500-999 are graduate costs.

For more information, please see Tracy Miller at the Office of Study Abroad.

Additional Fees

The following additional fees are paid by the OSA as follows:
•the required campus fee (Lawrence Campus only)
•"course fees" - each school or department charges additional "fees" on top of the per hour "tuition charged" to all students

Please refer to the Office of the University Registrar’s website at www.registrar.ku.edu/fees/ for more information. You will receive more detailed information from the Office of Study Abroad once you arrive in Lawrence.

Special Fees

Special fees, which are charged for labs, materials, equipment, etc. will be the financial responsibility of the student. In addition, fees for health, sport, and exercise sciences (listed as HSES courses in the timetable) are also the responsibility of the student. The Office of Study Abroad does not pay for special fees.

Edwards Campus Fees

The Office of Study Abroad does not pay for Regent’s Center/Edwards Campus fees.  All Regent’s Center/Edwards Campus fees are the responsibility of the student.  This applies to all students taking Business, Engineering Management, or any courses held at the Edwards Campus.

NOTE: You will be required to pay for any additional credit hours and fees.

Dropping Courses

If you drop a course, the amount of tuition refunded by KU depends on the day the course is dropped. If you plan to drop a course, it is best to do so as soon as possible because this will affect the amount of your refund and whether you receive a “W” (withdrawn) or an “F” (fail) on your transcript. Please see the Academic Calendar for more details.

Academic Calendar

Visit the Office of the University Registrar for the University's Academic Calendar.

The American Classroom

You may find that teaching styles in the U.S. are much different than those in other countries. Teaching in the U.S. is often more interactive and less dependent on rote memorization. Students regularly ask questions of the faculty or offer constructive criticism of the lecture. This is encouraged as professors prefer discussion and debate rather than passive silence. You will also notice that the students and faculty tend to dress rather informally. In addition, faculty will have open office hours for students to come by and ask questions.

Class sizes tend to be smaller in the US than in other countries. Although first-year students may have a few large classes, most classes are small, with 15 to 45 students. The large lectures will often have small discussion sections run by teaching assistants or faculty. Discussion sections review the material presented in the main lecture, supplement it with additional material, and provide an opportunity to ask questions. Generally, you will receive one credit for each hour you are in class per week. For example, a three credit hour class meets for three hours each week.

Your grade in most classes will be based on your scores on tests, quizzes, projects, and papers. If the class has a discussion section, active participation can improve your grade. The better the professor and teaching assistants know you and your work, the better they will be able to assess your progress.

adapted from: www.edupass.org

Photo: ©KU University Relations