ESL – Acceptance into Academic Programs

NDS ESL is designed to prepare seminarians for full-time academic studies in philosophy and theology through intensive English language training. In order for an international seminarian to enter full-time academic studies at NDS, he must score at least a 550 on the Paper-based TOEFL (240 Computer-based version, 80 Internet-based version.)

ESL does not teach to the test, rather, it is designed to enrich the seminarians’ language abilities in the four core areas of language acquisition: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. Even when seminarians achieve the necessary score and move into an academic study program, they are still permitted and encouraged to attend ESL classes and receive assistance from ESL instructors.