AU’s Access Program is available for foreign students to register every two months to help improve their English skills . After summer break, the program welcomed a new batch of freshmen from China, Japan and Somalia.

It is no secret that students from overseas have difficulty studying in a non-native language environment. This is why the school provides the program, to help students prepare for the official American college life.

“Our program is accessible to everyone who have difficulty studying in English. We help students adapt to the daily life and academic study in America,” Jenni Wininger, instructor of the Access Program said. “Our tuition is much cheaper than the money they spend on passing IELTS or TOFEL exams at home.”

To become fast and proficient as well as master a foreign language, the best way according to the Access Program is to live in a new and diverse environment.

The Access Program always puts their efforts to gather their students and the community together.

“Like other kinds of language tests, we also provide the four basic ways to help students improve English in reading, writing, listening and speaking. We organize an English Corner party monthly to give our students a great opportunity to chat with the residents for practicing English speaking skills and adapting to American life quickly.” Wininger said.

Additionally, the Access Program takes the advantages of AU to let students experience undergraduate life in advance. The program also divides all students into three different levels to make studying more efficient.

“We are allowed to apply for the undergraduate classes anytime you want, it is good for us to adapt to the official college life in advance,” QingZhong Xu, a recent graduate of the Access Program said. “Professors divide us into different levels depending on the grades we got on the exams before orientation to make sure everyone in the class is at the same level.”