Step 1: Apply online
Go to Start Your Journey and choose "Noncredit (tuition-free classes)." It's free and only takes a few minutes.

We're happy to help! You don't have to do this alone. Come see us or call, and we'll help you apply and sign up for classes.

Ventura Campus: Compass Welcome Center
Student Services Building
Phone: (805) 289-6420
Mon & Tue: 8:00 am – 6:30 pm
Wed & Thu: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fri: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

East Campus (Santa Paula)
Phone: (805) 289-6100
Mon – Thu: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Fri: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Need evening help? East Campus is open until 8:00 pm, Monday through Thursday.

Paso 1: Llene la solicitud en línea
Visite Start Your Journey y elija "Noncredit (tuition-free classes)." Es gratis y solo toma unos minutos.

¡Con gusto le ayudamos! No tiene que hacerlo solo. Visítenos o llámenos, y le ayudaremos a llenar la solicitud e inscribirse en clases.

Campus de Ventura: Compass Welcome Center
Edificio de Servicios Estudiantiles (Student Services Building)
Teléfono: (805) 289-6420
Lunes y martes: 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Miércoles y jueves: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Viernes: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

East Campus (Santa Paula)
Teléfono: (805) 289-6100
Lunes a jueves: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Viernes: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

¿Necesita ayuda por la noche? East Campus está abierto hasta las 8:00 p.m., de lunes a jueves.

Both options cover the same academic content. The main differences are cost, grading, and whether you earn college units.

Noncredit ESL Courses

Cost: No cost for tuition or books, but students at the Ventura campus pay for parking. 

Class Schedule: Varies 

Mode: In-person, hybrid (part in-person and part on-line using CANVAS), or online 

Grading: Pass / No pass 

ESL N100A-D (Beginning to High-Intermediate) 

Student goals: Improve general English skills to perform everyday tasks (holding a conversation, writing short messages, reading paragraphs, etc.).  

Class activities/ assignments: Conversation etiquette and practice, basic-intermediate grammar instruction and practice, writing short paragraphs, reading 1-page articles, and listening to short conversations. 

Recommended entering skills: Students should have studied English for at least one year before enrolling. 

ESL N110A-D (English for Work, Beginning to Intermediate) 

Student goals: Improve English skills to perform common work functions (communicate with customers, job interviews, job search, follow safety rules, communicate with colleagues, etc.).  

Class activities/ assignments: Role-play work-place conversations, basic-intermediate grammar instruction and practice, writing short emails, read work schedules, and listening to short conversations. 

Recommended entering skills: Students should have studied English for at least one semester before enrolling. 

ESL N120A-B (English Conversation, Beginning and Intermediate) 

Student goals: Improve English conversation skills and fluency on a variety of everyday topics 

Class activities/ assignments: listening to short conversations, watch short videos, read short paragraphs, practice starting and ending a conversation, common follow-up questions, clarification questions, polite disagreement, showing surprise, sharing anecdotes. 

Recommended entering skills: Students should have studied English for at least one semester before enrolling. 

Credit ESL Courses

ENGM V01-3 

Student goals: Improve academic English skills to complete a degree/certificate program or transfer to a university. 

Class activities/ assignments: Participating in class discussions, intermediate-advanced grammar, writing long paragraphs and short essays, reading 2-3 page articles and full-length books, and listening to lectures. 

Cost: $46 per unit for residents; $209 per unit for non-residents; $234 per unit for international students. 

Outside work: About 5 hours of homework and/or on-line CANVAS work a week. 

Schedule: 2-hour classes 2 days a week 

Mode: Hybrid (part in-person and part on-line using CANVAS) and 100% online (Zoom and CANVAS)  

Grading: Grades are given (A, B, C, D, or F). Alternatively, students may elect to take the class as pass/no pass. 

Recommended entering skills: Students should have studied English for at least two years before enrolling. They should have an intermediate or high-intermediate vocabulary (completion of ESL N100C and ESL N100D) and be able to speak about a variety of topics.   

Mirrored Noncredit ESL Courses

ENGM N101-3 

Student goals: Improve academic English skills to complete a degree/certificate program or transfer to a university. 

Class activities/ assignments: Participating in class discussions, intermediate-advanced grammar, writing long paragraphs and short essays, reading 2-3 page articles and full-length books, and listening to lectures. 

Cost: No tuition cost, but students must pay for parking, textbooks, and a small health fee. 

Outside work: About 5 hours of homework and/or on-line CANVAS work a week. 

Schedule: 2-hour classes 2 days a week 

Mode: Hybrid (part in-person and part on-line using CANVAS) and 100% online (Zoom and CANVAS)  

Grading: Pass/No Pass 

Recommended entering skills: Students should have studied English for at least two years before enrolling. They should have an intermediate or high-intermediate vocabulary (completion of ESL N100C and ESL N100D) and be able to speak about a variety of topics.   

Non-credit courses 

ESL N100A: Beginning ESL (Noncredit) 

This is a beginning course for non and limited English proficient students who want to acquire the communication skills necessary for living, working, and attending school where English is used. Integration of computer literacy, such as basic computer knowledge and keyboarding will help students build the basic skill set needed in the workplace, in school, and other aspects of their daily lives. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION 

ESL N100B: High-Beginning ESL (Noncredit) 

This is a high-beginning course for limited-English-proficient students who want to acquire the communication skills necessary for living, working, and attending school where English is used. Integration of computer literacy, such as basic computer knowledge, keyboarding, and use of applications will help students build the basic skill set needed in the workplace, in school, and other aspects of their daily lives. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION 

ESL N100C: Intermediate ESL (Noncredit)  

This is an intermediate course for students who want to continue developing the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills necessary for living, working, and attending school where English is used. This course will focus on communication and critical thinking skills and will help students continue to develop computer literacy. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION 

ESL N100D: High-Intermediate ESL (Noncredit) 

This is a high-intermediate course for limited-English proficient students who want to develop the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills necessary for living, working, and attending school where English is used. Students will develop communication and critical thinking skills and continue to develop computer literacy. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION 

ESL N110A: English for Work I 

This course prepares beginning-level, non-native-English-speaking students to enter the workforce or a CE/vocational program for general or specific occupations. The course focuses on workplace communication, work-related vocabulary skills, job applications and postings, workplace safety and issues, and vocational readings with emphasis on verbal communication through basic language skills instruction. 

ESL N110B: English for Work II 

This course prepares high-beginning-level, non-native-English-speaking students to enter the workforce or a CE/vocational program for general or specific occupations. The course focuses on workplace communication, work-related vocabulary skills, job applications and postings, workplace safety and issues, and vocational readings with emphasis on verbal communication through high-beginning language skills instruction. 

ESL N110C: English for Work III 

This course prepares low-intermediate-level, non-native-English-speaking students to enter the workforce or a CE/vocational program for general or specific occupations. The course focuses on workplace communication, work-related vocabulary skills, workplace safety and issues, workplace culture, and vocational readings with emphasis on verbal communication through intermediate language skills instruction. 

ESL N110D: English for Work IV 

This course prepares high-intermediate-level, non-native-English-speaking students to enter the workforce or a CE/vocational program for general or specific occupations. The course focuses on workplace communication, work-related vocabulary skills, workplace safety and issues, workplace culture, and vocational readings with emphasis on verbal communication through intermediate language skills instruction. 

ESL N120A: Beginning Conversation 

The course is designed to increase a beginning English learner's basic ability to understand spoken English and use English in conversation. Students practice dialogues and role-play in a variety of common situations, such as making phone calls, shopping, and asking directions, in order to build active listening and speaking skills. 

ESL N120B: Intermediate Conversation 

The course is designed to develop an intermediate English learner's ability to comprehend spoken English and improve fluency in conversation. Emphasis is on oral communication through the practice of situational dialogues, role-playing, and skits on functional topics, including visiting health practitioners, interacting at work, and fulfilling daily household necessities. 

Academic credit (and mirrored non-credit) courses: 

ENGM V01L (and ENGM N101L): Academic Listening and Speaking I 

This academic listening and speaking course is designed for intermediate multilingual students. Instruction will focus on the improvement of oral fluency and listening comprehension. Emphasis is on vocabulary development, pronunciation, fluency, presentation skills, and comprehension. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: ESL N100D, or placement as determined by the college's ESL Guided Self Placement tool 
 

ENGM V01R (and ENGM N101R): Academic Reading and Writing I 

This course is designed to instruct the intermediate ESL learner in the fundamental skills of academic reading and writing. Writing topics include compound and complex sentences, verb tenses, and punctuation applied to academic paragraphs. Reading skills include identifying main ideas in paragraphs and longer passages, vocabulary development, use of context, literal and inferential comprehension, and recognizing basic patterns of organization. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: ESL N100D, or placement as determined by the college's -- ESL Guided Self Placement tool 

ENGM V02L (and ENGM N102L): Academic Listening and Speaking II 

This academic listening and speaking course is designed for high-intermediate multilingual students. Instruction will focus on the improvement of oral fluency and listening comprehension. Emphasis is on vocabulary development, pronunciation, fluency, presentation skills, and comprehension. 
RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: ENGM V01L, or placement as determined by the college's ESL Guided Self Placement tool 

ENGM V02R (and ENGM N102R): Academic Reading and Writing II 

This course is designed to instruct the high-intermediate ESL learner in further developing skills of academic reading and strengthening paragraph writing. Writing topics include sentence structures and phrases used to write paragraphs to compare, contrast, show cause, and/or show effect. Reading skills include identifying main ideas in multi-paragraph passages, vocabulary development, use of context, literal and inferential comprehension, and recognizing basic patterns of organization. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: ENGM V01R, or placement as determined by the college's -- ESL Guided Self Placement tool 

ENGM V03L (and ENGM N103L): Academic Listening and Speaking III 

This academic listening and speaking course is designed for advanced multilingual students. Instruction will focus on the improvement of oral fluency and listening comprehension. Emphasis is on vocabulary development, pronunciation, fluency, presentation skills, and comprehension. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: ENGM V02L, or placement as determined by the college's -- ESL Guided Self Placement tool 

ENGM V03R (and ENGM N103R): Academic Reading and Writing III 

This course is designed to instruct the advanced ESL learner in further developing skills of academic reading and the fundamentals of essay writing. Writing topics include paraphrasing and summarizing, paragraph organization and support, thesis statements, and introductory and conclusion paragraphs. Reading skills include reading charts, graphs, and visual data, identifying main ideas in multi-paragraph passages, vocabulary development, use of context, literal and inferential comprehension, and recognizing basic patterns of organization. RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: ENGM V02R, or placement as determined by the college's -- ESL Guided Self Placement tool 

Ventura College East Campus in Santa Paula

• Check in at the front desk.
• 957 Faulkner Road, 106, Santa Paula, CA 93060

Ventura College Main Campus

• Check in at the Welcome Center in the Student Services building.
• 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura, CA 93003