Studying at UMBC

Because we encourage international students to apply to our ESOL/Bilingual M.A. program, we offer some special services and activities for international students who are accepted into the program.
  1. Length of the program at UMBC:

    The basic program requires 12 courses to complete. Full-time students can complete the program by taking 3 courses each fall and spring and 1 or 2 courses in the summer. This would enable them to finish in a year and a half. Part-time students taking 2 courses per semester would need 2 and a half years to complete the program. Students interested in taking the certification option should expect to take at least an additional semester to complete the program. The internship experience requires a full academic year, and course loads in addition to the internship should not be too demanding. Students choosing the thesis option should plan on taking an additional semester to complete the program.

  2. Special Assistance:

    To help international students adjust to the new academic environment, an experienced graduate student will act as an International Student Liason between international students and the ESOL/Bilingual M.A. to assist students with concerns they might have, including:
    • logistical concerns: housing, transportation, communication with professors, weekend events, etc.
    • academic concerns: special study sessions for various courses, individual study and review sessions, an American English pronunciation course and other academic support as deemed appropriate.

  3. Housing:

    Although housing is ultimately the responsibility of each individual student, the ESOL/Bilingual Office will work with and assist international students in finding roommates and housing both before they leave their home countries and after they arrive at UMBC.
Cross-Cultural Information about UMBC of interest to International Students.
  • UMBC is approximately 40 minutes by bus from Baltimore and 1 hour by car from Washington, D.C.
  • UMBC's Student Events Board and various departments on campus sponsor special movies, lectures, discussions, trips to local and East Coast sites of interest, musical events and drama throughout the academic year. Many of these events are free or are specially discounted for UMBC students.
  • The English Language Center, the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, and various international student groups sponsor special cross-cultural events on campus throughout the year.
  • Many of the ESOL/Bilingual M.A. students meet in the Resource Center for Language and Culture for social and study purposes. International students will be invited to join these groups.
Click here for more admission details.
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