Students in the Intensive English Program come from more than 130 countries. They have diverse backgrounds and many academic goals. The following descriptions give a general idea of typical students enrolled in the IEP.

Most students ...

• have F-1 visas and enroll full time in the program;
• have studied English for many years before entering the program;
• read and write well in their first languages;
• have academic goals in the U.S.; and
• have traveled outside of their home countries before coming to NOVA.

Most of our students are high school graduates seeking an associate’s degree from NOVA. They generally ...

• range in age from their late teens to early twenties;
• have some work experience in their home countries; and
• plan to transfer to a four-year university after completing their studies at NOVA.

Some of our students are college and university students or graduates. They ...

• are generally in their twenties or thirties;
• often have extensive work experience in their home countries;
• may plan to transfer to a four-year college or university after completing their studies at NOVA;
• may plan to enter graduate programs at a U.S. university after improving their English and their TOEFL scores; or
• may plan to return to their home countries and jobs after achieving their desired level of English proficiency.