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PELA/Semi-Intensive English – Current
PELA SEMI-INTENSIVE ENGLISH CLASSES

Study English at PELA
even if you don't have a Student Visa

PELA's Semi-Intensive English program in Portland, Oregon will help you improve your English even though you may not be able to study full-time.

If you an ESTA (visa-waiver), B-1, B-2, F-2, L-2, or J-1 visa, you can join PELA's Semi-Intensive English program!

Short-term English Classes for Adults at Any Skill Level

4 Weeks
(1 Term)

US$1345

(FULL PRICE)

• 17 Class Hours each week
• 10+ hours of Optional Activities
• 6 levels of English Instruction

Application Fee:

US$95

(ONE-TIME FEE)

Join PELA at any level of English ability, beginner to advanced, and start to improve you English skills quickly.

8 Weeks
(2 Terms)

US$1210 per term

(10% DISCOUNT)

• 17 Class Hours each week
• 10+ hours of Optional Activities
• 6 levels of English Instruction

Application Fee:

US$95

(ONE-TIME FEE)

Gain more confidence with your English ability and you have the chance to advance up in level in some or all of your classes.

12+ Weeks
(3 Terms)

US$1075 per term

(20% DISCOUNT)

• 17 Class Hours each week
• 10+ hours of Optional Activities
• 6 levels of English Instruction

Application Fee:

US$95

(ONE-TIME FEE)

Gain even deeper knowledge of English ability and American culture, as you move closer to fluency.

With PELA’s Semi-Intensive English program, you can enjoy English learning and cultural immersion during your stay in Portland, Oregon. You don't need a Student Visa to join our Semi-Intensive Program! Improve your English communication with real-world practice, and get the support you need to reach a higher level of English fluency in a short amount of time. You will master English speaking skills, English listening skills, English grammar, and English vocabulary and pronunciation in a program that is fun, effective, and affordable.

Quickly Improve Your English Skills
Gain Confidence Speaking English
Make Friends from Around the World

PELA's Semi-Intensive English program helps you build all aspects of your English

Some of your classes will focus on English speaking skills and English conversation skills used in everyday life in a well-rounded and supportive learning environment.

Other classes will help you improve your writing and grammar ability, focusing on sentence-level writing at the lower levels to multi-paragraph essays that would be appropriate in an academic or business setting at PELA's highest levels. You will also be taught vocabulary, parts of speech, and reading for speed and comprehension.

In PELA's English classes, you will have the opportunity to combine grammar, vocabulary, writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills to study a variety of real-world situations and topics, giving you the ability to use English fluently and confidently. We teach grammar and vocabulary in ways that make communicating in English easy and comfortable for the you.

Optional Weekly English-Learning Activities

Every week, PELA organizes out-of-class social activities for you, so you can experience life in Portland. What you can do will vary every month, but include such activities as happy hours or dinners with PELA teachers and staff, attending local culture, food, or art festivals, watching local sport events, or volunteering.

You can also participate in our daily conversation group, so you can improve your English in a relaxed environment, learn about Portland life and culture, and make new friends. In addition, in the afternoons you can meet with a PELA teacher to work on any English with which you need help.

Our Semi-Intensive English program is a great choice for you if you are coming to Portland, Oregon as a tourist--you will make new friends as you explore Portland and experience its culture and environment. So, if you cannot (or don't want to) get a Student Visa, this immersive, part-time English program is for you!

Benefits of the Semi-Intensive English Program

up to 27 hours per week

7 Hours of Focused English Skills Courses per week

  • Reading, Vocabulary & Pronunciation
  • Writing & Grammar
  • Listening & Speaking

10 Hours of English Communication Skills Courses per week

  • Integrated Skills
  • Grammar for Communication

10 Hours of English-Learning Activities per week

Additional Benefits:

  • Weekly Social Activities (optional)
  • 5 levels of English courses (from beginner to high-level ability)
  • Large classrooms with small class sizes
  • 4-week long programs
  • 12 start dates each year

Apply for PELA’s English Classes Online & Take Your English to the Next Level!

Submit Your Application

Fill out our quick and easy PELA application form on our website and we’ll reach out to guide you through all the next steps!

Start Learning Now

While PELA helps you through the application process, you can find out your English level, meet and study with teachers and students online, and get help with university placement.

Improve Your English!

We’ll welcome you to Portland and help you get settled. With our support, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your English starts to improve!

Students love to learn English at PELA

Juliana, Colombia
Juliana, Colombia
The strengths of PELA are many. All the time the TEACHERS in PELA are trying to help us to improve our English. Every day we are learning something new!
- Jipo, Taiwan
- Jipo, Taiwan
The Intensive English Program really fits my needs. The teachers are all passionate about teaching and I really had a great time in PELA. Grammar is normally a nightmare, but at PELA I felt that I made progress everyday!
Hyeon Jin, South Korea
Hyeon Jin, South Korea
Many interesting places are close to downtown PORTLAND, so I totally enjoyed this city. Also I liked Tri-Met maxes and buses; they were very convenient. The best thing I did was go to the summer music festival at the Oregon Zoo!
Barbara, Venezuela
Barbara, Venezuela

Thank you for all the support your school brought during my stay and study time in Portland! It was of great help to continue my MBA program in Costa Rica. I think you have some of the best TEACHERS I have ever had in my life.

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Semi-Intensive English Program Tuition & Application Fee

4 Weeks
(1 Term)

US$1345

(FULL PRICE)

• 17 Class Hours each week
• 10+ hours of Optional Activities
• 6 levels of English Instruction

Application Fee:

US$95

(ONE-TIME FEE)

Join PELA at any level of English ability, beginner to advanced, and start to improve you English skills quickly.

8 Weeks
(2 Terms)

US$1210 per term

(10% DISCOUNT)

• 17 Class Hours each week
• 10+ hours of Optional Activities
• 6 levels of English Instruction

Application Fee:

US$95

(ONE-TIME FEE)

Gain more confidence with your English ability and you have the chance to advance up in level in some or all of your classes.

12+ Weeks
(3 Terms)

US$1075 per term

(20% DISCOUNT)

• 17 Class Hours each week
• 10+ hours of Optional Activities
• 6 levels of English Instruction

Application Fee:

US$95

(ONE-TIME FEE)

Gain even deeper knowledge of English ability and American culture, as you move closer to fluency.

Semi-Intensive English Start Dates

Join PELA on any of the Start Dates listed below!
The terms with a " * " include a one-week holiday.

Term Start + End Dates Orientation Date
January 5, 2026 – January 30, 2026 January 5, 2026
February 2, 2026 – February 27, 2026 January 29, 2026
March 2, 2026 – April 3, 2026* February 26, 2026
April 6, 2026 – May 1, 2026 April 2, 2026
May 4, 2026 – May 29, 2026 April 30, 2026
June 1, 2026 – June 26, 2026 May 28, 2026
June 29, 2026 – July 31, 2026* June 25, 2026
August 3, 2026 – August 28, 2026 July 30, 2026
August 31, 2026 – September 25, 2026 August 27, 2026
September 28, 2026 – October 23, 2026 September 24, 2026
October 26, 2026 – November 20, 2026 October 22, 2026
November 23, 2026 – December 18, 2026 November 19, 2026
January 4, 2027 – January 29, 2027 January 4, 2027
February 1, 2027 – February 26, 2027 January 28, 2027
March 1, 2027 – April 2, 2027* February 25, 2027
April 5, 2027 – April 30, 2027 April 1, 2027
May 3, 2027 – May 28, 2027 April 29, 2027
June 1, 2027 – June 25, 2027 May 27, 2027
June 28, 2027 – July 30, 2027* June 24, 2027
August 2, 2027 – August 27, 2027 July 29, 2027
August 30, 2027 – September 24, 2027 August 26, 2027
September 27, 2027 – October 22, 2027 September 23, 2027
October 25, 2027 – November 19, 2027 October 21, 2027
November 22, 2027 – December 10, 2027 November 18, 2027

School Holiday Schedule

PELA will be closed on the following holidays and breaks.
PELA is closed on all National Holidays except Veterans Day.

Holiday / School Break No School Days
Winter Break 12/20/2025 - 01/04/2026
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 01/19/2026
Presidents' Day 02/16/2026
Spring Break 03/21/2026 - 03/29/2026
Memorial Day 05/25/2026
Independence Day 07/03/2026
Summer Break 07/18/2026 - 07/26/2026
Labor Day 09/07/2026
Indigenous Peoples' Day 10/12/2026
Thanksgiving Weekend 11/26/2026 - 11/27/2026
Winter Break 12/19/2026 - 01/03/2027
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 01/18/2027
Presidents' Day 02/15/2027
Spring Break 03/20/2027 - 03/28/2027
Memorial Day 05/31/2027
Independence Day 07/05/2027
Summer Break 07/17/2027 - 07/25/2027
Labor Day 09/01/2027
Indigenous Peoples' Day 10/11/2027
Thanksgiving Weekend 11/25/2027 - 11/26/2027
Winter Break 12/18/2027 - 01/03/2028

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the class schedule for the Semi-Intensive English program?

PELA’s Semi-Intensive English Program includes both English classes and optional activities.

*For the Semi-Intensive English Program, students drop the Writing/Grammar class. This will bring the total weekly classroom hours to under 18 hours, as required for students on visitor visas or visa waivers. The skills taught in this class will be covered in other classes.

What types of Visa can I have to enroll in the Semi-Intensive English program?

If you have a B1 visa, B2 visa, ESTA (visa waiver), or F2 visa, you are required to study part-time. So, if you have one of those kinds of visas, you must enroll in the Semi-Intensive English program.

If you have an L2 visa, Green Card, or U.S. passport, you can enroll in the Semi-Intensive English program or the Intensive English program!

What is PELA Tuition Refund Policy?

You can learn about PELA's tuition refund policy on our Program Tuition webpage. On that page, the Refund Policy is listed under the Tuition information. Our Application Fee is non-refundable.

Does PELA provide Health Insurance?

No, PELA does not provide health insurance to students. So, you will need to purchase health insurance on your own. You can find tips on how to purchase health insurance in the U.S. by viewing PELA's Health Insurance for Students" PDF. PELA strongly encourages you to have health insurance while you are living and studying in the U.S.

What will I learn in the Semi-Intensive English program?

PELA’s Semi-Intensive English Program will help you improve all of your English communication skills, including listening, speaking, writing, grammar, reading, vocabulary, pronunciation, and integrated skills.

What’s covered in our English speaking classes?

PELA’s Semi-Intensive English Program includes a Speaking & Listening course that will help you improve the speaking skills used in everyday life. At the lower levels, we focus on basic speaking skills needed for the classroom and beyond. At the higher levels, we prepare you to use your English speaking skills at university or at work. We also offer conversation groups and activities in Portland to give you an opportunity to practice speaking English in a real-world setting.

What’s covered in our English listening classes?

Our Speaking & Listening course also focuses on improving your English comprehension and listening skills. Additionally, PELA’s daily conversation groups are another great place to practice understanding and listening with your peers!

What are the optional English-Learning activities?

We offer many optional English-learning activities in addition to our optional classes, including conversation groups (10 hours per week), tutoring center (8 hours per week), and weekly social activities and outings around Portland.

What can you do in PELA's Daily Conversation Group?

Improve your English with free English conversation groups each week! The Portland English Language Academy offers our students free English conversation groups everyday of the week, held in our Student Lounge. During these Conversation Groups, students speak with local Americans and practice and improve their English in a relaxed environment. Students get to use their English, learn about Portland life and culture, and make new friends.

What can you do in PELA's Tutoring Center?

Four days a week, PELA’s teachers host a Tutoring Center, where you can get help with homework, test preparation, or general English questions. You can meet one-on-one or in a student group with a PELA teacher to work on any English with which you need help!

How can you do volunteer activities with PELA?

PELA can help you find volunteer activities around the Portland area, so you can use your English in the real world by participating in local activities such as festivals, sporting events, or charity work. Work side-by-side with Americans, experience Portland culture, and gain confidence speaking English with Americans outside of school!

What kind of school activities are offered each month?

Every week, PELA offers one or two school activities that students are join. Normally, once a week a PELA teacher or staff person will take students to a restaurant or food cart pod, where students can enjoy lunch and conversation out in the real world! Also, once or twice a month, PELA will organize an at-school or out-of-school activity, such as a holiday party, museum tour, city festival, or picnic at a Portland park.

Visit PELA on Instagram or Facebook to see photos of school activities which PELA students have enjoyed over the years!

More About PELA's Our Semi-Intensive English Program

About PELA:

No matter your current level of English, PELA offers well-rounded English language programs that will help you communicate in English more clearly and confidently. Studying at PELA, you will be constantly learning and improving your English skills, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Learning Process

PELA provides a more holistic approach to learning English with proven teaching methods, supportive teachers and staff, daily conversation groups, free tutoring, and fun activities. With all of these great opportunities to learn and practice your English skills, you will learn more quickly and easily than you could elsewhere.

Life In Portland, Oregon

PELA is centrally located in the beautiful and vibrant city of Portland, Oregon in the Pacific Northwest, a city where you can truly immerse yourself in English and make the most of your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study abroad!

Our Learning Facilities

PELA provides a supportive learning environment with comfortable facilities and well-equipped classrooms. We’re centrally located in the heart of Portland which makes it easy to get to and from your classes and explore the city, even if you don’t have a car. Our helpful teachers and staff will make sure that you have everything you need to learn English as quickly as possible, while having lots of fun in the process!

Are you ready to join?

Apply Now

Do you have questions?

Contact Us