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York University English Language Institute: YUELI
If your English language skills are not yet at the level needed to study at York University, in other words, if your IELTS score does not meet an overall 6.5 with no band below 6.0, you should come to study at YUELI to fulfill the English language requirement.
There four types of programs at YUELI
- Academic Program (AP)
- Pre-Destination York (PDY)
- Destination York (DY)
- YUBridge


Now, let’s look at each program and figure out which one you should register in.
Academic Program
Program Overview
AP1 – AP9, 9 levels in total* (Your level upon entry depends on your IELTS score or the result of the placement test on the first day of class if you do not have an IELTS score).
*Eligible for study permit application*
Program length: 8 weeks (per level)
Application fees: CAD$200
Tuition fees: CAD$3,560.00 (per level)
Class size: about 16 students
Classroom hour/week: 20 hours
Start date: January, March, May, July, September and November
Admission requirements:
- At least 18 years old (If you are under 18, you still may be admitted. Please contact us to confirm your eligibility).
- A conditional offer of York University is not required.
- IELTS or other English Language Proficiency tests are not required.
You should consider applying for the Academic Program if you:
- Never took any English tests before, such as IELTS and TOEFL.
- Failed in IELTS or TOEFL test. Even an overall IELTS score of 2.5 or 3.0 is accepted.
- Do not have a conditional offer of York University but still wish to study at YorkU. You get a chance to apply to YorkU through an internal channel at YUELI once level 6 is completed.
Note:
- If you are admitted by the Academic Program, you will not know which level you are starting with until you finish the placement test on the first day of the program.
- This is an English language program purely designed for students who do not meet English proficiency requirements, which means that you are unable to transfer any course credit you completed at AP to the future program at York University. That is to say, if you get accepted into York University thereafter, you still need to complete 120 credits for the 4-year honour bachelor’s degree.
Pre-Destination York
Program Overview
*Eligible for study permit application*
Program length: 8 weeks
Application fees: CAD$100
Tuition fee: CAD$4,095
Class size: around 17 students
Classroom hour/week: 20 hours
Start date: January, May, September
Admission requirements:
- Have applied to York University (no offer yet) OR
- Have already received the conditional offer of YorkU
- IELTS 5.5 or AP level 6 completion or equivalent
You should consider applying for Pre-Destination York if you:
- You have already got accepted by York University with a conditional offer AND
- Your IELTS is 5.5 or equivalent
Note:
- You can begin in Academic Program at any level and transfer into Pre-Destination York after the successful completion of AP6.
- If you do not have a conditional offer from YorkU, your admissions to PDY at YUELI will be hold.
- If your IELTS is below 5.5, you should apply to the Academic Program or YUBridge that we will explain later.
- If Your IELTS is 6.0, you should apply to Destination York, which is an accelerated pathway program that we will talk about late.
- This is an English language program purely designed for students who do not meet English proficiency requirements, which means that you are unable to transfer any course credit you completed at PDY to the future program at York University. That is to say, if you get accepted into York University thereafter, you still need to complete 120 credits for the 4-year honours bachelor’s degree.
Destination York
Program overview
*Eligible for study permit application*
Program length: 8 weeks
Application fees: CAD$100
Tuition fees: CAD$9,195
Class size: About 17 students
Classroom hours/week: 30 hours
Start date: March, July, and November. 3 start times per year timed to finish just prior to the start of the undergraduate program.
Admission Requirements:
- Have submitted the application to York University (no offer yet) OR
- Have already received the conditional offer of YorkU
- IELTS 6.0 or Pre-Destination York completion or AP level 7 completion or equivalent
You should consider applying for Destination York if you:
- You have already got accepted by York University with a conditional offer AND
- Your IELTS is 6.0 or PDY completion or equivalent
Note:
- You can begin in Academic Program at any level and transfer into Destination York after the successful completion of AP7.
- If you do not have a conditional offer from YorkU, your admissions to DY at YUELI will be hold.
- This is an English language program purely designed for students who do not meet English proficiency requirement, which means that you are unable to transfer any course credit you completed at DY to the future program at York University. That is to say, if you get accepted into York University thereafter, you still need to complete 120 credits for the 4-year honours bachelor’s degree.
YUBridge
Program Overview
Program length:
- IELTS 5.0: 8 months (Term 1 and 2)
- IELTS 6.0: 4 months (Term 2)
Application fees: CAD$100
Tuition fees:
- Term 1 and 2: CAD$24,545
- Term 2 only: CAD$12,272
Class size: About 17 students
Classroom hours/week: 25 hours
Start times: September, January, and May
Features:
- Up to 3 for-credit courses over the 2 terms
- Access to the same academic and non-academic services as fully admitted York students
Admission Requirements:
Term 1 and 2 (8 months)
- 80% GPA or equivalent from high school
- IELTS: 5.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.0 in Writing OR
- Successful completion of AP level 5 OR
- Equivalent score on YUELI placement test
Term 2 only (4 months)
- 80% GPA or equivalent from high school
- IELTS: 6.0 OR
- Successful completion of AP level 7 OR
- Equivalent score on YUELI placement test
You should consider applying for YUBridge if you:
- You have already got accepted by York University with a conditional offer AND
- Your IELTS overall is 5.0 with a minimum of 5.0 in Writing
- You want to take for-credit courses amid studying English. For example, if you take 3 for-credit courses in YUBridge, which account for 9 credits, you only need to complete 111 credits for the 4-year honours bachelor’s degree at York University.
Note:
- The biggest difference between YUBridge and other programs at YUELI is that YUBridge students are able to take up to 3 for-credit courses over the two terms.
- The program fee already covers the for-credit courses.