The University was founded in 1970. It is located at an enviable crossroads of international business and life and its history hallmarked by seven sovereign flags. TAMIU is now home to four colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business Administration, College of Education and College of Nursing and Health Sciences and its Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing. TAMIU enrolls over 5000 students.

The University provides over 6000 students with a learning environment anchored by the highest quality programs built on a solid academic foundation in the arts and sciences.

Participants:

The International Language Institute (ILI) offers six intensive and semi-intensive levels of English as a Second Language.  Each course consists of 160 hours of class time and includes additional work in the multimedia lab.  The courses are given in either the intensive format (8 weeks) or the semi-intensive format (16 Weeks).  Students in an intensive track complete two levels each semester, while students in a semi-intensive track complete one level.  Students have the option of taking ESL for credit.  Students who register for a credit granting course must satisfy all university admissions' requirements. 

Beginning level - designed for individuals who have no knowledge or very limited proficiency in the language. Students will develop listening and speaking skills; they will practice introductory reading, basic writing skills, and study basic grammar structures.

Intermediate - designed for individuals who have limited or some proficiency in the language. Students will develop their listening skills and vocabulary; they will practice general academic reading, paragraph writing and short expository writing. Students will also study fundamental grammar.

Advanced – designed for individuals who need further preparation for academic or professional work.  Students will develop advanced listening and speaking skills, as well as advanced vocabulary; they will practice advanced general and collegiate reading and expository writing, and study advanced grammar.

Courses: 
ESL Conversation – Pronunciation. To enroll in this course students are required to have passed ESL Level 3, or get a level 4 score on the ILI placement test. The ESL conversation course is offered to students who want to improve their listening, speaking and pronunciation skills (accent reduction). Students develop fluency and accuracy in their oral skills while they actively participate in conversational topics. This course is offered in summer and consists of 48 contact hours.

TOEFL Preparation Course. To enroll in this course students are required to have passed ESL Level 3, or get a level 4 score on the ILI placement test. The TOEFL iBT evaluates the four core skills in English: speaking, writing, reading and listening. Students will practice these four skills in a TOEFL context so that they can have better results when they take the test.  Students will also learn about strategies to help them obtain better results. The course consists of 80 contact hours, and follows a very general approach. The main objective is that the students feel more confident when they take the TOEFL iBT.

Business English. To enroll in this course, students are required to have passed ESL Level 4, or get a level 5 score on the ILI placement test. The course will focus on listening, speaking, writing and reading in a business context which will be appropriate for the participants, especially those employed by multinational companies in and around Laredo. By the end of the course, participants are expected to function at a level of at least B2 of the Common European Framework. Writing assignments are expected to be completed as homework, as well as preparation for presentations and debates. The course consists of 48 contact hours and is normally offered each summer.  Evaluation of the course is based on self-assessment, peer evaluation and teacher evaluation at a level of B2 in the Common European Framework.   
        
Tuition
ESL Half Level 80 hours - $606
ESL Full Level 160 hours - $1,212
TOEFL iBT Preparation Course - $606
ESL Conversation - $240
ID Card - $10
Computer Access Fee - $18
Library Access Fee - $10