Summer and Fall 2024 CLIP courses will be offered in-person or hybrid (hybrid is a combination of in-person and online). Learn more about enrolling in CLIP.

The CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) is an intensive, pre-matriculation English as a Second Language (ESL) program for incoming students who have been accepted to CUNY but need to improve their academic English skills before taking college courses.  CLIP students pause (or defer) their CUNY acceptance or matriculation and can spend up to one year in the program before enrolling in college courses.

CLIP is a low-cost program where students pay a small fee to enroll in a 14 to 16-week course (see CLIP enrollment information, calendar and fees for the upcoming session).  Students do not use financial aid while in CLIP and instead, save financial aid for subsequent college coursework. Students may need to purchase books for their CLIP courses, but the costs are typically low.  Students learn English through studying topics they will study in courses for their General Education Requirements, including American history, sociology, literature, and science (see sample course descriptions).

CLIP is offered at nine (9) different CUNY colleges.  Courses meet five hours a day, five days a week, in day or evening sessions, and are offered in-person, online, or hybrid (hybrid is a combination of in-person and online).

Over the years, CLIP has enrolled thousands of students at its nine (9) college locations and served as a bridge for hundreds of English language learners entry to CUNY (see CLIP Enrollment and Postsecondary Data Trends).  Typically, more than half of CLIP students are working adults, and more than two thirds are women.