Free Placement Test
All new students complete a placement assessment so you start at the level that matches your current English ability — no guesswork.
Programs / English (ESL)
English language training designed for life and work in Canada
Six progressive CEFR-aligned levels — from first steps in English through near-native fluency. Build reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills with a structured, outcome-focused program.
6 CEFR levels (A1–C1)
In-person & online
Free placement test
Program Overview
How the ESL program works
Progressive Levels
Each level builds on the previous one. Clear outcomes at every stage mean you always know what you're working toward and when you're ready to advance.
All Four Skills
Every level integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing — the same four skills tested in official Canadian language assessments.
Small Class Sizes
Capped cohorts ensure every student gets attention from their instructor. Less waiting, more practising.
Six Levels
Find your starting point
All levels are CEFR-aligned. If you're unsure where you belong, our free placement test will identify the right fit.
A1
Level 1 — Foundation
For absolute beginners. Learn greetings, numbers, dates, and the language of everyday survival — building real confidence in English from your very first class.
- Introduce yourself and others
- Ask and answer basic questions
- Understand simple written signs and forms
- Handle basic transactions and directions
A2
Level 2 — Elementary
Expand your vocabulary and start holding simple conversations confidently. Navigate everyday situations — shopping, appointments, phone calls — in English.
- Describe routines, people, and places
- Read and write short messages and notes
- Handle common service interactions
- Follow simple instructions and announcements
B1
Level 3 — Pre-Intermediate
Move from survival English toward practical fluency. Handle most common real-life situations and begin expressing your opinions clearly.
- Discuss past experiences and future plans
- Understand the main points of clear speech
- Write structured paragraphs and emails
- Engage in conversations on familiar topics
B1+
Level 4 — Intermediate
Build consistent, confident communication for daily life, study, and entry-level work situations. Begin preparing for Canadian academic and professional contexts.
- Express opinions with supporting reasons
- Understand longer spoken and written texts
- Write multi-paragraph essays and reports
- Participate actively in group discussions
B2
Level 5 — Upper-Intermediate
Develop the academic and professional English skills needed for college entry, workplace advancement, and complex communication in Canadian settings.
- Read and analyse complex texts independently
- Write research-level academic writing
- Follow lectures, debates, and presentations
- Communicate fluently on a wide range of topics
C1
Level 6 — Advanced
Reach near-native fluency with the ability to communicate spontaneously, precisely, and effectively in complex academic and professional environments.
- Communicate with spontaneity and precision
- Understand implicit meaning and nuance
- Produce clear, well-structured complex writing
- Engage confidently in high-level professional settings
Specialty ESL Tracks
Learn English through what you love
Every ESL level at MCC comes with its own set of specialty tracks — crafted to match your current language ability. You keep the same core outcomes and practice them through something that excites you, from cooking and pop lyrics at the beginner levels to film critique and startup pitching at the top.
Level 01 · Foundation · A1
Absolute-beginner specialties
Single-word answers, short phrases, lots of doing. Vocabulary you can touch, taste, or point at.
ESL with Cooking
Learn action verbs, measurements, and ingredient names by actually making food with your class.
- Chop, stir, boil, taste — verbs through action
- Grocery lists and market vocabulary
- Simple recipe reading and follow-along
ESL with Pets & Zoo Days
Animal names, colors, and sizes come alive at Stanley Park, the aquarium, and around the neighborhood.
- Adjectives through animal descriptions
- Short “what is it?” dialogues
- Field trip journal with photos and captions
ESL with Pop Lyrics
Sing along to learn rhythm, stress, and the sounds English actually makes in real speech.
- Guided karaoke and pronunciation drills
- Fill-in-the-lyrics listening exercises
- Weekly song vocabulary journal
ESL with Vancouver Walks
Directions, transit, and landmarks practiced in the city itself — not from a textbook.
- Asking for and giving directions
- SkyTrain, bus, and map vocabulary
- Weekly neighborhood photo walk
Level 02 · Elementary · A2
Everyday-life specialties
Short, useful conversations for the situations you actually meet every day in a new city.
ESL with Coffee Culture
Order, small-talk, and work the counter in Vancouver's coffee scene. Barista basics, student-friendly.
- Ordering and modifying drinks
- Counter small talk and politeness
- Visit to a partner cafe with staff Q&A
ESL with Board Games
Rules, strategy, banter. Nothing forces clear communication faster than explaining a turn.
- Weekly game night with mixed groups
- Rule-reading and explanation practice
- Writing your own short game rules
ESL with Instagram Captions
Post a week of your life in English. Captions, hashtags, and short replies become your homework.
- Writing clear short captions
- Emoji, tone, and hashtag basics
- Class feed with peer feedback
ESL with Street Food
Food trucks, night markets, and menu hunting. Real vendors, real orders, real receipts.
- Menu reading and ordering out loud
- Asking about allergens and ingredients
- Food-truck review writing challenge
Level 03 · Pre-Intermediate · B1
Confidence-building specialties
You have the grammar — now stretch it into opinions, stories, and short performances.
ESL with Acting
Drama, improv, and scene work that pushes pronunciation, timing, and on-your-feet thinking.
- Scene study and script read-throughs
- Improv games for spontaneous fluency
- End-of-term showcase performance
ESL with Podcasting
Record a 5-minute episode on something you care about. Listening, scripting, and editing your own voice.
- Intro, segue, and outro scripting
- Interviewing a classmate on tape
- Cohort podcast published at term end
ESL with Skate & Surf Culture
Vancouver's board sports from the inside. Slang, sports commentary, and hype culture translated into clear English.
- Play-by-play commentary drills
- Interviewing athletes on video
- Written “session recap” articles
ESL with DIY & Making
Follow a YouTube tutorial, build the thing, then teach it back to the class in English.
- Tool names and safety vocabulary
- Step-by-step how-to writing
- Live demo “teach the room” final
Level 04 · Intermediate · B1+
Confident-English specialties
Production-level tracks. You can hold a natural conversation — now start making things people actually see or hear.
ESL with Filming
Pair language with MCC's Video & Content Creation direction. Script, shoot, voice, edit.
- Scripting, storyboarding, shot planning
- On-camera interviewing & voiceover
- Portfolio-ready short film capstone
ESL with Hospitality
Service industry English for Vancouver's hotels, cafes, and venues. Real guest interactions, professional register.
- Check-in, reservation, and phone English
- Menu, wine, and service vocabulary
- Mock service shift with instructor review
ESL with Stand-Up Comedy
Write 3 minutes. Perform it. Survive. Comedy is a brutal teacher of rhythm, timing, and pronunciation.
- Joke structure and punchline writing
- Stage timing and audience work
- Open-mic night at a partner venue
ESL with True Crime
Follow a real case week by week. Long-form listening, note-taking, and structured discussion.
- Narrative listening and summarizing
- Legal and investigative vocabulary
- Group “cold case” presentation
Level 05 · Upper-Intermediate · B2
Professional-readiness specialties
Audience-facing, high-pressure English. You're persuading, interviewing, or performing live in front of people.
ESL with Esports
Language through gaming culture. Commentary, recaps, team comms, community management.
- Live-cast commentary practice
- Match recap and social post writing
- Capstone stream or tournament video
ESL with Journalism
Report on campus and city stories. Interview, write, edit — get published in the cohort newsletter.
- Interview technique and transcription
- Lede, nut graf, and headline writing
- Weekly newsroom-style edits
ESL with Startup Pitching
Invent a product. Build the deck. Pitch it in 3 minutes to a panel. Real business English under real pressure.
- Problem, solution, market, ask structure
- Slide and deck language
- Demo-day pitch in front of guest judges
ESL with Climate Debate
Sustainability, policy, and the arguments around them. Structured debate in a room with mixed opinions.
- Opinion, evidence, rebuttal frameworks
- Reading scientific summaries
- Formal in-class debate tournament
Level 06 · Advanced · C1
Diploma-bridge specialties
Capstone tracks that mirror how you'll use English inside MCC's diploma programs and the career right after.
ESL with Legal English
Contracts, tenancy, immigration, and workplace rights — the high-stakes English you need as a new resident.
- Reading a contract and flagging risk
- Immigration and tenancy vocabulary
- Mock interview with an immigration officer
ESL with Academic Research
Thesis statements, sources, citations, and the formal register of college-level writing.
- Source evaluation and APA/MLA basics
- Structuring a 2000-word essay
- Peer review and defense session
ESL with Film Critique
Read screenplays, watch deliberately, write reviews that could live on a real publication.
- Screenplay reading and analysis
- Review structure and critical vocabulary
- Reviews published to cohort blog
ESL with Executive Leadership
Boardroom English — negotiation, difficult conversations, performance reviews, and the language of running a team.
- Negotiation scripts and role-plays
- Feedback and review conversations
- Capstone boardroom simulation
Not sure which level is yours?
All new ESL students complete a short placement so we can start you in the right class — and the right specialty track — on day one.
Program Details
What to expect
Flexible Schedule
Full-time and part-time options available. Classes run in morning, afternoon, and evening sessions to fit different schedules.
Online & In-Person
Study from anywhere with online delivery, or join us in-person in Vancouver. Both options use the same curriculum and instructors.
Qualified Instructors
All ESL instructors hold recognized teaching qualifications and bring real-world experience to every class.
Student Voices
Real journeys, real English
From first words to near-native fluency — hear how international students moved through the ESL program and what stuck with them.
I landed in Vancouver with maybe fifty English words. Level 1 with the Cooking specialty was perfect because I was learning verbs by actually chopping vegetables with my classmates. By the end of Level 2 I was working part-time at a café, taking orders in English — something I genuinely did not think was possible in six months.
Yuki Nakamura
My English was stuck at textbook level — correct but slow and stiff. The Podcasting specialty in Level 3 changed everything. Recording a five-minute episode every week, hearing my own voice, editing my own ums and pauses… that is the kind of practice no textbook gave me. I actually sound like myself in English now.
Fatima Al-Hassan
I chose Level 4 with the Filming track because I knew I wanted to jump into the Video & Content Creation diploma afterward. Writing scripts, directing classmates, voicing my own short film — every assignment pushed my English into a real production context. It made the transition to the diploma program seamless.
Diego Morales
My goal was university admission, so Level 6 with Academic Research was exactly what I needed. Writing a proper 2,000-word essay with sources and APA citations was intimidating at first, but the peer-review sessions made the standard feel normal. I got into my program with the writing sample I produced in that class.
Aisha Rahman
I started at Level 1 unable to introduce myself in English. The Foundation track was patient with me - no embarrassment when I mixed up "is" and "are" for the tenth time. The teachers separated the fast learners from the slow learners gently, so I never felt left behind. I am now in Level 3 and writing proper paragraphs.
Hassan Ali
Italian and English share a lot of vocabulary, so Level 1 felt easy at first - until grammar hit. The Level 2 specialty in everyday Vancouver life pulled me back into the deep end. By the end of that term I could navigate SkyTrain, banks, and even an apartment lease without anyone helping me translate. That is a kind of freedom you cannot buy.
Lucia Romano
I had English for ten years in Chinese schools but had never really spoken it in conversation. Level 3 conversation practice was what I needed - the teacher pushed me to answer in full sentences, not single words. The first time I told a joke in English and the class actually laughed, something clicked permanently.
Wei Chen
Brazilian Portuguese and English are not as close as people assume. Level 4 with the Filming specialty was the bridge - having to write scripts and direct fellow students forced me into rapid English problem-solving. I now produce content for two Vancouver brands in English, and editing my own English voiceover is normal now.
Tomás Silva
My English was good on paper but I struggled with idioms and casual register. Level 5 with the Professional Communication specialty was where I learned how Canadians actually email, run meetings, and disagree politely. I started a marketing role two months after Level 5 and my manager said my emails were better than most native speakers.
Anjali Mehta
I needed Level 6 to bridge into a Canadian Master's program. The Academic Research track was rigorous - proper literature reviews, citation discipline, defending arguments in seminars. My eventual graduate-school application included writing samples produced in this class. Two universities asked me about them in interviews.
Selin Demir
I am a chef from Lima, and I came to MCC because the kitchen English I knew was not enough to lead a team in Vancouver. Level 3 with the Hospitality specialty drilled the exact vocabulary I needed - brigade calls, allergen protocols, guest communication. I now run the line at a downtown bistro and lead briefings in English every shift.
Mateo Vargas
Take the Next Step
Start with a free placement test
Not sure which level is right for you? Our free placement assessment takes about 45 minutes and places you at exactly the right starting point.