Free English Classes for Immigrants: Adult ESL, Libraries and Online Courses

Free English classes for immigrants are offered across the country. They are run by federally funded adult education programs, community colleges, public libraries and city agencies, and federally funded programs accept adults and out-of-school youth from age 16. Below: where to look, how the placement test works, and which free online course to use while you wait for a class.

Where to find free English classes

Free classes go by two names: ESL (English as a Second Language) and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). If a listing uses either, it is the right kind of class.

Checked on October 28, 2026 on the program sites and usa.gov.

The federal USAGov page on learning English gives three tips. Search for literacy and ESL programs near you. If you have children, ask their school staff about ESL classes in your school district. Check your local library, since in some communities libraries offer classes and study materials.

Federally funded adult education

Most free classes are paid for under WIOA, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, signed on July 22, 2014. The Department of Labor's WIOA page says adult education under Title II is run by the Education Department's Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE).

That part of the law is the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA). According to the Education Department's state grants page, the money goes to a state agency, which then funds local providers. Services it pays for include English language acquisition, integrated English literacy and civics education, workplace literacy and family literacy.

Participation is open to adults and out-of-school youths age 16 and older. Individual programs can add their own rules, such as state residency or a minimum age of 18. Chicago, below, is an example.

How to find a class near you

Start with the National Literacy Directory (nld.org), which usa.gov links to. Its home page lists 11,443 literacy centers nationwide. You pick a goal such as "Learn English" or "Become a U.S. citizen" and a radius of 5 to 25 miles. A person answers at 1-877-389-6874 if the site is hard to use.

Other places to check:

1. Your school district's site, under "Adult Education" or "Adult School."
2. The nearest community college, usually in its noncredit program.
3. Your public library. USAGov points to the CareerOneStop library finder from the Department of Labor.

If you are stuck, the USAGov contact center at 1-844-872-4681 answers government questions for free.

New York: We Speak NYC conversation classes

We Speak NYC is the English program of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. Its site describes free weekly English conversation classes for beginner and intermediate learners, held online or in person around the city. It also offers free videos and lesson materials you can use online or download.

The class schedule lists sites by borough, most of them New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library branches, including Bay Ridge and Coney Island in Brooklyn. Each class lists its dates and a contact phone. Brooklyn and Queens classes mostly say no registration is required, while many Manhattan classes require advance registration, so check the Contact field for your class. More about the Russian-speaking city is in our New York city guide.

Chicago: free ESL at City Colleges

City Colleges of Chicago offers free ESL for every level, beginner to advanced, at the Adult Education offices of Daley, Kennedy-King, Malcolm X, Truman, Olive-Harvey and Wright colleges. Classes are in person, online or hybrid.

Checked on October 28, 2026 on ccc.edu.

You can apply online or at your college's Adult Education office. See our Chicago city guide for the rest of the city.

Los Angeles: LAUSD adult school ESL

In Los Angeles, the LAUSD Division of Adult and Career Education runs tuition-free ESL in six levels, beginning through advanced, in person and online. Classes are free, though you will want to buy books, not necessarily on the day you enroll.

The district says no residence documents are required. To enroll, go to a school near you and plan one to two hours with a counselor who finds your level. Classes run about 12 to 13 weeks and you can start almost any time. Tuition-free citizenship classes are offered too. More in our Los Angeles city guide.

The placement test

Most programs test you before the first class. In Chicago it is CASAS STEPS or CASAS GOALS. The test places you in a group at your level, from people learning the alphabet to people who read the news and want to speak more freely.

Do not guess to land in a higher group. If you cannot follow half the lesson, you lose months. Start a step lower and ask the teacher when you can move up. English matters a great deal for work; our guide to finding a job in the US covers the rest.

Free online course: USA Learns

If you cannot get to a class, use USA Learns (usalearns.org), a free site from the Sacramento County Office of Education that usa.gov recommends. It works on phones, tablets and computers; you start by registering with the Start Now button.

• Three English courses: 1st English Course, English 1 Plus and 2nd English Course, plus Practice English & Reading.
• Access America, about daily life in the US, with vocabulary and grammar practice.
• USA Learns Citizenship, for the naturalization interview.
• Skills for the Nursing Assistant, English for healthcare jobs.

The courses cover speaking, listening, vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, writing and grammar. The site is in English and Spanish only, so a true beginner may find an in-person class easier.

English for citizenship: what USCIS tests

Naturalization on Form N-400 requires basic English. The USCIS study for the test page sets it out:

Checked on October 28, 2026 on uscis.gov.

The USCIS exceptions page exempts from the English test applicants who are 50 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident (50/20), or 55 or older with 15 years (55/15). They still take the civics test. Applicants 65 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident get special consideration on civics. A disability exception is requested on Form N-648, completed by a licensed medical or osteopathic doctor or a licensed clinical psychologist.

Our N-400 and civics test guide has the full process. A good first step today: download the official Writing Test Vocabulary List from uscis.gov and learn 10 words a day.

Questions people ask

Do I need a green card to attend a free ESL class?

The federal adult education program under WIOA serves adults and out-of-school youths age 16 and older, and the Education Department page names no other condition. Each program can set its own rules, though. City Colleges of Chicago, for example, requires Illinois residency and does not accept students on F-1, F-2, J-1 or J-2 visas.

Can I learn English online for free?

Yes. USA Learns, which the federal usa.gov site links to, is free and works on phones, tablets and computers. It has English courses starting at the beginner level, a course on life in the US and a course for the naturalization interview. The site is in English and Spanish, with no Russian version.

Who is exempt from the English test for citizenship?

Under USCIS rules, applicants who are 50 or older and have been permanent residents for 20 years, or 55 or older with 15 years, do not take the English test when filing Form N-400. They still take the civics test. People with a qualifying disability can request an exception on Form N-648.

What if there is no college or adult school near me?

Search the National Literacy Directory with the goal "Learn English" and a radius of 5 to 25 miles, or call 1-877-389-6874 to talk to a person. Ask at your local library and at your children's school about ESL classes. In the meantime, study with the free USA Learns course online.