English classes and ESL programs in Los Angeles

Compare in-person English classes in Los Angeles by neighborhood and program type. See free community college ESL in East Hollywood, intensive English at USC in University Park, schools and free classes along the Wilshire corridor, LAUSD adult ESL in Venice and Downtown, and beginner classes at the public library.

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English classes and ESL programs in Los Angeles 2026

Each program is listed separately with its address, schedule, who can join and how to enroll. Public programs show their registration steps; private and university programs show course length and published fees. Google ratings appear where the program has its own listing.

Top pick

Evans Community Adult School – Main Campus

Downtown (Chinatown)

717 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Adults · literacy to advanced (levels R-6), morning, evening and Saturday classes

Tuition-free (LAUSD adult ESL)

Pros

Tuition-free LAUSD English classes from literacy (level R) to advanced (level 6).
Classes in the morning, Monday to Thursday evenings (6-8 p.m.) and on Saturdays (8 a.m.-12:15 p.m.).
Extra conversation, writing and citizenship classes, plus an accelerated program for levels 2-3.

Limitations

Registration is in person only, at the office during school days.
17 of 429 Google reviews are 1-2 stars (about 4%); the reviews cover the whole adult school.

9.4

Positive (4-5★): 400
Neutral (3★): 12
Negative (1-2★): 17

FreePublicAdult ESLEveningWeekend

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No. 2

Venice Skills Center – Learn English

Venice

611 5th Ave, Venice, CA 90291

Adults · beginning to advanced (levels 1-6), plus pronunciation and conversation classes

Tuition-free (LAUSD adult ESL)

Pros

Tuition-free LAUSD "Learn English" program with six levels.
Drop-in registration with no appointment, Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings.
Separate pronunciation, conversation and vocabulary classes.

Limitations

Classes fill quickly and class times are not published online.
Only 48 Google reviews, and they cover the whole skills center.

9.3

Positive (4-5★): 44
Neutral (3★): 0
Negative (1-2★): 4

FreePublicAdult ESLConversation

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No. 3

Language Systems – Downtown Los Angeles

Koreatown (Wilshire Center)

3333 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 720, 7th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010

Adults and international students · 7 ESL levels, morning, afternoon or evening sessions

ESL from $183 per week (morning tuition, 24-week enrollment, materials included)

Pros

Morning, afternoon or evening sessions, Monday to Thursday, 18 hours a week.
Published weekly price from $183 with materials included.
On Wilshire Boulevard in Koreatown, with seven ESL levels and TOEFL, TOEIC and business English.

Limitations

The $183 rate is for a 24-week morning enrollment; final tuition depends on campus and length.
17 of 189 Google reviews are 1-star (about 9%).

9.1

Positive (4-5★): 170
Neutral (3★): 2
Negative (1-2★): 17

IntensiveEveningExam prepInternational students

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No. 4

Positively Languages – Los Angeles Westwood

Westwood

1100 Glendon Ave, Suite L1, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Students and adults aged 16+ · intensive and semi-intensive courses

Price on request

Pros

Intensive (35 lessons a week) or semi-intensive (27 lessons) courses in Westwood, near UCLA.
Business and communication certificates in the intensive format.
Open from age 16, with fixed start dates such as 4 January and 29 March 2027.

Limitations

Prices are only shown through an online quote tool.
38 of 299 Google reviews are 1-2 stars (about 13%).

8.8

Positive (4-5★): 258
Neutral (3★): 3
Negative (1-2★): 38

IntensiveInternational studentsBusiness English

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No. 5

USC Intensive English Program

University Park (USC)

Davidson Conference Center, 3415 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Students and professionals aged 17+ · F-1 full-time, beginning to high advanced

Academic Semester (14 weeks, 2027): $6,500 program fee + $750 service fee + $1,050 health insurance

Pros

University intensive English on the USC campus, six levels from beginning to high advanced.
No minimum English level required to apply.
Fees are published: $6,500 per 14-week semester, plus 7-week summer sessions.

Limitations

Full-time study needs an F-1 visa; other visa holders can only join part-time.
Only 12 Google reviews; extra fees ($195 application, health insurance) add to the cost.

8.5

Positive (4-5★): 10
Neutral (3★): 0
Negative (1-2★): 2

UniversityIntensiveAcademicF-1

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No. 6

LACC Noncredit ESL

East Hollywood

Chemistry Bldg., Room 107, 855 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Adults living in California · Monday to Saturday, morning, afternoon or evening

Free (no course or book fees)

Pros

Free community college ESL with no course or book fees.
Classes six days a week, Monday to Saturday, morning, afternoon and evening.
Vocational ESL for healthcare, hospitality and entrepreneurship certificates.

Limitations

Only open to California residents; you apply online, then verify your ID in person.
No Google reviews for the ESL program itself.

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Score
under review

FreeCommunity collegeNoncreditEveningWeekend

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No. 7

Evans ESL at Charles White Elementary

Westlake (Wilshire Blvd)

Charles White Elementary School, 2401 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Adults · beginning to intermediate (levels 1-3), Monday to Wednesday mornings

Tuition-free (LAUSD adult ESL)

Pros

Tuition-free English classes on Wilshire Boulevard near MacArthur Park.
Morning classes Monday to Wednesday, 8:30-11:10 a.m.
Run by Evans Community Adult School, with the same levels and registration.

Limitations

Levels 1-3 only, with no evening classes at this site.
No Google reviews for this class site.

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Score
under review

FreePublicAdult ESLBeginner

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No. 8

LAPL Beginner English – Chinatown Branch

Chinatown

Chinatown Branch Library, 639 N Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Complete beginners who speak little to no English · Monday and Wednesday afternoons

Price on request

Pros

Beginner English for people who speak little to no English.
Monday and Wednesday 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the fall 2026 term (Oct 14-Dec 21).
Sign up at the library or by phone; staff call back within 2 working days.

Limitations

Beginner level only, in fixed 10-week terms.
Only two in-person library sites (Chinatown and Wilmington) this term.

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Score
under review

LibraryPublicBeginner

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Map of English classes in Los Angeles

Find the classes in East Hollywood, University Park, along Wilshire Boulevard, in Downtown and Chinatown, in Westwood and in Venice, and compare how far they are from home or work.

East Hollywood University Park Wilshire corridor Venice Downtown Westwood

District links are general map searches and do not point to a specific school.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I take in-person ESL classes in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles City College runs free noncredit ESL in East Hollywood, and LAUSD’s Evans Community Adult School teaches at 717 N Figueroa St and at Charles White Elementary on Wilshire Boulevard. Venice Skills Center serves the Westside. For intensive English, Language Systems is at 3333 Wilshire Blvd, USC International Academy is in University Park and Positively Languages is in Westwood.

Which public programs offer beginner English classes?

LAUSD adult schools such as Evans and Venice Skills Center offer tuition-free classes from the first level, with in-person registration and no appointment. LACC’s noncredit ESL is free for California residents. The Los Angeles Public Library runs classes for complete beginners at the Chinatown Branch on Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:30-6:30 p.m.; sign up at the library or call (213) 228-7154.

What is the difference between noncredit ESL and intensive English in Los Angeles?

Noncredit ESL at community colleges and LAUSD adult schools is free, part-time and aimed at residents: classes run a few hours a day, mornings, evenings or Saturdays. Intensive English programs such as USC, Language Systems or Positively Languages are paid, full-time courses for F-1 students and visitors, for example 18 hours a week from $183 at Language Systems or $6,500 for a 14-week semester at USC.

How do we rank the schools?

Proposed criteria: teaching model 25%, program transparency 20%, quality and recency of reviews 20%, location and access 15%, clear prices and enrollment terms 10%, flexibility 10%. Programs without their own Google listing are shown last. The final order is set after editorial review.

Last updated: pending. The Google rating is shown separately from the editorial score, and schools with a commercial agreement are labelled "Ad" on their card.

Prefer to learn from home? Compare English learning apps as well.