English as a New Language

Add English as a New Language (ENL) onto your teaching license

Our English as a New Language (ENL) license addition program prepares both PreK-12th grade pre-service and in-service teachers to deepen their understanding of students' cultural and linguistic diversity and adeptly build on students’ strengths.

Coursework emphasizes theory and practice as teachers learn and apply pedagogical strategies and tools to support learners’ English language development, academic success, and well-being.

Our ENL certification program is designed to meet the Indiana Department of Education’s Content Standards for Educators, English Learners (EL), and is also aligned with the national Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) standards.

Our ENL certification program is nationally recognized and CAEP accredited! The licensure addition in ENL will be applied to the grade level of your initial teaching license.

Prospective Student Information

We value our prospective students!

We now offer an English as New Language (ENL) (Licensure Only).

We now offer a Language Education Master’s Degree + Licensure English as a New Language (ENL) MSED.

Learn how to apply

ENL licensure for Undergraduates

A pre-service teacher may add ENL onto their license after completing 15 credit hours of ENL coursework, 8 weeks of ENL student teaching, and passing the English Learner Praxis exam, required by the state of Indiana.

You will take a series of five classes (15 credit hours) in sequential order and complete a specialized student teaching assignment. Classes are offered one night a week in the fall and spring and are available at variable times in the summer.

You may begin taking ENL classes in either the fall or spring semester. Click the link to the Advising Sheet below to see the fall start (page 1) or the spring start (page 2).

Speak to an advisor
Undergraduate ENL Certification Advising Sheet

ENL licensure for Graduate Students

An in-service teacher may add ENL onto their license after completing 21 credit hours of ENL coursework (3 credits of practicum work embedded) and passing the English Learner Praxis exam, required by the state of IN.

You will take a series of seven classes in sequential order. Classes are offered online, in the evenings, using both synchronous and asynchronous instruction.

Speak to an advisor
Graduate ENL (Licensure only) Advising Sheet

IU Online Graduate Certificate for Teaching English Learners

NEW in Summer 2025!

IU Online is launching a 100% online asynchronous (no Zoom meetings or set class time) nationally accredited ENL program called, Graduate Certification in Teaching English Learners (GC TEL)! This is an 18-credit program using a cohort admission model, so you can learn with the same colleagues, taking one course each semester, for 5 semesters. The nationally accredited GC TEL program was created by and will be taught by full-time IU ENL faculty from various IU campuses. Our program honors your learning and your success. Over the past 5 years, graduates from our ENL programs have at least a 87.5% pass rate on the Indiana Praxis English Learners exam!

If you are interested in applying for the first cohort, beginning June 2025, or future cohorts, please email our Advising Team at iuograd@iu.edu or call 833-930-2092, and we can help you get started!

More information here