Free English classes for adults

The order is almost the same everywhere; intake dates and papers differ.

1. Decide how much time you have

   Full-time weekday classes give the fastest progress: Riverside's six-week cycle has 150 hours of instruction. Evening and Saturday courses at libraries and colleges fit more easily around work. A weekly conversation class helps you speak but doesn't replace a full course.

2. Gather your papers

   Almost every program asks for a photo ID and proof that you live in New York City: a lease, a utility bill, a bank statement or a letter with your name. Riverside also asks for proof of status: an EAD (work permit), a copy of your asylum application, an I-94 (entry record) or a passport. NYC Public Schools Adult Education asks for neither an SSN nor documents for English classes.

3. Sign up for the next intake

   For Riverside, first create a New York State ID (Riverside's site has instructions in Russian), then register with the state's Virtual Career Center and send the application, which you can fill in in Russian. At Brooklyn Public Library, sign up for the next registration session (September, December or March) and wait for the email with a form one to two weeks before. At New York Public Library, go to an information session. CUNY colleges register all year, but contact the program first.

4. Take the placement test

   Riverside tests your level before you start and after six weeks; Brooklyn and New York Public Library test you before placing you in a class. The test only puts you in the right group; you don't need to study for it.

5. Attend, and ask about the next level

   At Riverside you may move up a level after each six weeks, but not automatically: it depends on your English and your teacher's assessment. New York Public Library expects you to attend for at least six months.

6. No seat? Don't just wait

   An application to Riverside doesn't guarantee a seat. If you hear nothing within a week, email info@riversideimmigrantservices.org. Meanwhile, go to a We Speak NYC or library conversation class, where you can often just walk in.

Full-day or long-day classes that also help with work and further study.

• Andrew Romay New Immigrant Center (ARNIC)

  Asylum applicantsGranted asylumWith a work permit (EAD)Green cardFree

  Free program for recently arrived immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees whose English is intermediate or better. English classes come with one-to-one conversation practice, an introduction to American culture and help with building a career here. In Manhattan and online. A good fit if you worked in a profession at home and want to get back to it.

  esuus.org

• Riverside Immigrant Services & Empowerment

  Asylum applicantsWith a work permit (EAD)Granted asylumGreen cardNYC residentsFree

  Free full-day English: six weeks, Monday to Friday 9 am to 3 pm, about 20 to 24 people per class, from beginner level up. Open to New York City residents 18 and older who have applied for asylum or permanent residence, and to refugees, asylees and green-card holders of less than five years. You need proof of status (an EAD, a copy of your asylum application, an I-94, a passport or a green card), a photo ID, proof of address and a New York State Virtual Career Center registration. Evening job-readiness and computer workshops; staff refer people for housing, legal aid, health insurance and child care. The next application round opens November 4, 2026; the form is available in Russian.

  riversideimmigrantservices.org520 Eighth Avenue, Suite 2005, New York, NY 10018classes Mon–Fri 9 am–3 pm

• Workers United and the Consortium for Worker Education

  Any statusFree

  Free English classes, GED exam preparation in English and Spanish, and computer classes, on Zoom or in person in Manhattan. Anyone who lives or works in New York City can sign up through the Sign Up Here! form at the bottom of the web page; questions to info@cwe.org.

  cwe.org83 Maiden Lane, 12th floor, New York, NY

• We Speak NYC

  Any statusFree

  Free conversation classes for beginner and intermediate learners from the City's Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA): once a week, online or in person, often in libraries; many need no registration. The fall 2026 list is on the website; search by zip code.

  wespeaknyc.cityofnewyork.us

• NYC Public Schools Adult Education

  Any statusNYC residentsFree

  The City's school system offers adults free English (ESOL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), High School Equivalency (HSE) preparation and Career and Technical Education (CTE). Open to New York City residents 21 and older without a U.S. high school diploma; a foreign diploma doesn't matter. No documents are needed for English, ABE and HSE classes; CTE classes may ask for an SSN or other documents to verify identity. Classes meet mornings, afternoons and evenings, Monday to Saturday, at more than 175 sites in all five boroughs, and you can join any site wherever you live. Some classes charge for textbooks, exams or uniforms. Questions: adultednyc@schools.nyc.gov.

  schools.nyc.govMon–Sat, morning, afternoon and evening

• DYCD Adult Literacy Program

  NYC residentsFree

  The City pays for free English at many community organizations for New York City residents 16 and older with low incomes who are not in school. Find a current provider through DiscoverDYCD, the City’s program search linked from this page.

  nyc.gov

• New York State Office for New Americans: ESOL classes

  Any statusFree

  The State lists free English providers for immigrants across New York City, all levels. Useful when you want classes close to home at an organization that also helps immigrants.

  dos.ny.gov

Free classes at nonprofits, often with other help in the same place: work, documents, a case manager. Groups and schedules change every term, so check the program’s page before you go. Listed Manhattan first, then Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

• International Rescue Committee (IRC), New York

  Any statusFree

  Adult English (ESOL) and computer classes alongside the IRC’s other help for newcomers. To ask about the next class, write to adultenglishclasses@ircny.org.

  rescue.org

• University Settlement

  Any statusFree

  Free English at several levels on a school-year schedule, with day, evening and weekend groups, in Manhattan.

  universitysettlement.org

• Community Impact at Columbia University

  NYC residentsFree

  Free English in six levels, day or evening, for adult New York City residents. The classes lead on to job training, work and college.

  communityimpact.columbia.edu

• The International Center (Catholic Charities)

  Any statusFree

  English for adults in Lower Manhattan: structured classes and conversation practice, next to Catholic Charities’ services for newcomers.

  catholiccharitiesny.org

• Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NMCIR)

  Any statusFree

  An immigrant-rights organization that teaches English and civics alongside its immigration services. Groups start in cycles: ask them when the next one begins.

  nmcir.org

• COPE ESL / EnglishNY

  Any statusFree

  Free English for adults 18 and older, all levels, in the day, in the evening or online, in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Open to people of any immigration status.

  englishny.org

• Marks JCH of Bensonhurst

  Any statusFree

  Free English and adult literacy at several levels, with help finding work. In Bensonhurst, South Brooklyn.

  jchb.org

• Shorefront YM-YWHA

  Any statusFree

  Free English, civics and job-related classes, with help preparing for citizenship and finding work. In Brighton Beach, South Brooklyn.

  shorefronty.org

• Fifth Avenue Committee

  Any statusFree

  Free adult education in Brooklyn: English, computer skills and preparation for work.

  fifthave.org

• Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens

  Any statusFree

  Free English at several levels at community sites in Brooklyn and Queens, with the rest of Catholic Charities’ help for immigrants close at hand.

  ccbq.org

• CAMBA Refugee Assistance Program

  Granted asylumFree

  English classes within CAMBA’s help for refugees, in Brooklyn. Only for people who have refugee status or have been granted asylum, and for certain humanitarian entrants and parolees; asylum applicants are not eligible.

  camba.org

• LaGuardia Community College: Center for Immigrant Education & Training (CIET)

  Any statusFree

  Free English tied to job training for immigrant adults with low incomes, with career counseling and a case manager. In Queens; this is a separate program from the college’s Adult Literacy Program listed below.

  laguardia.catalog.cuny.edu

• Commonpoint

  NYC residentsFree

  Free English from beginner to upper-intermediate, in person in Queens and the Bronx or online. For New York City residents; there is an intake, so check the current schedule first.

  commonpoint.org

• Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement

  Any statusFree

  Free English from beginner to advanced, with help for immigrants, in Queens. Schedules and locations change each semester.

  riissettlement.org

• Ansob Center for Refugees

  Any statusFree

  Free English for beginners and intermediate learners, plus help preparing for citizenship and support for immigrants and refugees. In Astoria, Queens.

  ansob.org

• BronxWorks

  Any statusFree

  Free English for adults, aimed at work, training, study and everyday life, with BronxWorks’ other services in the same place. In the Bronx.

  bronxworks.org

Each library has its own sign-up process: check the dates on its website.

• Queens Public Library

  Any statusFree

  Free ESOL courses for adults 17 and older, beginner and intermediate, in person and online. A semester is about 12 weeks, with classes all week including weekends. Apply in person; space is limited, first come, first served. The fall 2026 schedule is on the website.

  queenslibrary.org

• Brooklyn Public Library

  Any statusNYC residentsFree

  Free English courses for New York City residents: an application, a placement test and minimum attendance; classes mornings, evenings and Saturdays. Registration three times a year, in September, December and March: sign up for the next one, get an email with a form one to two weeks ahead to choose your location, then an in-person test appointment. Courses: beginners only; intermediate and advanced with a hotel front-desk certification; Business English once a week for two hours over 10 to 11 weeks. Students can book one-on-one meetings with a case manager who helps with child care, housing, work and college.

  bklynlibrary.org

• New York Public Library

  Any statusNYC residentsFree

  Free classes at libraries in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island. Series classes meet one or two days a week for 10 weeks, three terms a year plus a short summer term, at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. You must be 18 or older, live, work or study in New York City, come in person for testing and registration, and attend for at least six months. The order: information session, placement test, registration. Winter registration is announced in early December; questions to esol@nypl.org. Conversation classes (including We Speak NYC) started October 5; in-person ones need no registration.

  nypl.org

Free English as a Second Language (ESL), Basic Education and High School Equivalency / GED preparation, mornings, evenings and weekends. Registration is open all year: find the nearest college and email the program before you go to ask which classes it offers.

• Bronx Community College

  Any statusFree

  Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development: free English classes (ESOL) and HSE preparation. Registration, with a placement test, takes about three hours and is done at the office: Gould Residence Hall, Room 410. There is no online or email sign-up.

  cuny.eduGould Residence Hall, Room 410, 2155 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453

• Hostos Community College

  Any statusFree

  Adult Learning Center. Email: cedu@hostos.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu560 Exterior Street, Bronx, NY 10451

• Lehman College

  Any statusFree

  The Adult Learning Center. Email: info.alc@lehman.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Old Gym, Room 019, Bronx, NY 10468

• Brooklyn College

  Any statusFree

  Adult Literacy Program; you can also take the GED exam here. Email: adultliteracy@brooklyn.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu2900 Bedford Avenue, 0118 Ingersoll Hall, Brooklyn, NY 11210

• Kingsborough Community College

  Any statusFree

  GED preparation; the GED exam itself is booked in your ged.com account. The virtual office is open Mon–Fri 9:30 am–4:30 pm. Email: SKrivenko@kbcc.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu2001 Oriental Boulevard, Building T2, Room T231, Brooklyn, NY 11235

• Medgar Evers College

  Any statusFree

  Adult Literacy Center, entrance on Bedford Avenue above the Chase Bank. Email: adultliteracycenteralc@gmail.com.

  cuny.edu1534 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216

• New York City College of Technology (City Tech)

  Any statusFree

  Adult Learning Center, Division of Continuing Education; you can text (201) 632-3831.

  cuny.edu300 Jay Street, Pearl Building 4th Floor, Room P410, Brooklyn, NY 11201

• Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC)

  Any statusFree

  Adult Basic Education Programs. Email: literacyprogram@bmcc.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu25 Broadway, 8th floor, New York, NY 10004

• City College of New York (CCNY)

  Any statusFree

  Continuing and Professional Studies. Email: ace@ccny.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu259 Convent Avenue, Shepard Hall, Room 2, New York, NY 10031

• Hunter College

  Any statusFree

  SPELL Program: English only (ESOL), no GED or HSE. Email: SaturdayESL@huntersoe.org; text (929) 256-5801.

  cuny.edu695 Park Avenue, West Building, Room 1031, New York, NY 10065

• LaGuardia Community College

  Any statusFree

  Adult Basic Skills Department, GED preparation in English and Spanish: hselaguardia@lagcc.cuny.edu. Center for Immigrant Education and Training (Room C-239): ciet@lagcc.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu29-10 Thomson Avenue, Building C, Room 400, Long Island City, NY 11101

• Queensborough Community College

  Any statusFree

  Literacy Program, Department of English, Humanities Building, Room H-324, Mon–Fri 10 am–4 pm. New students register only in person, on Registration Day. To hear the date, leave your details in the Contact Information form at qcc.cuny.edu/FREEESL.

  qcc.cuny.edu222-05 56th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11364

• York College

  Any statusFree

  York College Learning Center. Email: yorkcollegelearningcenter@york.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu94-43 160th Street, Classroom Building, Room CL-104, Jamaica, NY 11451

• College of Staten Island

  Any statusFree

  Adult Literacy and Language Program; you can also take the GED exam here, in English or Spanish. Email: clip@csi.cuny.edu.

  cuny.edu2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314