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Civics courses, typically thirty hours, are offered to support refugees in their quest for American citizenship. The curriculum promotes instruction in the areas of civics and ESL. Prospective clients will take two tests to determine eligibility. Pre-testing consists of the BEST (the minimum proficiency level accepted for this class is BEST 2) and a mock citizenship test. Only students who score less than 75% on the citizenship pre-test are enrolled in the class. Students who pass the pre-test continue with their citizenship application process at voluntary agencies, such as the YMCA and Catholic Charities, which provide this service.
We offer classes in more than a dozen locations, both at our main office at 6060 Richmond Street, Houston, TX and at satellite locations. Classes are offered in areas that have been shown to promote attendance, as they are in close proximity to student residences, places of worship and community centers, thus minimizing the need for transportation and childcare. BEI’s main campus is accessible via Houston Metro on bus routes 53, 82, and 25, which serve the southwest and central parts of the city and connect with other routes.
Bilingual Education Institute is able to offer our ESL and Civics classes at no cost to eligible students. While eligibility may vary from case to case, persons over the age of 16, who maintain the following immigration statuses typically qualify to participate in our programs at no cost:
Refugee
Asylee
Parolee
Victim of Torture (with certified letter)
Victim of Trafficking (with certified letter)
Other immigrants who hold an I-94 or SI2 visa
An additional requirement: Only students who score less than 75% on the citizenship pre-test are enrolled in the class. Students who pass the pre-test continue with their citizenship application process at voluntary agencies, such as the YMCA and Catholic Charities, which provide this service.
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