Free Citizenship Classes in English and Spanish taught by Experienced, Accredited Instructors

About our Free Citizenship Education Classes

The FREE EL (English Language) Citizenship Classes and the Spanish Citizenship Classes:

  • DATES: Twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays

  • TIME: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

  • LOCATION: St. Casimir Catholic School Building (St. Adalbert/St. Casimir Catholic Parish, 1302 W. Dunham St., South Bend, IN 46619)

  • Ten week sessions are offered in the fall (Sept. to Nov.), spring (Feb. to April), and summer (May to July). The next semester will start on Monday, February 3, 2024 and end on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. 

574-366-0101

One More Citizen’s Citizenship Classes expertly prepare qualifying legal permanent residents with the citizenship, civics, and English language skills to successfully pass the USCIS Naturalization interview and exam. The program Director’s proven track record of more than 16 years of experience in citizenship preparation and instruction has provided a 100% passing rate of the Citizenship exam for over 1100 legal permanent residents in the South Bend region. Citizenship Classes are offered in English and in Spanish (for those legal permanent residents who qualify for the English language exemption for the USCIS Naturalization interview and exam). 

Citizenship classes include all areas of preparation for the Citizenship Interview and Exam:

  • English reading, writing, conversation, and comprehension

  • Review of the USCIS 100 U.S. history and civics questions

  • Interview practice from the N400 Application for Naturalization

  • Interview preparation help in small groups and individualized study 

Students improve English language skills and civics knowledge 100% of the time in our citizenship classes.

Bilingual English/Spanish speaking coordinators/instructors assist the class

Study Materials

  • Students are given handouts to use and keep that correspond with each week’s unit lessons and work. 

  • All classes and materials are provided FREE OF CHARGE.

  • Students will be given free study resources for class and for use outside of class.

Class Setting and Offerings

Instruction is provided in a whole group setting and in small groups led by individual instructors, with plenty of practice provided for new material and review. Instruction is tailored for the students at each phase of the process in preparation for the USCIS Naturalization interview, including specific, individual instruction and one-on-one tutoring in preparation for students’ upcoming Naturalization interviews. Repetition and practice are key to being successful. Students can take the class as many times as they need until they are ready and confident to pass the USCIS Naturalization interview and exam.

The atmosphere of the class is welcoming and encouraging and includes students from all over the world. We learn and laugh together while helping each other to achieve the goal of becoming One More U.S.Citizen for every student joining our classes. 

One More Citizen, Inc. offers two types of citizenship classes:

  • Free English Speaking Citizenship Class: This class is for qualifying legal permanent resident students with basic English literacy and communication skills who want to prepare for the USCIS Naturalization exam and interview.

  • Free Spanish Speaking Citizenship Class: This class is for Spanish speaking students who meet the USCIS requirements of age and years of permanent residency and can choose to study for and take their Naturalization interview and exam in their native language (Spanish).

  • English Language Exemptions

    You are exempt from the English language requirement, but are still required to take the civics test if you are:

    • Age 50 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident (Green Card holder) in the United States for 20 years (commonly referred to as the “50/20” exception).
      OR

    • Age 55 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident in the United States for 15 years (commonly referred to as the “55/15” exception).

    Note:

    • Even if you qualify for the “50/20” or “55/15” English language exceptions listed above, you must still take the civics test.

    • You will be permitted to take the civics test in your native language.

    • If you take the test in your native language, you must bring an interpreter with you to your interview.

    • Your interpreter must be fluent in both English and your native language.

    • If you are age 65 or older and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years at the time of filing for naturalization, you will be given special consideration regarding the civics requirement.

  • To qualify for the shortened Civics exam at the Naturalization interview, you must be 65 years old or older and have been living in the United States as a lawful permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the 20 questions that have been marked with an asterisk (*) found on the uscis.gov website. You may also take the naturalization test in the language of your choice.