STUDENT SERVICES OFFERED  English Language Academy

 

  1. Free Interchange Written and Oral Placement Test (Cambridge University Press)
  2. Program Recommendations based on student placement level, goals and schedule including:

Morning, Afternoon, Evening  or Intensive schedule

  1. Orientation

Pre-arrival orientation:

  • Out-of-country applicants:
  1. First orientation is provided either over the phone (verbally) and followed by an e- mail (in writing), or directly in writing via e-mail, depending on how an applicant first approaches the school. This orientation mainly contains information regarding the school's programs, class schedules, prices, 1-20 application and/or timelines. It may also contain information about location, weather, hotels, transportation, etc. if requested. This information is available in English and for the benefit of many applicants it has been translated into the two most common native languages of our students: Spanish and Portuguese. E-mails are replied on a daily basis.

 

  1. Once the applicant understands the general school information and makes a decision regarding the type of program they wish to enroll in, he/she is provided with more specific information, such as the Full-time Student Application Package which includes the Requirements for Full-time Student Enrollment and 1-20 application sheet and all the forms related to the 1-20 application (for applicants who wish to come with a student visa and enroll in our Super Intensive Programs), or the Part-time Student Application Package (for students with tourist visas or other types of visas).

 

  1. Applicants may gather and submit their applications and requirements in writing via email or regular mail. This process may take one to two weeks.

 

  1. Once applications are received, they will be reviewed and processed within two to five business days.

 

  1. Applicants are contacted via e-mail or by phone for either further information, if needed, or about the acceptance or rejection of their application. If application is rejected, the applicant will receive a brief explanation for it.

 

  1. Full-time Students (1-20 applicants) will be mailed with a package that includes their 1-20 form, a letter of acceptance to the program, a copy of enrollment agreement and a copy of bank letter/statement. Mailing times may vary between three to five business days depending on the applicant's country of origin.

 

  1. Full-time Students (1-20 applicants) will be scheduled for initial orientation based on their F-1 visa approval and the 1-20 program start date which corresponds to the English Language Academy Term start date

 

  1. Part-time Students are scheduled for initial orientation via e-mail or phone based on their travel plans and the school's next available class starting date.

 

  • In-country applicants

 

  1. First orientation is provided either over the phone and followed by an e-mail, directly in writing via e-mail, or both verbally and in writing on-site, depending on how an applicant first approaches the school. This orientation mainly contains information regarding the school's programs, class schedules, prices, 1-20 application and/or timelines. For the applicant's benefit, this information is available in English, Spanish, Russian and Portuguese. E-mails are replied to on a daily basis.
  2. Once the applicant understands the general school information and makes a decision regarding the type of program they wish to enroll in, he/she is provided with more specific information, such as the Full-time Student Application Package which includes the Requirements for Full-time Student Enrollment and 1-20 application sheet and all the forms related to the 1-20 application (for applicants who wish to apply for a change of status or applicants who already hold an 1-20 and wish to transfer to OLS), or the Part-time Student Application Package (for local students with other types of immigration status).

 

2.1. If an applicant wishes to apply for a change of status, he/she is advised to meet with an immigration lawyer for more detailed professional counseling and services. Applicants may be provided with the contact information of a qualified professional known by the school in case they do not have their own counselors.

  1. Applicants must gather and submit their applications and requirements in writing directly at the school, via email or regular mail. This process may take one to two weeks.

 

  1. Once applications are received, they will be reviewed and processed within two to five business days.

 

  1. Applicants are contacted via e-mail or by phone either for further information if needed or to notify them about their acceptance or non-acceptance. In the case of non-acceptance, applicants will receive an explanation with the reason for their non-acceptance.

 

  1. Full-time Students (1-20 applicants) may pick up their documents directly at the school or receive them via mail. 7. Full-time students and Part-time Students will be scheduled for initial orientation.

 

  1. Change of status applicants must wait for immigration's approval of F-1 status.

 

Initial orientation

Initial orientation is divided into two parts.

Part I is provided by the Receptionist or Support Staff Assistant. For the applicant's benefit, this information is available in English, Spanish, Russian  and Portuguese and takes approximately one hour to complete as scheduled on the pre-arrival orientation, which covers the following:

 

  1. A warm welcome to the student(s) (verbally), getting to know them and understanding their plans and goals regarding their new language acquisition.

 

  1. Presentation of the student's handbook (for either Full-time or Part-time Students) and detailed explanation of its contents. This handbook includes: Welcome Letter, Student Services Offered, Student Guidelines, Maintaining an F-1 Visa at ELA, Contact Information, Health and Safety, Traveling Out of the USA, Class Schedule, Class Level and Textbooks, Book Pricing Explanation, School Policies, Attendance/Absence Policy, Cancellation and Refund Policy, Complaint Procedures, Observed Holidays, and Frequently Asked Questions. The Receptionists or Support Staff Assistant make sure students understand policies and procedures that they received and understand the contents of the Student Handbook.

 

  1. A tour through the school and facilities.

 

  1. Introduction of all managing and support staff members including the explanation of who they are and whom to contact regarding academic, administrative or immigration counseling.

 

Part II is provided by Faculty Members on the first day of class in English, which covers the

 

following: 1. A warm welcome to the student(s) (verbally), getting to know them and understanding their plans and goals regarding their new language acquisition.

 

  1. Students review their digital copy of Class Level Syllabi for grammar and conversation, including Course Goals, Objectives and SLOs, Schedule of Dates, and Grading in class with their teacher at the beginning of each term.

 

Additional:

 

  1. When a student has additional questions a meeting is arranged with the Administrative Manager or the Academic Director.

 

On-going orientation

 

All staff members provide on-going orientation based on the students' needs.

 

  1. Clean Spacious Classrooms:

English Language Academy ELA occupies 1 suite, # 2B3, which has 1 classrooms, 1 administrative offices, 1 front desk/reception area, 1 computer / testing center with Internet access, and 1 student lounge. The classroom is fully equipped with 8 to 10 student chairs (according to the classroom size}, 1 white board, 1 LCD SMART TV, 1 DVD player, 1 teacher chair and a teacher table/ stand.

To ensure the comfort of our students, classrooms are arranged to provide adequate desk and chair space for a specific amount of students. Offices are located in areas accessible to students. To ensure that we provide a clean environment, the building management provides us with a cleaning crew, who do their cleaning rounds every evening.

  1. Social Events and Occasional Field Trips:

English Language Academy organizes social events that bring students and staff together and create an enjoyable out of the classroom environment. These events are usually but not limited to, potluck parties in certain times of the year, such as Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas. On occasion, ELA also organizes field trips to local places, such as museums, restaurants, bowling and/or ice- skating. Field trips are offered mostly during holiday weeks, guided by ELA teachers and staff and may include a work sheet with vocabulary, questionnaires and activities related to the specific field trip.

  1. English Language Academy students have the opportunity to access free WIFI in order to use online dictionaries, online course activities, review course goals, objectives and student learning outcomes (SLOS) as well as ELA policies and procedures.
  2. 1 Lab Computer with Free Internet Access for students use before, during (assigned research) and after class, teapot, coffee-maker and hot/cold filtered water fountain.
  3. Health Features:

Filtered water fountain is located in the student common area.

First aid kit.

Hand sanitizer is available at the reception desk for all students and visitors.

  1. Accommodations:

The school does not provide accommodation. We are happy to assist students as they make these decisions; however, it is ultimately the students' decision to choose the type of accommodation and pay the appropriate fees directly to the service provider.