ELC is concerned with your academic well-being. The school provides visa arrangements, a warm, welcoming orientation, careful testing, proper placement, state-of-the-art study aids, and thoughtful college counseling. Your success in learning English quickly and comfortably is our primary mission.

Students enrolling in a minimum 20-lesson per week course are eligible to receive an I-20 form and may apply for a student visa at any United States visa office. Before the I-20 form is issued by ELC, the following must be received: Your completed and signed application form. The application fee. Prepayment of all fees, or one of the following financial support documents: A personal bank statement showing sufficient funds to cover course and living expenses. We estimate that it will cost you approximately $900 per month to live in the USA. A bank statement and letter of sponsorship from a third party responsible for paying your tuition and living expenses while in this country. A formal letter of support from an employer accepting responsibility for your course and living expenses while you are here. A letter and financial statement from any other agency (university, government, private scholarship fund, etc.) confirming their sponsorship of your program. All documents not originally in English must be accompanied by an English translation. When the proper documentation, fees, and application form have been received, the I-20 form will be sent to the address listed in the Personal Data section of the application, unless an alternate address has been provided on a separate sheet of paper. On your first day of class you should arrive at ELC between 8:30 and 9:00 AM. At this time, you will be tested for placement and will have a personal interview with the Director of Courses. You will then be placed in the appropriate level for each skill area. After completing the placement process, you will be ready to begin class by 11:00 AM. On especially popular start dates, General English students are given a complimentary tour of the city after the placement procedure, and they then begin class on Tuesday morning. An orientation for new students is held during the first week of classes. The Foreign Student Advisor (FSA) is always ready to assist students who have questions, requests, or problems regarding admission to an American college or university. The FSA can help you find the school that is just right for you and will work with you during the application process. ELC works closely with certain colleges and universities which offer our students a conditional acceptance, contingent on completing our level 500B. The Institutional TOEFL is given every four weeks, year-round, at all three ELC centers. It is accepted by select colleges and universities and can be used as a measure of English proficiency. ELC Boston and ELC Santa Barbara are the official testing sites for the Cambridge Examinations, including the First Certificate in English exam and the Certificate in Advanced English exam. After completing your course at ELC with satisfactory attendance and performance, you will be granted a Certificate of Completion which states the course you participated in, the duration of the course, and the level you attained.