2010 LSI New York FAQ

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Language Studies International 2010

LSI New YorkFrequently Asked Questions


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SCHOOL DETAILS................................................. ........................................................ ...................................... 3TEACHERS.................................................. ........................................................ ............................................... 3STUDENTS.................................................. ........................................................ ............................................... 4FACILITIES................................................. ........................................................ ............................................... 4COURSES.................................................... ........................................................ ............................................... 4ORIENTATION..................................................... ........................................................ ...................................... 6ACCOMMODATION............................................... ........................................................ ...................................... 6SOCIAL ACTIVITIES....................................................... ........................................................ ............................. 7AIRPORT TRANSFER...................................................... ........................................................ ............................. 8PAYMENTS/CANCELLATIONS/REFUNDS..................................................... ........................................................ . 8APPLICATION PROCESS AND IMMIGRATION ISSUES...................................................... ...................................... 9SEVIS FEE and VISA APPOINTMENT.................................................. ........................................................ ........ 10PERSONAL.................................................. ........................................................ ............................................. 12NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY........................................................ ........................................................ ........ 12

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SCHOOL DETAILS

1. Where is LSI New York located and what is the schools contact information?

The school is based at the Manhattan campus of the Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY), located downtown inSoho/Tribeca, near the Financial District.

From the Canal Street 1 (red line) subway stop:

When you get off the train, take the staircase to the northeast corner of the station. Walk up the stairs and continuestraight ahead (you are on Canal Street). The entrance to the building is in the middle of the block, between Varick Streetand Hudson Street.

From the Canal Street A or E (blue line) subway stop :

Walk west until Varick Street. Cross Varick Street. The entrance to the building is in the middle of the block, betweenVarick Street and Hudson Street.

School Name LSI New YorkAddress 431 Canal Street, 12 th floor

New York, NY 10013Telephone (212) 965-9940Fax (212) 965-1268Email [email protected] Website www.lsi.edu/en/newyork.html

For detailed directions, please go to www.hopstop.com and click on New York.

If you will be driving, please call the school for detailed directions. Please note that street parking is very limited in thecity. Parking garages usually cost about $20 per day.

If you would like to visit our school and observe a class before making your decision, please call us so we can arrange aday and time for you to come in. For more information please contact us at 212-965-9940 or email us at [email protected] .

We would be happy to tell you more about LSI New York!

2. What are the building and area like?

LSI New York is located on the 12th floor of the Metropolitan College of New Yorks Manhattan campus, which is withinwalking distance of well-known New York neighborhoods such as Tribeca, Soho, Chinatown, and the Financial District. Itis in a spacious modern building with a student lounge, an extensive library, and wonderful views of lower Manhattan.

3. When are the school holidays in 2010?

The school is closed for one week at Christmas time (usually the last week in December). We are also closed onholidays. Please check our current brochure for holiday dates. Classes missed on public holidays are not rescheduled.

TEACHERS

1. How many teachers do you have?

We have 8-12 full-time teachers and 5-10 part-time teachers.

2. What are your teachers qualifications?

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All our teachers are qualified (with at least an undergraduate degree), experienced, native English speakers. They alsohave experience teaching ESL and/or a recognised TESL certificate.

STUDENTS1. Where do your students come from?

Nationalities and percentages vary widely during the year, but in 2009, our top nationalities included Brazil, France,Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey.

2. How many students do you have during high and low seasons?

We have 225-250 students during the high season (summer months) and about 80-100 students during the low season(winter months).

3. What is the minimum and average age of your students?

The minimum age is 18 years old. The average age of our students is between 24 and 26, but we have students up to 65.4. What is the average and maximum number of students per class?

The average class size is 12. The maximum number of students in a class is 14.

FACILITIES

1. What facilities are available to students?

Students have access to an extensive library where they can study. In the library, students have access to 40 computerswith internet. We have a comfortable student lounge where students can relax and eat lunch. There is a caf on the firstfloor of the building that offers inexpensive lunches.

2. Do you have free computer/internet/WiFi internet access?

We have access to 40 computers for studying and research in the library and the hall, and limited access to a wirelessnetwork on campus. There are also several internet cafs in the area.

3. How many classrooms are there?

LSI usually occupies 10-18 classrooms on the campus of MCNY.

4. Do you have a cafeteria?

No, but we are very close to many affordable cafs, restaurants, sandwich shops, and markets. You you may also bringlunch and eat it in the lounge.

COURSES

1. What courses do you offer?

Course name Course type Number of lessons/weekStandard 20 General English 20Intensive 30 General English 30Plus Courses (additional 5 or 10individual lessons a week)

General English/ One-to-One 5 or 10

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Intensive 30 with TOEFL General/Exam 30Cambridge Exam Exam Preparation 30

International School Year Academic English 20 or 30One-to-one One-to-one 5, 10, 20, 30, or 40Mini-Group Business English 20

We also offer students the opportunity to spread a long-term course over two or more of our centers worldwide! Askabout our Multi-Center Courses for more information.

2. Do you offer work experience?

Yes, we offer unpaid or paid work experience in combination with our other courses. Please contact us to see if youqualify for these programs.

3. What is the length of each lesson?

All lessons are 50 minutes.

4. What is a typical class timetable like?

LessonStandard 20 AM

Schedule (M-F)

Intensive 30

(M-F)

Standard 20 PM*

Schedule (M-F)

1 9:10 10:00 9:10 10:00

2 10:00 10:50 10:00 10:50

BREAK BREAK

3 11:10 12:00 11:10 12:00

4 12:00 12:50 12:00 12:50

LUNCH

(Afternoons: M-Th)

5 13:50 14:50 13:20 14:10

6 15:00 16:00 14:10 15:00

BREAK

7 15:20 16:10

8 16:10 17:00

*High season. Please contact LSI New York for details.

5. What levels are offered and how fast does a student progress from level to level?

There are 6 levels: Beginner, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate and Advanced. Studentsusually advance levels after 7-10 weeks of study depending on speaking ability, test scores, attendance, and theteachers continuous assessment of their language skills.

6. When are the start dates?

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Start dates for General English courses are every Monday (excluding holidays). Start dates for beginners and otherspecial courses can be found at www.lsi.edu.

7. Are textbooks included in the fees?Books and materials for class use are provided free of charge; students use class sets in the classroom and receivehandouts to supplement the lessons. Books are not given out for students to keep as a variety of different texts areused. Students who would like to own any particular book may receive help in purchasing it through the LSI office.

8. Do you receive a free certificate once the course has ended?

Yes, as long as you have attended at least 80% of the course.

9. Can I switch my course type/length once I have started it? Can I add an additional course or extend myaccommodation?

Course reductions are not permitted after the course has started. However, students may add extra lessons, e.g.afternoon or individual lessons. Students can also add weeks at the end of their course if they want to. Students canmake arrangements for course changes with the LSI Registrar or through their booking agent. Bookings should be madeas early as possible.

Students can extend their accommodation, subject to availability. If they extend late, it is possible that the host family orresidence may be booked up with other students; however, it may be possible to find a new host family or a differentresidence.

10. Can I study at more than one location?

Yes. For example, a student might enroll for 10 weeks of the Intensive 30 course spending 6 weeks in Berkeley and 4weeks in Boston. Or a student might choose to study for 12 weeks in New York and 12 weeks in San Diego during a 24week ISY course. Please contact us for more details.

ORIENTATION

1. What time should I arrive on my first day and what should I bring?

Please arrive promptly at 9:00 a.m. to fill in necessary paperwork and take a placement test before you start class. Wewill provide you with books and other learning materials so you will just need to bring writing supplies, your passport,and your I-20 (if you have a student visa). After taking a placement test, you will have orientation and join afternoonclasses on your first day if you have booked an Intensive 30 course.

ACCOMMODATION

1. What types of accommodation do you offer?

LSI New York offers accommodation year round in host families and in residence hotels.

Our carefully selected host families offer friendly, comfortable surroundings. In host family accommodation, studentsmay choose Bed & Breakfast or Half Board (breakfast and dinner included, outside Manhattan only). Hosts provide asingle room with linens plus the meals booked.

As an alternative to staying in a host family, we also offer residential accommodation. Here, students stay in a residencewith other International students. Students must choose a single room if they book individually. When two students booktogether for the same dates, they may choose a twin room (with bunk beds at some locations and two twin beds at otherlocations) to share together if they wish, and this depends upon availability.

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Currently, we book students at the Vanderbilt YMCA, the De Hirsch Residence and into 4-bedroom apartments inChelsea. The Chelsea and the Vanderbilt are about 30 minutes by subway from the school. The De Hirsch is on the Upper

East Side, two blocks from Central Park, the Guggenheim and other cultural attractions. No meals are included inresidence stays, but there are cafs and restaurants nearby.

Please contact us for more information and prices.

2. How far will my homestay be from the school?

Most of our host families live within 45-75 minutes of the school. They are located near the bus or subway lines.

3. Are the homestays inspected by the school?

Yes, our accommodation coordinator inspects all homestays.

4. When do I arrive at my homestay and when do I leave?

Students may stay with their host families from Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun.5. What do the families provide?

They provide a private room, continental breakfast, bed linens, and towels. Many host families have laundry facilities,and there are also laundromats readily available.

6. When do I have to pay for the accommodation fees?

We require payment in advance for the accommodation period for which you have booked. For example, if a studentbooks a 4-month course AND 4 months of accommodation, we expect that all of the accommodation fees, including theaccommodations placement fee, be paid in advance. We only book students into families for the time that has been paidfor in advance. If students stay in a residence then they must pay in advance for the full accommodation. We do notaccept monthly payments for residential accommodation. The accommodations placement fee is non-refundable exceptin the case of a full cancellation or visa denial.

It is possible for a long-term student to book only four weeks of homestay, but this is not recommended because ifanother student has been placed with the family, he/she may not be able to continue staying in that home after fourweeks. Also, in the summer, all accommodations are very limited, and we would strongly suggest booking the full timeperiod in advance.

If students decide that they would like to cancel accommodations, this is possible with two weeks advanced notice, andwe will issue a refund for unused homestay in such cases. Refunds for residence cancellations vary. Please seebrochure, or contact us for details.

7. Do I need to pay for my homestay over Christmas break if I take a holiday?

Yes, but not every host family accepts students over the Christmas break due, so it is best to book this in advance.

There are extra summer and holiday surcharges of $30/wk. If students will be away from their host family for full weekson a holiday (e.g. from Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun) and they want to leave their luggage, then they will be charged the bed & breakfast price. For students staying in residential accommodation, there is no reduction in accommodation fees if youtake a holiday.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

1. Are social activities offered during the weekdays and/or weekends?

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We provide a variety of activities, which vary from week to week. Sample activities include: museums, concerts, musicfestivals, baseball games and other sports events, and seasonal activities for holidays such as Christmas, Easter and

Halloween. Additionally, there are party nights/dinners, pub crawls, walks, and visits to historic towns in the area.2. Do I have to pay for social activities?

Some social activities are free, such as events that take place at the school, visits to New Yorks famous sights, walks,museum visits, etc. For other activities, such as weekend trips, there is a fee.

AIRPORT TRANSFER

1. Are airport transfers available?

Yes. Please let us know the date, time of arrival, flight number and prefix, airport of departure and airport of arrival.(e.g. 08 August 2009, 13.00, BA 007 from London to JFK)

Airport Cost (One way)New York JFKNew York LaGuardiaNewark Liberty

$120

2. Who meets me at the airport and where?

LSI New York will book your airport transfer with a limousine company. After booking the airport transfer, we will sendyou a letter which explains the airport procedure, including information on how to identify the driver.

PAYMENTS/CANCELLATIONS/REFUNDS

1. How do I pay for my LSI course?

All fees must be paid before we can release documents you will need for your visa application and before your coursestarts. Payment can be made in cash or check, or by wire transfer. If you send a wire transfer, please quote yourstudent number and the invoice number, and fax/email a copy of the wire transfer receipt to us. Our bank details are asfollows:

Name Bank of AmericaAddress W/T Dept

100 W 33rd StNY, NY 10001

A/C Name Language StudiesInternational

A/C No 01940-05300Swift Code BOFAUS3N (International

only)ABA Routing Number 0260-0959-3 (Domestic only)CHIPS Address 0959

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We also accept payment by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express). Please ask us for a credit cardauthorization form. If you would like to pay in Euro, please let us know at the time of booking.

Individual applicants need to make full payment for the course plus accommodation, if any is booked, two weeks beforethe start of the course. The I-20 form will be issued for the time period the student pays for. (It can be extended here ifthe course is extended and paid for.)

2. Can I receive an invoice?

Yes, we will send you an invoice along with a course confirmation letter upon booking.

3. What are your payment terms and conditions?

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions online at http://www.lsi.edu/en/terms.shtml .

4. How do I cancel a course and will I get a refund for the course and/or the accommodations?

If your visa application is rejected, you will receive a full refund, except for the non-refundable registration fee andcourier fee. Course refunds are given according to the USA refund policy and may take 30 days to process. Please referto the back of the enrollment form for these policies. Accommodation refunds are given as long as LSI is provided withseven days notice. After accommodation details have been confirmed, the accommodations placement fee is also non-refundable. For information on the charges for cancellations and late postponements, please refer to our Terms andConditions.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND IMMIGRATION ISSUES

1. Do I need a visa to study at your school?

We strongly recommend that students come with the proper visa. For all countries, including Waiver Status countries,such as Western Europe and Japan, it is up to each individual to obtain the documentation necessary to coincide with the

purpose of his/her visit to the United States.Often the immigration authorities look at intent of the visit. If the main intent and purpose of your visit is to study, astudent visa should be obtained. If the main intent and purpose of your visit is tourism, then a tourist visa or touristwaiver should be acceptable. Please contact any LSI school in the U.S.A. if you have further questions and concernsregarding visas.

2. How do I apply?

Complete an application form and send it with the $120.00 non-refundable application fee.

3. What is an I-20 and does LSI issue I-20s?

The I-20 is an immigration form which certain accredited schools are given permission to issue by the Department ofHomeland Security (DHS). Students should take this form to a US Embassy or Consulate in their country to apply for astudent visa. LSI does issue this form.

4. What does an individual student need to do in order to obtain an I-20?

If you wish to receive an I-20 document, you must:

Complete the application form, including the home country address

Pay all tuition and fees

Provide a copy of the photo page of the passport with birth date and nationality information

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Provide proof of financial responsibility *

Upon receipt of the above, we will issue an I-20 form.

* Financial certification consists of a letter stating who will support the student while he/she is in the United States (the student him-/herself,his/her parents, or his/her company) plus a bank statement showing that sufficient funds are available for both course and housing for the entire period the student will be in the USA. This information is required by law even if the student has already paid in full.

5. How much money does a student need to show on the bank statement?

A student needs enough to cover the course and all incidental fees plus the cost of accommodations for the period oftime he/she plans to be in the United States. If no accommodations is booked through LSI or is only booked for part ofthe students stay, we estimate the living expenses as $300/week. (a minimum estimate for course, fees andaccommodations for four weeks is about $2500).

Once the student has applied to the school, paid the fees, and submitted the necessary documentation for the I-20, hemust then go online and pay a SEVIS fee to the U.S. Government.

SEVIS FEE and VISA APPOINTMENT

Once the I-20 is received, students must pay a $200.00 SEVIS fee to the U.S. government. This can be done by going tothe following web site and completing the form I-901: http://www.FMJfee.com. You will receive a downloadable receiptwhich you MUST print and take to the visa meeting. You need to wait 3 days before visiting the Consulate with yourreceipt, I-20, and financial documentation, as it takes a few days for the information to be entered in the governmentdatabase. You will not be approved for the visa if the database does not show that payment was made.

NOTE: Once you have paid your SEVIS fee and are waiting for your I-20 to arrive, make an appointment at a U.S. consulate or embassy. You can check wait times by logging on to http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tempvisitors_wait.php and going to visa wait times on the left column. Enter the name of the city, and you will see the wait times for various types of visas. Make sure you make an appointment for an F-1,student visa.

1. What if a student attended another school before and already has an F-1 visa in his passport? Is it valid?

If the student is in good status, then the student only needs an I-20 form from the school he is planning to attend. Hemust present the I- 20 document from the new school to the immigration authorities when he arrives in the UnitedStates. With tightened restrictions it is always good to check with the consulate or embassy in your country first!

2. How long can a student stay in the United States on a student visa? A student can only remain in the USA as longas he/she maintains full time status in school. If a student falls below full time status, then he/she is subject todeportation. After completion of the program booked, a student can remain in the United States to prepare to returnhome or transfer to another program for a maximum of 60 days. Once an application has been made to transfer to a newschool, the student must begin classes on the first possible entrance date.

3. What is the difference between the I-20, F-1 visa, and I-94 card?It is important to understand the difference between the following three documents: the I-20 form, the F-1 visa, and theI-94 card. The I-20 form is given to the student by an accredited school. which the student receives from an accreditedschool once he has made an application and sent the required documents and payment, the F-1 visa document issued bythe American Consulate and affixed to the passport, and the I-94 card which is filled out on the plane before arriving inthe U.S. and stamped and stapled to the passport by immigration officials at the first port of entry to the USA.

The I-20 form is issued by a school which has been recognized and approved by the Department of Homeland Security,and it is the document the student must take to the American consulate or embassy, along with financial documentationand the SEVIS receipt, in order to apply for a student visa (F-1). The student must bring the I-20 to the U.S.

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The F-1 visa is issued by the American consulate or embassy and gives the visitor permission to enter the U.S. at a portof entry for the time period specified on the visa. The consulate/embassy may give a one-time entry or a multiple entry

visa. The dates on the visa do not mean the visitor may stay for that period of time. It only means that the student mayenter the U.S. during that time, as long as the student also has a valid I-20.

The I-94 form is the card generally given out on the airplane to be completed before the student arrives at the port ofentry. It is a Department of Homeland Security document, which is presented to the immigration officer upon arrival tothe U.S.. For a student coming on a student visa, the card will be stamped F-I/DS by the immigration officer. Thismeans that the applicant has been admitted in student status (F-1), and the visa is valid for the duration of his/herstatus (D/S) (i.e. as long as the student attends school on a full-time basis). If a student falls below full-time attendance,the I-20 may be cancelled and the student is subject to deportation.

For students who complete their program, the visa is valid for 60 days after the course end date.

4. Can a student extend his/her booking for courses and accommodations when the original booking has been

completed?Yes, students can add additional weeks of their course and accommodation when the original booking has beencompleted. The student can make arrangements to do so through the LSI Registrar BEFORE their current course isfinished. This is important for extending the I-20. Note: Extensions of less than four weeks are frowned upon by thegovernment.

5. Can a student drop courses and accommodations after arriving in the United States?

No, not without jeopardizing his/her DHS status. A student who drops out of the course he/she has booked may beconsidered out of status unless he/she returns to his/her country within 15 days.

6. If a student finishes the course he/she booked and takes a short break, can he/she start classes again?

DHS regulations do not allow such breaks; it would be considered an unauthorized vacation, and the student would beout of status, and would have to apply to DHS for reinstatement to student status, a time-consuming and expensiveprocedure that could result in deportation. Therefore the student must be enrolled continuously. (See the vacation policybelow.)

7. Can a student transfer to another school, college or university?

If a student has maintained full-time status (attending at least 80% of the program), he may be eligible to apply toanother institution. For students who are thinking of continuing their education in the United States, it is extremelyimportant to maintain status while attending LSI!

8. Can a student work while he/she is studying at LSI?

No, it is illegal for a person on a student visa (F-1) or any other non-immigrant visa (B-1, B-2, or WT) to work. However, ifa student transfers to a U.S. college or university after completing the course at LSI, he/she may be eligible for OPT(optional practical training).

9. Can a student arrange for a Work Experience Program through LSI?

Yes, LSI works in partnership with Cultural Homestay International to offer various work experience programs; theseinclude both short-term and long-term work experiences for students who complete an LSI course. Long-term workexperience programs can be in a paid or unpaid program. Depending on the program, applications for work experiencemust be made 12-16 weeks in advance of the estimated start date, so students need to plan ahead if they want to

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participate. There are also visa issues involved depending on the type of work experience they choose, so again thisrequires advanced planning. Please note that these programs are both paid and unpaid.

PERSONAL1. Who can I talk to if I have a problem? Can I speak my own language?

If you have a problem please come speak with our School Director, David Hughes, our Registrar, Katherine Romeo, ourDirector of Studies, Kerry Linder, our Student Services Coordinator, Jil Guyon, or our Host Family Coordinator, PriscillaCruz. Although our LSI Staff do speak a variety of languages other than English, we may not speak your specificlanguage. If we do speak your language please try speaking in English first before relying on your mother tongue.

2. Can I apply for a student bank account?

Students can open a bank account. They should ask in the office for a student letter.

3. Do you offer insurance?

Medical Insurance may be purchased from LSI upon booking; further information is available on request. We stronglyurge that you purchase a health and accident policy before your arrival. The current cost for insurance is $25 dollars perweek.

4. What happens if I get sick?

LSI New York can refer you to a doctor or hospital if you are sick.

5. Can I take holiday during my course?

Students who enter the U.S. on an F-1 student visa are required to be in school full time and must have completed acertain number of hours of study before they can be permitted to take a break. All vacations must be requested andgiven approval by the administration of the school. Students who have completed at least 16 weeks of the Intensive 30course or 24 weeks of the Standard 20 course AND who have maintained their F-1 student status by attending more than80% of their scheduled classes, are eligible to take a vacation of 1 to 3 weeks. (Students with less than 4 weeks ofcourse remaining will not be granted approval for a vacation). Students may take only one vacation.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Language Studies International does not discriminate in the classroom, on social activities or in accommodationplacements on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or any other characteristic protected by law. Itis the practice of LSI and its staff to provide equal opportunities for a quality English language and cultural immersionexperience to all individuals involved with the organization: students, teachers, administrators, hosts, and all whoprovide support services to our school.

If you have any additional questions that we have not answered please contact us.LSI New Yorkc/o Metropolitan College of New York431 Canal Street, 12th floorNew York, NY 10013Tel: +1 (212) 965-9940Fax: +1 (212) 965-1268Email: [email protected] Website: www.lsi.edu

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We look forward to seeing you soon!

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