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Admissions

Welcome to the FIU English Language Institute!

When students attend the ELI, they will join a student body that includes undergraduates, graduates, and working professionals from over 48 different countries. Students who attend the ELI usually fall into one of the following categories:

  1. International Students who come to our Institute to study English and then return home to resume their academic or professional careers;
  2. International Students who want to learn or improve their English before applying to Florida International University;
  3. Working professionals who need to improve their English to upgrade their positions;
  4. Professionals who need to improve their English skills to obtain their licenses to practice in the U.S.;
  5. Students who want to learn English or improve their English skills for social reasons

Below, you will find more information about the admissions requirements for our different programs and payment policies.

Registration

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Dates & Fees

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Before You Arrive

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Policies

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Arrive in Miami

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Arrive at FIU

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Admission Requirements

Intensive English Program
International Student (F-1 Applicants)

In order to join the program, an international student must have an F1 student visa.

The first step before applying the visa is requesting an I-20 form from our office.

To request the I-20, students need to complete/submit the following:

1. Complete the Registration Form and include a JPG picture.

2. Submit a bank letter stating the student or the sponsor have a minimum of $13,000 USD in a checking or savings account.

3. Submit a letter of sponsorship if the bank account is not in the student’s name.

4. Pay the $150 USD Application Fee

5. I-20s will be sent electronically and printed by students.

6. (Optional) The FIU ELI can send a physical copy of the I-20 via regular mail at no additional cost. Expedited mailing by private courier is available for a $65 USD Express Mail Fee.

Once all documents and payments are submitted, it will take one to two weeks for the I-20 and acceptance letter to be issued. Under no circumstances should a student come to the University without having received the official Letter of Admission and the I-20 form.

 

International Students Transferring from Another U.S. Institution

In order to join the program, an international student, currently attending a SEVIS authorized school, should transfer in.

Note: If you are “out of status” you can do a “Restart” or apply for a “reinstatement”. Please notify the ELI Registration Office which choice you opt for.

In order to transfer in, you must request a Letter of Acceptance and a Transfer Form from FIU-ELI.

To request both documents, the student should follow these steps:

  1. Complete the Registration Form and include a JPG picture
  2. Submit a copy of your passport
  3. Pay the $150 Application Fee
  4. E-mail the ELI Registration Office at elireg@fiu.edu and confirm your intention to transfer.
  5. The ELI Registration Office will issue you a Letter of Acceptance and a Transfer Form.
  6. Complete Part 1 of the Transfer Form and submit both documents to your current school.
  7. Your current school should complete Part 2 of the Transfer Form and release your I-20 to FIU – ELI.
    School Code: MIA214F00503002

Once your I-20 is released to FIU – ELI, you must submit the following before your I-20 may be issued to you.

Note: You may submit Requirements 8 and 9 when you complete the Registration Form.

  1. Submit a bank letter stating the student or the sponsor have a minimum of $13,000USD
  2. Submit a letter of sponsorship if the bank account is not in the student’s name.

Once the above is completed, your I-20 will be created for you and sent by e-mail.

However, you may obtain it by requesting one of the following alternatives:

  1. Pick-Up in person
  2. Send by Regular Mail
  3. Send by Express Mail ($65 International or $30 Domestic)Once all documents and payments are submitted, it will take one to two weeks for the I-20 and acceptance letter to be issued. Transferring students currently outside of the country should not return to the U.S. until they obtain their new I-20 form.

 

Domestic Students

In order to join the program, as a domestic student, please complete/submit the following:

  1. Complete the Registration Form and include a JPG picture
  2. Pay the $150 USD Application Fee
Intensive English Program - Remote

In order to join the program, please complete/submit the following:

  1. Complete the Registration Form and include a JPG picture
  2. Pay the $150 USD Application Fee
TOEFL® Preparation

To join the TOEFL® Preparation program, students need to:

1. Complete the TOEFL Registration Form.

2. Pay the $50 USD placement test fee.

2. Take the placement test to determine their eligibility for the course. Please note that students must have intermediate or advanced level of English to be eligible for the course.

Community Outreach Program

To join the Community Outreach Program, students need to:

General English

1. Complete the COP Registration Form.

2. Pay the $50USD Application Fee.

3. Attend an orientation session (see dates here).

4. Take the placement test

 

Accent Reduction

1. Complete the COP Registration Form.

2. Pay the $50USD Application Fee.

3. Attend an orientation session (see dates here).

 

Intensive Conversation Program

To join the Intensive Conversation Program, please complete/submit the following:

1. Complete the Registration Form.

2. Pay the $150 USD Application Fee.

3. Take the placement test.

English for You

To join English for You, students need to:

1. Complete the Registration Form.

2. Schedule a placement test.

Payments

Acceptable Payment Methods

All fees must be paid by cashier’s check, money order, Visa, American Express, MasterCard, or Discover. No cash or personal checks are accepted in the ELI Office.

All payments must be payable to Florida International University.

Refunds

For refunds for the Intensive English Program, students must submit a written request for a refund of the course fee to the ELI on or before the fifth day after the program begins. Further details can be found here.

For the exact date by which to request a refund for all other programs, please refer to the specific program page. A complete list of our program pages is available here.

Proof of Payment

All students will receive an email copy of their receipt of payment. Students who pay in person at the ELI Registration Office will receive both an email and physical copy of their receipt.

If you pay online, please submit the following to the ELI Registration Office via email at elireg@fiu.edu:

    • Payment Date
    • Card Holder Name
    • Last Four Digits of the Credit/Debit Card Number
Payment Due Date

Application fee payment is due upon applying. Applications will not be reviewed until the application fee payment and required documents (if applicable) are submitted.

Please refer to the chart below to determine when tuition payment is due for the program you are enrolling in:

Program Name Payment Due
Intensive English Program (In-Person & Remote) Before the placement test (check dates here)
Intensive Conversation Program Before the first day of class (check dates here)
Community Outreach Program Before the first day of assigned classes (check dates here)
TOEFL® Preparation Before the first day of class (check dates here)
English for You Before the first day of class (check dates here)

Notes:

1. Intensive English Program students are not required to pay their tuition in full before coming to the ELI. Full payment is expected before taking the placement test.