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Anyone know of a Chicago area school that offers inexpensive English classes & issues I-20 visas? No housing needed.

... in response to English school in Chicago?, posted by Landover on Apr 26, 2003

There are plenty of universities in Chicago.  Almost all of them will have a foreign language institute that also teaches English as a second language.  They will be authorized to issue I-20's for the F-1 student visa. Check them out.  Some will be expensive, others not.

I tried this route a few years ago.  It is possible, and perhaps probable depending on the country, for the US consulate abroad will deny the visa request.  An immigration lawyer might be able to help put together a strong presentation for your lady friend.

... in response to Re: English school in Chicago?, posted by Brazilophile on Apr 27, 2003

Those ESL courses are for people who are already here who want to pick up some English....nothing wrong with that, but they do NOT qualify one to enter the US on a student visa. The catch-22 on a student visa is that the student must be a legitimate student and qualify for admission to a particular US school which is authorized to isuse I-20 (although many are, some are not). You can't just enroll some H.S. dropout with no English in just any old US college and expect a visa....she will have to document an 'accedemic career' (maybe that's not the exact words they used when they explained it to me, but that's what it boiled down to), and pass a standardized English proficiency exam (TOFEL, I think it's called) in her home country, only then can she even apply to the US school. (Note: She won't have to pass the English test IF her intent is to study ONLY English at a school that SPECIALIZES in (or at least has a department devoted to) teaching English as a foreign language, the community college type ESL classes do NOT qualify under this rule.  Even if studying only English, she will still have to meet all the other requirements). Then, she will need to prove up that she has enough money (with bank statements etc.) to support herself for at least a year in the school's study plan (including all school fees and living expenses, at least $11,000US, plus what ever the school fees are, cash money on deposit in a legetimate bank) or, lacking the cash up front, have an I-864 (I think that's the number, the affidavit of support) filed on her behalf by a US citizen relative (boy friends don't count). I don't know about you guys, but I think that if I knew a lady well enough to trust her with $11,000, I'd know her well enough to sponsor her for a K-1, conversly, if she already has $11,000 of her own money in the bank, she probably already qualifies for a tourist visa.

No offense, but your honey isn't going to get a student visa just for being your honey--that's what the K-1 visa is for.

How do I know so much about student visas? Well, my lady has a daughter, 24yo, too old to qualify as ker K-2 dependent. We would like to bring the daughter up too, so I looked into it. Lucky for us, the daughter already has a master's degree (Industrial Engineer) and is currently working toward her PhD in the same field, so she qualifies as a legit student and there are three qualified schools here (Dallas) willing to admit her to their 'Intensive English' programs and one of them will (another won't, I didn't aske the third, after I heard their tution prices) accept an I-864 (based on the fact that she will be living with her mother and me and will be my step daughter) instead of proving $11,000 on hand before she starts.

The schools DO have some leaway in what they base the I-20 on, but it's in their best interest (particulary since 9/11) to not isuse them to every Tom , Dick and Harry (or in this case, Sevlandia, Ilko and Maria) who wants one, because too many washouts, overstays and 'just disappeared' from YOUR school jepordizes their standing with BICS and could loose them their right to isuse future I-20's. Suppossedly, BCIS is now watching the student visa 'loophole' with an eagle eye and an iron fist since their great embarassment in the aftermath of 9/11, and schools that used to say "sure, why not, we get nice buck$ out of it whether the 'student' actually attends classes or not" aren't nearly so easy going anymore.

On the whole, attempting to get your lady a student visa is a bad idea---yes, there are a LOT of foreign students in the US, but notice that 95% of them come from wealthy families and the other 5% have either their government or their employeer backing them and all of them (granted, some better than others), except those enrolled in the English schools, already understand English.

... in response to ESL and student visas, posted by Michael B on Apr 27, 2003

Her English only class at a community college will or will not require a Toefl score? Thanks.  Michael- never met a person from Texas I didn't like.

... in response to Re: ESL and student visas, posted by Landover on May 4, 2003

They require she take the test so that they know what level to start her at, but even if she scores 0 she STILL gets admitted. Remember now, there are two kinds of classes, ESL=informal, usualy no college credit, does not qualify for visa and 'Intensive', or some similar name the the school chooses to use=qualifies for the visa, usualy gives college credits as well. Most community colleges only offer the ESL, but a few offer both.

BTW, I'm not really from Texas, I'm just a poor dumb Okie who came down here a few years ago to steal a job ;-).

... in response to ESL and student visas, posted by Michael B on Apr 27, 2003

Landover,

Sorry for being so vague in my response to your query that Mike B. felt he knew what I was referring to.

Schools that offer full-time language instruction and are accredited can be authorized by the INS to issue I-20 formd that enable prosepective students to apply for the F-1 visa.  Rather than listen to me or anyone else get the relevant information directly from such schools.  The one I used was the American Language Academy.  It houses its schools on college campuses around the US.  Their website is www.ala-usa.com.  They are accredited to issue the I-20 form and have information on the requirements for a student visa.

... in response to Re: ESL and student visas, posted by Brazilophile on Apr 27, 2003

I knew what you were refering to, didn't you see the part where I said: "She won't have to pass the English test IF her intent is to study ONLY English at a school that SPECIALIZES in (or at least has a department devoted to) teaching English as a foreign language."? And I don't have a problem with that kind of school nor people who study at them. However, she still needs to convince the BCIS that she's got enough money to support herself while she completes their course, and then SOMEBODY is going to have to actualy pay for it---at ALA even their 4 week course is over 2 grand (including room and board, which the orginal poster said wasn't needed, but ALA doesn't seem to offer that as an option on their web site). The orginal poster specificly asked for 'offers INEXPENSIVE English classes & issues I-20 visas'---and there aint no such animal.---they either aren't certified to isuse the I-20, or they aren't cheap or they require legetimate student credentials and at least a semester (usualy two semesters) commitment. So in the end, once again, the student visa is just not a viable substitute for a K-1 or tourist visa when "I don't want to (or can't because we haven't met in person) spring for the K-1 just yet and she can't qualify for a tourist visa", which is the case 99 and 64/100% of the time somebody on this board asks about it, isn't it Landover?...nice try though, show's you're thinking--I'm not putting you down, nor trying to argue with Brazilophile, just telling you it won't work, at least it won't 99 and 64/100%, since Brazilophile says he's actualy done it and I'm cretainly not intending to call him a liar, but his case is definetly an exception. But by all means, ask several schools directly, can't hurt to get the information first hand, and you may find a school that you like that can't isuse the I-20 but (if things work out for you and the lady) would be the right one for her after you get her here. Good Luck.