Policy

Admissions Policy

DreamIT ESL, Inc. accepts all qualified applicants for admission, both from the United States and worldwide. Candidates must demonstrate that they have an interest in learning ESL and an ability to successfully complete the requirements for the course of study that they wish to enroll in, and their eligibility to study in the United States. DreamIT ESL, Inc. is an equal opportunity organization which does not discriminate for any reason including but not limited to race, creed, color, gender, nation of origin, age, or disability.

Enrollment Criteria

For Students in U.S. (Non I-20):

Non I-20 students who wish to attend ESL courses at our institution must follow these specific steps:

• Fill out and submit an enrollment agreement form (NOTE: Full tuition must be paid when an applicant applies to the program)
• Submit the following documents
  • Copy of Identification—e.g., passport, driver’s license, or state ID
  • Copy of highest diploma or transcript
• Take the necessary placement examinations.
• Sign an enrollment agreement form and pay all of the required fees.
• Attend new student orientation and receive a student handbook.
• Begin studies.

F-1 International Transfer Students:

F-1 International Students already staying in the U.S. who are transferring from another school will receive a transfer I-20 form as part of the application process. In order to successfully transfer your I-20, you will be required to submit the following documents to DreamIT ESL:

• Copy of a valid passport at least within the last six months
• Copy of F-1 Visa, I-94 (Front and Back) and copy of first and last I-20
• Copy of highest diploma or transcript
• Original bank statement for no more than 60 days old (Bank statements must show at least $15,000(USD) to maintain the F-1 status).

*** All documents must be in English. ***

If you plan on traveling outside of the U.S. during the break between the last quarter at your previous institution and the start of classes at DreamIT ESL, you must re-enter the U.S. with an I-20 form issued from DreamIT ESL Also, please ensure that your I-20 is signed by one of the DreamIT ESL’s DSOs (Designated School Officials) to re-enter the country.

For Initial Students (Outside of the US):

If you live outside of the U.S., and wish to attend school in the U.S. as an F-1 student, please follow process described below:

• Fill out and submit an application form and pay all of the required fees. There is a $100, non-refundable application fee. Full tuition must be submitted when an applicant applies to DreamIT ESL
• Submit the following necessary documents: o Copy of passport valid for a remainder of at least 6 months
  • Copy of highest diploma or transcript
  • Bank statement no more than 60 days old. (Bank statements must show at least $15,000 (USD and an additional $3,500 per dependent) for a one year I-20
• Receive Form I-20 and Acceptance Letter from an institute
• Pay I-901 fee to SEVIS and receive a fee receipt
• Apply for the student Visa and schedule an appointment. Once your F-1 Student Visa is approved and you enter the U.S., you must report to the school
• Take a Placement Test
• Attend Student Orientation.
• Register and pay for classes
• Begin your classes at DreamIT ESL

Placement Test

Initial student placement is determined by a standardized placement test by Oxford University Press consisting of questions that will test the skills for reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students will take a placement test during the Orientation week. DreamIT ESL, Inc. uses Online Oxford Testing.

The Academic Coordinator will work with the Agent and student to determine the best program for his or her English language goals. Consideration of student goals is of paramount importance to DreamIT ESL, Inc.

During the first few days of classes, faculty members are encouraged to informally assess the students. If the faculty member feels that a student is misplaced, s/he should address the concern to the academic coordinator. Similarly, students are also encouraged to express their concerns regarding the level of class difficulties to the academic coordinator if it occurs.

After being informed by either student or faculty members, the academic coordinator performs some investigation through the review of placement scores for both Oxford Online Test and Speaking test. Then, the academic coordinator will communicate with both the student and faculty regarding any changes.

Depending on the recommendation, a student may have another class to move into, or if no such class is available or convenient to the student, a refund can be issued in accordance with the enrollment agreement.

Registration

First time registrants are required to attend the new student orientation, which will review all registration processes and policies. During the orientation, students will also meet with an Agent to thoroughly review the process of entering the United States for the purpose of study and how best to study. An introduction to living in the United States and places of importance in the surrounding areas are also discussed if desired. Students should register for classes as soon as they are eligible to do so before classes get full. Following an advice session with each student, a placement exam is given. It will be graded by a qualified person on staff and placement will be determined.

Students with Disabilities

DreamIT ESL, Inc.’s campus is handicapped accessible. DreamIT ESL, Inc. is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all members of the DreamIT ESL, Inc. community. Please discuss any need for accommodation with your agent.

Academic Standards and Policies for DreamIT ESL, Inc. Students

• Report
  Report to the DreamIT ESL, Inc. student Agent as soon as possible.
• Review Documents Proving Eligibility to Study in the U.S.
  Students without U.S. citizenship may require proof of eligibility to enroll and study in the United States. DreamIT ESL, Inc. does not currently offer I-20s for international students.
• Address Validation
  The student must notify the institution when he/she changes contact information—mailing address, phone number, email address, etc.
• Attendance Policy
  All students must strictly follow attendance policies. Students must maintain 80% of attendance during their course. Attendance is considered for every class and each course. Consequences of students who have incurred excessive absences are as follows:
  Warnings and Disciplinary Actions
  
  Warnings and Disciplinary Actions Attendance Notification:
  A student is informed through email, to report to the Academic Coordinator in order to provide an explanation for his/her excessive absence. If a student’s reason for absence is for health reason/s then the student must provide a medical letter. If a student has other reasons, then he/she will be advised to adhere to attendance policies and that improvement is expected. This meeting information is recorded in the student’s personal file.
  
  First Warning Letter:
  First Warning letter is issued if the student misses classes from the time verbal warning on perfect attendance took effect. The student will be asked to report to the Academic Coordinator and provide an explanation for his/ her excessive absences. Only properly documented medical reasons may be accepted as justification for nonadherence to attendance policies. If a student’s reason for absence is related to health reason/s then the student is given the chance to provide relevant medical letters. If a student has other reasons, then he/she will be asked to adhere to attendance policies and advised that improvement is expected. The first warning letter is kept in the student’s personal file.
  
  Second Warning Letter:
  A second warning is issued if the student continues to disregard attendance requirements from the time the first warning took into effect. A written warning notice is issued to the student. Students who are issued a second warning will be informed through email, to report to the Academic Coordinator and provide an explanation for his/ her excessive absences. If a student’s reason for absence is related to health reason/s then the student is given the chance to provide relevant medical letters.
  
  If the student can not present a valid document, then he/she is placed on attendance probation. The student is required to sign the attendance probation agreement. The second warning letter and attendance probation agreement are kept in the student’s personal file.
  
  Attendance Probation:
  When a student is placed on attendance probation, the student agrees not to miss any class as indicated in the attendance probation agreement. If the student is absent while on probation, he/she will be informed through email and asked to report immediately to the Academic Coordinator. Upon reporting to school, the student will be given the chance to explain why he/she is missing classes during this time. If the reason is not medical or there is no other valid excuse the student is informed that he/she is subject to termination or dismissal from school. This information is recorded in the student’s personal file.
  
  Termination or Dismissal:
  Once a termination or dismissal letter is issued, the student is informed that he/she can no longer attend classes at DreamIT ESL and that he/she must find another school. The termination or dismissal letter is kept in the student’s personal file.
• Grading and Grading System
  DreamIT ESL, Inc. classes are non-credit courses. Either a letter grade or status report is assigned each quarter for every course for which a student is registered following the second week of classes. The term “letter grade” refers to A through F and in certain circumstances to INC or W.

Letter Grade	Quality of Achievement	Percent Grade	G.P.A.
A+	Excellent	97-100	4.0
A		93-96	3.7
A-		90-92	3.3
B+	Good	87-89	3.0
B		83-86	2.7
B-		80-82	2.3
C+		77-79	2.0
C		73-76	1.7
C-		70-72	1.3
D+	Low	67-69	1.0
D		63-66	0.7
D-		60-62	0.0
F	Fail	Less < 60	0.0
INC	Incomplete	---	---
W	Withdrawal	---	---

• Course Progression
  Students must achieve a minimum passing final grade of C or higher. For every course, students must pass each class and maintain an average of C or higher in order to progress to the next level. For the students who do not enroll in a full course (216 hours), the students must pass the class and maintain an average of C or higher in order to continue to the other part(s) of the curriculum. Students will not be permitted to move to the next level nor the other part (s) of the curriculum until they receive a passing grade at their current level/ course. The final grade is determined by the following:
  • 30% Quizzes and Assignment
  • 30% Midterm Exam
  • 40% Final Exam
  If the students do not meet the class advancement policy stated, students are required to repeat the same courses. However, the students are only allowed to repeat the same courses twice.
• Admittance into Existing Classes for New Students
  The following procedures are in place for admitting students into classes after the start of the term:
  
  New Students to the Program
  Students are given a complete overview of the enrollment and registration process. Agents review an enrollment agreement with each student. The enrollment agreement contains information relevant to registration, hours of school operation, cost of the program, course schedule, attendance policy, leave of absence, withdrawal policies, program completion and program refunds, if necessary. This document also contains a grading system for the school. If the student has very limited English language skills, the school attempts to provide a person who can clearly explain the process in their native language. Students are admitted into existing classes after they have taken a placement exam to determine their level. Following the testing, the administrative staff carefully assess the test results and then meet with each new student. The school will only admit a student into an existing class if there is room for the student. Students are provided with a brief introduction to the class, written materials which outline the course goals and expected learning outcomes. Student advisors and faculty make sure a clear description of what is expected of each student in order to progress in the program is explained. When the student is admitted to the existing classes, an academic coordinator and the faculty member work very closely together with students in order to ensure the smooth transition. Students can not join the class after 2 weeks of the class start date. Students can ask to join the class later than 2 weeks but no later than 4 weeks with the permission from the ESL director and the academic coordinator.
  
  Level Changes
  When the students are placed in the class based on their level placement scores, some students might find the class content too difficult or too easy for them during the first week of class. In order to provide the best learning experiences to students, DreamIT ESL, Inc. allows students to change their classes within the first week so that students can fully benefit from the appropriate content provided to them. First, the student needs to request the level change with the academic coordinator. Then, the academic coordinator will review students' performance in the current class through the revision of the student's grade and discussion with the faculty. The final decision comes from the academic coordinator. Once the request is approved, the student will transition to the new level.
  
  In both cases, the faculty closely monitors the student’s progress for the first few weeks to make sure they are properly placed and receive necessary support. Special attention will be paid to monitoring significant progress and accomplishment. If there seems to be gaps, special extra help sessions are scheduled until the student shows mastery of the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and is achieving at least a C- grade. Every effort is made to ensure that the curriculum in each level is delivered sequentially. Once again, formalized notes of each meeting are placed in the student’s file and a formalized report is also attached to the final report. The school has seen very little placement changes for students that enter after the start of the semester. This is attributed to a strong, reliable Placement test that aligns perfectly with the curriculum and SLOs. Students wishing to come into the program, after the start date, are only accepted on a limited basis and only if there is an opening in a class appropriate for their level.
• Completion
  Students are considered to have completed the program after successfully passing the Advanced II course that meets the student’s personal goals.
• Leave of Absence
  Any student may request a Leave of Absence for up to 30 days. This request must be made in writing and submitted to the Academic Director for approval prior to the beginning of the leave. The Academic Director will grant the leave if the reason is found to be valid. Examples of valid reasons for taking a Leave of Absence include situations such as a severe illness, injury, or other personal emergency. Vacations are not valid reasons for a Leave of Absence. Only one leave of absence may be granted to a student in any 12-month period, not a calendar year.
• Academic Probation
  Any student who is absent more than 20 percent of the total number of hours offered during each marking period of the student’s program, excluding an approved leave of absence, or who has not maintained a cumulative G.P.A of 2.0, will be placed on academic probation. The probationary period is one quarter. The school shall dismiss any student who at the end of the academic probation period fails to raise his or her cumulative G.P.A. to 2.0 or higher, or who fails to maintain attendance for at least 80 percent of the instructional hours offered during the probationary period. In order to avoid academic difficulties, students are encouraged to seek out extra help during teacher’s office hours when necessary; faculty will provide clarification in both oral and written formats as needed.
• Readmission
  Any student who has withdrawn from the school and desires re-admittance must sign a new enrollment agreement for the hours remaining to complete the program. The student will be retested to determine their level of proficiency. Any tuition due to the school will be determined and payment must be arranged before readmittance. Students will be charged at the hourly rate for the hours that they need to complete the program. Students will be permitted to re-enter at the discretion of the Academic Director and after a review of their academic records. A student requesting re-admittance after failing to maintain satisfactory progress will not be admitted for one grading period. If reinstated as a regular student, he or she will be placed on academic probation until at least the following grading period.
• Field Trip Policy
  DreamIT ESL, Inc. recognizes the importance of social and recreational activities for language learners to develop not only their language proficiency but also cultural understanding. Therefore, the institution provides many interesting opportunities for students to join in a variety of activities throughout the year. Faculty must submit a field trip request form to the academic coordinator. Once the request is approved, then the faculty needs to communicate with the students about the safety measures with the students.
  
  Faculty and students are required to have mutual understanding of the safety measures that are put in place for the field trip. Students and faculty must sign an agreement form indicating that they understand and are aware of the procedures in case there is an emergency during the field trips.

Student Conduct and Dismissal

Each student has a responsibility to uphold the standards of the community and to take action when others violate them. Instructors and Agents have an obligation to educate students in keeping with the standards of student conduct and dismissal to report violations of these standards.

Students are responsible for knowing what the standards are and for adhering to them. Students should also bring any violations of which they are aware to the attention of their instructors. Student conduct expectations include strict adherence to academic integrity policies.

Violations of student conduct and dismissal include:

• copying from or giving assistance to others on an examination;
• plagiarizing portions of an assignment;
• using forbidden material on an examination;
• using a purchased quarter paper;
• presenting the work of another as one's own;
• altering a graded examination for the purposes of re-grading.

Faculty who believe that violations have occurred will immediately contact the Academic Director. Students who suspect that other students are involved in actions of academic dishonesty should speak to the instructor of the course. The first violation will result in the student receiving an "F" on the assignment or test in question. The "F" will be averaged in the course to yield the final grade. The second violation will result in an automatic failure for the course. Students must apply to the Academic Director for readmission.