Wonderful! Your first step will be to apply here to be put in contact with one of our Admissions Officers, or email us at info@lado.edu. After you apply, one of our Admissions Officers will contact you to guide you through the F1 (Student) Visa process and will provide you with the necessary forms & directions to apply for a student visa. After you’ve completed the necessary documents, paid the immigration fees, & received your student visa through the US Embassy in your country, you will be able to come to the United States to study!

After you apply and are accepted to LADO International Institute, an Admissions Officer will send you a Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.” The Form I-20 is an important document that you will need to complete the following actions:

• Pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee.
• Apply for a nonimmigrant visa from the U.S. Department of State.
• Seek admission at a port of entry from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
• Change or extend status through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• Apply for student benefits

For more information about the Form I-20 and its uses, visit the What is the Form I-20? page at the US Department of Homeland Security’s website.

A student’s Form I-20 is a document issued by LADO International Institute (or another US Educational Institution) to accept students to the Institute. The I-20 indicates a student’s primary purpose for coming to the United States. A student visa, on the other hand, is a travel document that you must receive from a U.S. consulate or embassy before entering the United States. You must obtain both a Form 1-20 and a Visa before coming to the USA to study. Finally, a student’s status is what a student must maintain after they are granted entrance into the United States. For any F-1 student, that status includes requirements such as maintaining a full course of study and keeping up attendance and grades.

F-1 students may bring their spouses and children under the age of 21 with them to the United States for the duration of their course of study. These family members will be considered dependents of the F-1 student and are therefore granted F-2 visas. These individuals are the only dependent family members eligible for admission into United States under the F-2 nonimmigrant status.

Students must tell their designated school official (DSO) about any dependents they will bring to the United States, as each dependent will need their own Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.”

Dependents are not allowed to work in the United States but under certain circumstances can enroll in school. State education laws may require that minor F-2 dependents (i.e., children under the age of 18) attend the appropriate grade level until a certain age. The elementary or secondary school an F-2 student attends does not need to be Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified.

For more information, please visit the Dependents page at the US Department of Homeland Security’s website.

The definition of a full course of study for an F-1 student enrolled in an English language training program is that the student must attend 18 clock hours of classroom instruction per week. This rule is strictly enforced at LADO International Institute; students who fail to maintain a full course of study will likely have their visas revoked. Students with F-1 status applying to study at LADO must apply to any of the Intensive Programs (Morning, Afternoon, Evening or TEFL Program) in order to fulfill this Department of Homeland Security requirement.

Federal Regulations require all prospective F-1 students to pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee before the U.S. Department of State issues them a visa. The congressionally mandated I-901 SEVIS Fee supports the maintenance and continued modifications of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and other Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) priorities to fulfill its national security mission. The SEVIS FEE is currently $350.00. Unfortunately, as this is not a LADO-related fee, LADO International Institute cannot provide any financial aid or discounts for this cost.

Prospective F-1 students, other than border commuters, may enter the country up to 30 days before their official program start date, as listed on their Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.” Students must report to their school by their program start date. It is recommended that students contact LADO immediately upon entering the country so that there is no question of their arrival.

If a student cannot enter the United States for the term listed on their Form I-20 or if they will be late, the student must immediately contact LADO so that their Form I-20 can be updated to accurately reflect this information.

Students must hand-carry and present the following original documents to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at a U.S. port of entry:

• Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status”
• Passport
• Student visa

Students should also have the contact information of LADO’s designated school official (DSO) available at ports of entry.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) recommends having other documentation readily available to help answer any of the CBP officer’s questions, including proof of financial ability and your acceptance letter to LADO International. If you (a student) are re-entering the United States and have a U.S. driver’s license, Social Security number or employment authorization document, you may want to have those on hand as well.

The Form I-94, “Arrival/Departure Record, ” is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security document issued by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer to nonimmigrants at the time of lawful entry into the United States. The form is evidence of a nonimmigrant’s term of admission and used to document legal status in the United States, including length of stay and departure. In other words, when you arrive at your port of entry in the United States (an airport, a border crossing, etc.), you will be issued a Form 1-94. Keep your Form 1-94 in a safe place!

To find your Form I-94 record and number, visit CBP’s Form I-94 website. For more information, you may also visit the Form I-94 frequently asked questions page on the US Department of Homeland Security’s website.

The U.S. government takes working illegally very seriously. There are very limited work opportunities available in the United States for F-1 students. For this reason, before coming to the United States, F-1 students must prove they have the financial ability (e.g., present bank statements) to pay for tuition and living expenses while studying.

If you want to change the purpose of your visit while in the United States, you must file a request with USCIS before your authorized stay expires. For instance, if you arrived here as a tourist but want to become a student, you must apply to LADO and be accepted, receive the Form I-20, and submit an application to USCIS requesting the change of your nonimmigrant status. Though it is not required, we recommend working with an immigration lawyer to prepare your documents for the Change of Status procedure with USCIS.

You may be able to change your status if:

·         You are maintaining your current status.

·         You are eligible for the new status.

You generally cannot change your status if:

·         Your period of authorized stay has already expired.

·         You have otherwise violated the conditions of your current status.

Restrictions on changing your status:

·         Individuals in J status (such as au pairs) who are subject to the two-year home-country residence requirement cannot change their status to F1, unless a waiver has been requested and approved by USCIS.

·         Persons admitted under the Visa Waiver Program (marked “W/T” or “W/B” on the I-94) cannot change nonimmigrant status.

·         Persons who hold C, D, or K status cannot change nonimmigrant status.

·         A vocational student in M status cannot change to F status.

A B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant cannot enroll in a program of study at a U.S. school. The nonimmigrant must successfully petition U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to change their status to and obtain F-1 student status prior to doing so. Unfortunately, for legal reasons, LADO cannot assist with the process of changing status.

Yes, dependents may change their status while they are in the United States if their purpose for visiting the United States changes. Specifically, if an adult dependent wishes to enroll in a full course of study at LADO, they must successfully petition U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to change their status from F-2 to and obtain F-1 student status.

F1 students can request the transfer of their SEVIS record to LADO after an acceptance letter has been issued. You will be required to apply online here and complete the following payments: $90.00 Registration Fee and one month tuition.

Additionally, in order to transfer to LADO, you will need to submit the following “transfer-in” required documents:

a. Valid Passport

b. F-1 Visa

c. I-94 Form

d. Recent Bank Statement

e. Current I-20

f. International Transfer Form (Please note: LADO has four campuses. Please select the appropriate Transfer Form depending on the campus you are planning to transfer to. If you are applying for online classes, please indicate this in your LADO application.)

F1 students transferring to LADO will have to apply to any of the Intensive Programs (Morning, Afternoon or Evening Program) and start classes in the next session available.

Your F1 Visa (the sticker in your passport) is an entry document; you do not need a valid F Visa to remain in the US or transfer to another school. However, you must continue to maintain your student status, even while transferring — in other words, you must begin classes in the next session available after your transfer.  If you plan to travel outside of the US with an expired visa, you need to apply for a new visa while outside of the US unless your travels qualify for automatic visa revalidation.

It’s simple! Follow these steps to register for classes:

You can upload your documents by doing the following:

a.       In your LADO Student Account online, click on “Applications.”

b.       Click on “Upload your Visa Documents.”

c.       Upload your documents.

*Note: If you are NOT an F-1 student or an Au Pair, you do not need to upload any of these documents.

To register, you just need to fill out our online application here. When you finish the application online, we will email you the placement test anytime before the first day of the program that you would like to join. Once you’ve completed the placement test, a LADO evaluator will place you into the appropriate level for your English skills.

To pay your student balance, you will need to follow these steps:

We are always happy to provide students with a refund. Please learn more about our refund policy here. If you have any questions concerning your refund, please contact us directly at info@lado.edu, and we will do our best to help!

We strongly recommend that you enroll one week before the first day of classes. This will allow you enough time to complete your placement test and submit all necessary information & payments, and it will give us enough time to place you in the correct level for your English skills.

Once you have made the payment for your first class, we will email you the placement test. You will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete this exam. Upon completion of the placement test, we will contact you to schedule the speaking test. You will need to complete this process (both the placement test & speaking test) at least two days before your class begins.

No! The placement exam and speaking exam are both preliminary tests and will not affect any grades or credits you will receive in your course. We simply use the results of your exams to place you into the best level for your English skills.

At LADO Online, we are excited to offer all of our regularly scheduled ESL programs in a face-to-face online format. The following chart shows each program with its schedule, price, and more. Please note that all times displayed are in Eastern Standard Time (New York/Washington, DC, times).  If a full-length ESL program is not what you are looking for, also check out our workshops or TEFL program!

Our program has 10 levels that can take your English from absolute beginner to university-ready. (You can see a brief description of each level here.) After completing level 10, students can choose from a variety of Upper Level Electives (ULEs) to push their English even further. Possible ULEs include TOEFL preparation class, Business English, and more. Before you start taking classes, you will need to take a placement test. Based on the results of the test, a trained LADO Evaluator will place you in the right level for your English abilities. For advanced students whose placement test results score above level 10, going straight into the TOEFL preparation class is a possibility.

Workshops at LADO are like mini-classes for busy students. Our workshops provide you with high-quality education on a single topic in just a few hours, two or three days per week. Each 3-hour workshop is entirely self-contained and changes in topic from week to week, so you can drop in once or repeat the class multiple times and always learn something new.

At LADO Online, we are currently offering 3 different workshops:

Conversation Workshop

Practice, practice and more practice!  In this Conversation Workshop, lively student-driven discussions are presented in the form of a debate. Do you think women and men should be paid equally? Do you think dogs or cats make better pets?  What do you think about space travel? This workshop allows participants to practice conversational skills, learn new vocabulary, and improve their grammar by exploring relevant situations with an organic approach.  Pick a topic. Pick a side.  Win the argument.

Accent Reduction Workshop

Is English your second language? Do people ask you to repeat yourself? Would you like people to pay attention to what you say, instead of how you say it? If the answer to any of the questions above is Yes, our Accent-Reduction Workshop is perfect for you. In this workshop, a native English speaker will help you communicate more fluently and effectively in English by helping you achieve a more neutral accent. In addition, students in this workshop will also be able to develop their listening comprehension skills. Don’t let your accent hold you back – join us and see what a week can do!

Spanish Workshop

If you don’t have the time nor the inclination to follow a standard structured Spanish class but would like to practice your Spanish language skills, our workshop is the right fit for you! In our workshop, students at the intermediate level can improve fluency through lively student-driven debates on current topics of the day. Pick a topic, pick a side, and practice, practice, ¡práctica!

Enroll in one of our online workshops here!

Our Semi-Intensive Programs provide you with all the same great education that you expect from a LADO Intensive class, but at a slightly slower pace. For each Level, you will be in class only four days per week (rather than the Intensive Program’s 5 days), and for only 2.5 hours per day. This gives you almost eight weeks to work on the same material that is usually offered in about four weeks in our Intensive programs. In other words, Semi-Intensive programs are identical in content to Intensive programs, but they move at half the speed. Because they require less time on a daily basis, the semi-intensive programs are the most popular choices for professionals, au pairs, and anyone wanting to learn English at a moderate, steady speed.

Please note: F-1 students are required by law to enroll in an Intensive program; Semi-Intensive programs do not fulfill F-1 visa requirements for full-time student status.

In our TOEFL Preparation Class, a certified LADO teacher will teach you strategies and help you practice to get ready for the TOEFL test (the English test that most international students take to enter American universities, business programs, etc.). Each class focuses on all the different skills needed to succeed in the TOEFL, including reading & writing, listening & speaking, and vocabulary & grammar.

In order to enroll in our TOEFL prep class, you will need to score above Level 10 in our placement exam OR complete Level 10 with LADO’s programs. However, if your English skills are not quite at TOEFL-level yet, don’t worry! All of our advanced ESL programs prepare you for the Academic English you will need for the TOEFL exam. Specifically, each of our upper levels (7-10) give you a chance to focus on the skill groups that are most difficult for you (reading, writing, listening, or speaking). Whichever LADO course you join, you can be sure that it will help you reach your goal of passing the TOEFL exam.

TOEFL (The Test of English as a Foreign Language) is a standardized test that measures the English language ability of non-native speakers. The results of this test are accepted by many English-speaking academic and professional institutions for entrance. TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is a program that certifies people to teach English as a language. If you wish to become an English teacher, you will probably need a TEFL certificate to get a job.

Yes! All LADO online students are welcome to join our virtual English Club, which meets once-per-week on Microsoft Teams. Each meeting is an opportunity for students to practice their English and to learn idioms, casual speech, and new vocabulary in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

For LADO Online classes, all instruction and interaction takes place on Microsoft Teams, a Microsoft application tailored to video meetings, file sharing, and more. Easily communicate with your classmates and teacher using the video, chat or audio messaging features, complete homework and assessments, and keep track of deadlines and schedules using the built-in calendar.

Please click here to download our Students’ Guide and learn more about using Microsoft Teams on your computer, tablet, or phone.

Please click here to download Spanish version of our Students’ Guide

Although it is possible to access Microsoft Teams via a website link, this link will not give you access to all of the features needed to attend LADO classes. Instead, you are required to download this application to your computer to be able to attend classes online.  After you download the App, please go to your email and check your inbox and junk folders to find an email from Microsoft including your username and password. Remember, this will be an email from Microsoft, not from LADO.

After downloading the application and signing in with your username and password, you need to select your class in Teams and join the live class. For example, if you were enrolled in a Level 6 Evening Class (EI) starting on May 11, 2020 (5/11/20), you would click on the following options:

Example: EI L6 5/11/20 (Level 6)  – J P Bangudi (teacher) > Meeting Now > Join

We have a maximum of 14 students and minimum of 3 students per virtual classroom.

Log in to your student account here. To log in, enter your email address and the password that you created when you signed up for the first time. If you forgot your password, click on “Reset Password” and your new password will be emailed to you.

To check your grades or attendance, please follow these steps:

1. Log in to your student account here. To log in, enter your email address and the password that you created when you signed up for the first time. If you forgot your password, click on “Reset Password” and your new password will be emailed to you.

2. After you log in, you should see the main menu on the screen. Please click on “Courses.” Click on the name of your current class, and you will be able to see your grades and attendance at the same time.

Yes, you will need to purchase the book that fits your level before class begins. Like many other ESL programs, we believe that students learn better when they have a clear structure to follow. Unlike other programs, however, LADO’s specialized textbooks have been designed to help you learn English according to the best ESL research available, and revised to fit modern learners’ needs.

For Levels 1-6, students use textbooks developed by Dr. Robert Lado himself, and each book follows a clear path to great proficiency using a blend of grammar, practice, reading & writing, and listening & speaking.

For Levels 7-TOEFL, the NorthStar series of textbooks brings an additional component of technology to class, allowing learners to focus in on more advanced skills with practice in real-life interviews, lectures, and videos.

Regardless of level, teachers also include authentic English examples and fun activities to supplement the textbook and keep learners engaged and enjoying the learning process.

You will need a book that matches the level that you will take. If you are enrolled in levels 1-6, you can purchase your eBook directly from LADO. Unfortunately, LADO is unable to provide physical delivery of hard-copy books at this time. If you are enrolled in levels 7-10, you will need to purchase your book or eBook from a different online platform, such as Amazon, Pearson, or Barnes & Noble.

Yes! All of our students (online or in-person) have access to the entire library of LADO audio files, videos, and additional resources. Simply click here and log in with your email address and LADO Student Account password. Happy studying!

Upon completion of one or more of our LADO classes, you will be awarded CEUs (Continuing Education Units) that work just like college credits. These CEUs can be used to fulfill your J-1 visa requirements, to meet a business’s or program’s professional development requirements, or to display English achievement on your resume. Each program is worth a different number of CEUs, based on the amount of hours spent in class during that program session.

Each program is worth a different number of CEUs (Continuing Education Units) based on the number of hours of classtime you will have completed during one session of that program. In order to earn the full number of credits for the program you take, you must pass the class; a failing grade will result in fewer or zero credits earned. Intensive programs provide between 7.2 (Afternoon & Evening Intensive) and 7.6 CEUs (Morning Intensive) per session. Semi-Intensive programs provide 7.2 CEUs per session. Our Saturday program provides 3.6 CEUs per session.

Credits, or CEUs, are earned based on the amount of time you spend in class during a session. Because the workshops are quite short (only 3 hours), the number of credits earned per workshop is only 0.3 CEUs. However, it is possible to take each workshop an unlimited number of times, if you choose.

Credits are earned based on successful completion of a LADO course. Once you have completed your class with a passing grade, a transcript (an official document from LADO listing your courses, grades, and credits) will be emailed to you.

Once you complete your classes with us, we will issue the certificate to your email account automatically. The certificate will be a formal document that includes the sessions and the number of hours of classes that you have completed at LADO. If you have not received your certificate within 15 days of the last day of class, please email us at info@lado.edu (or tefl@lado.edu for the TEFL program) to request your certificate.

A LADO Certificate is a formal document, similar to a diploma, that includes your name, the sessions you’ve completed, and the number of CEUs you’ve earned at LADO. A LADO Transcript, on the other hand, is a document from your LADO account that includes all of the specific hours and credits (CEUs) that you have completed at LADO. It also includes the grades you’ve earned in each course and the dates of your sessions. While a Certificate is sufficient for many programs and looks nicer when you hang it on your wall, a Transcript is required by most academic programs and for acceptance into an American university. We encourage you to keep both in a safe place after you receive them.

Yes! Educational programs offered by LADO International Institute based in the United States are validated by the Accrediting Commission of the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), a national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. ACCET is the only recognized accrediting agency to be certified in the USA as an ISO 9001-Quality Management System, under the international standards established by the International Organization for Standardization. For more information about ACCET accreditation, please visit http://accet.org/.

Yes! LADO has partnered with some of America’s best universities to provide LADO students with access to more than 600 academic programs. To see a full list of our partner universities, please click here.

There are many benefits to going to LADO if you wish to continue on to a partner  university in the United States! By studying at LADO, you could enjoy:

• A TOEFL and IELTS waiver if you satisfy the LADO requirements
• Special application processing times, enabling you to apply to several universities at a later date than non-LADO students
• Help in preparing your application from a professional LADO advisor
• The best English preparation program possible on your way to university
• Higher likelihood of acceptance to a university program, based on your LADO course performance

To be considered for admittance to a partner university, you will still need to apply to the university directly. However, our partner universities waive the TOEFL/IELTs score requirements to our students if they:

• Have a final grade of at least 85% in levels 9 and 10,
• Receive a recommendation letter from an upper level teacher at LADO, and
• Receive a recommendation letter from a LADO Director.

Additionally, LADO students applying to partner universities may request assistance from a professional LADO advisor when preparing their applications. For more information on LADO’s partner universities, please click here.

TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is teaching English to people who do not speak English as their first language. In the past, this was mostly done abroad. However, the demand for EFL/ESL teachers here in the United States is growing every day, and many American schools now have an ESL department or a specific program to teach English to immigrant students or visitors from other countries. Other acronyms related to TEFL include TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language), and CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults).

LADO’s TEFL Certificate Program is a program that trains you how to become an English-language teacher. Through hands-on experience, education in English grammar & pronunciation, and plenty of practice time in a real ESL classroom, the LADO TEFL program prepares you to lead your own class, in the United States or abroad. Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive the LADO TEFL Certificate, a highly esteemed certification that will allow you to teach at most major ESL institutions both in the United States and abroad.

In all honesty, age has nothing to do with it — seriously! People of all ages, from recent college graduates to those looking to change careers late in life, enroll in our course.

With LADO’s TEFL Certificate, you get 135 hours of instruction and hands-on practice with expert teachers in the field of English-language instruction. Other TEFL programs provide you with a short practicum & send you into the classroom feeling unprepared. At LADO, however, we believe that “practice makes perfect” — which is why our TEFL program gives you at least 13.5 hours of guided teaching with real ESL students. From classroom management strategies to grammar instruction and everything in between, you and your classmates will learn and implement modern ESL teaching strategies — and when you leave, you’ll carry with you one of the most well-respected TEFL certificates on the market.

The application process for the LADO TEFL Certificate program is as easy as a-b-c!

A) Account: Create your student account here to begin the application process!

B) Build: Build your application by submitting all required documents! What is required?

• Three Essays
  • Essay #1: What do you expect from this program? (100-300 words)
  • Essay #2: What are some qualities you feel make a good teacher? (100-300 words)
  • Essay #3: Why do you want to become a teacher of English to Speakers of other Languages? (100-300 words)
• Your most-recent educational credentials
  • A transcript, degree, or diploma from your most recently-completed graduate, undergraduate, or high school program.
• Your resume, including the following:
  • Travel experience (Destinations and Purpose of Travel: Academics, Business, Leisure, Teaching, etc.)
  • Language proficiency (English and Other Languages)
  • TOEFL scores (if not a native English speaker) – This may be replaced by a LADO Placement Test and Speaking Interview, upon request.

All documents should be uploaded to your student account and will be reviewed by a panel of LADO TEFL educators.

C) Come to Class! After your application is reviewed & approved, and we have received your first payment, you’ll be ready to join your first virtual TEFL class! It really is that easy!

As an agent, you will help recruit students from your home country or other countries to study English or earn their TEFL certificate at LADO, and receive financial compensation or incentives in return. For most businesses, partnering with LADO is a great opportunity to expand into new areas and reach new markets. What’s even better, though, is that you can help students around the world to achieve their language dreams at the same time. For over 40 years, more than 150,000 students have experienced the LADO difference – become part of our story today! Learn more here.