A F International School of Languages, Inc.

​1. Application Requirements for ALL Programs

 

a. Submit an application for review.

b. Pay the registration fee.

c. Pay all required fees.

d. Submit all required paperwork to the Admissions Department.

 

Admissions Criteria and Procedures

A F International accepts students with a High School Diploma, General Education Development (GED) or Applicants who have passed the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE). The applicants with high, School Diploma, GED or CHSPE should have reached compulsory age to accept by A F International. The compulsory age is 16 years old and above as defined by the State of California Department of Education.

 

This school does not accept ability-to-benefit students; students must have completed high school in their home country. Applicants must have knowledge of basic English language skills.

 

All applicants must complete the application form and submit it along with applicable fees and a photo Identification (ID) online, in person, or by mail to A F International, P.O. Box 6223, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359- 6223. An acceptable form of ID is a passport, or any U.S. state issued driver’s license or identification card.

 

For students wishing to attend the school as International F-1 students, the Financial Certification Form is required showing ability to pay for education and living expenses of the student and the living expenses of spouse or children, if any, traveling with F-2 (dependent of student) visas. For each session in the ESL 72 program, the estimated total expense is $1,599 (which is the sum of tuition $750, books $49, and living expense $800) for the student and $800 (living expense) per dependent.

 

For an F-1 initial, an F-1 initial Change of Status, or a reinstating student, the Financial Certification fund for the student must cover at least six (6) sessions of the estimated total expense for acceptance. For an F-1 transfer student, released in status, the Certification fund must cover at least 2 sessions of his/her studies at A F International for acceptance. For the transfer student, the Certification fund can be a combination of two or more bank statements illustrating that the amount of money being deposited to the account is sufficient to pay for the tuition of 2 sessions or greater. In such a case, a letter from the student explaining the source of the money is required. Acceptable forms of financial documentation are:

• a personal bank statement,

• an affidavit of support from a sponsor/parent with a bank statement stating the  responsibility for the student’s expenses,

• a letter guaranteeing financial support from the student’s employer, and

• a scholarship letter from the student’s government or other organizations.

 

In addition, depending on their situation, applicants must follow one of the following procedures:

Applying for a Student Visa outside the U.S. (Initial) - Upon obtaining a Form I-20, the student must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee prior to applying for an F-1 visa. Please visit http://www.fmjfee.com for details. The student must then have a visa interview with the local U.S. consulate for an F-1 Visa. For the interview, the student must bring the following:

• SEVIS Form I-20

• evidence of the SEVIS I-901 fee payment,

• a signed passport which must be valid for at least six months,

• a completed Form DS-160,

• Completed Financial Certification.

A F International vouches for student status. We do not provide visa service, travel document or passport services.

 

Transferring with an F-1 visa - The student who already has a non-immigrant F-1 visa and wishes to attend A F International must complete the Notice of Intention to Transfer-In form, which states the student’s intention to-transfer and acceptance to A F International. A F International will fax or mail this form to the school the student is transferring from. However, it is the responsibility of the student to ensure the release of the student’s Form I-20 to A F International by communicating to the Designated School Official (DSO) of the exiting school. Upon the release of the student’s record to A F International in SEVIS, A F International will prepare the Form I-20 for the student. The student should check with the office for the hard copy of Form I-20.

 

Changing Status to F-1 in the U.S. (Initial - Change of Status) – Upon obtaining a Form I-20, the student must file a Form I-539 (available online athttp://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-539.pdf) with USCIS to change from the student’s current non-immigrant status to an F-1 status. The payment of SEVIS I-901 fee is also required.

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Classes Schedule—A F International does not guarantee registration to the classes offered due to the maximum number of students allowed by the school. The registration is based on first come first serve.

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Skipping a Level— A student may skip a level if the student provides the minimum score requirement of an iBT TOEFL or an equivalent test provided by the school.

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Cancellation of Classes: A F International reserves the right to cancel classes at short notice due to insufficient demand, and place the student in appropriate level  courses, which may be fewer hours and/or different classes. F-1 students are not relieved from registration requirement as a full time student regardless of the reason.

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2. Attendance Policy, Probation and Dismissal

Students are considered to be on probation for “poor attendance,” if their cumulative attendance per session falls below 80%. The student receives an attendance probation notice with the third absence. At the fourth absence, the student is dismissed for “Failure to attend”. An F-1 visa student will be terminated in SEVIS for poor academic performance.

 

The student is marked as tardy should he/she miss more than 15 minutes but less than 50% of the scheduled class time due to late arrival or early departure. Three tardies are equivalent to one absence. If the student has an official doctor’s note, we will reconsider the student slated to be terminated for “poor attendance” instead.

 

3. Academic Progress and Grading Policy

For most courses, the final grade for the course is determined by the weighted letter grades of the student’s participation, homework assignments, weekly quizzes and finals.

 

The following grades are used to report the quality of a student's work:

A =      Excellent -           4.0 grade points    (90%-100%)

B =      Good -                 3.0 grade points    (80%-89%)

C =      Satisfactory -        2.0 grade points    (75%-79%)

C- =     Insufficient -          1.5 grade points    (70%-74%)

D =      Unsatisfactory -    1.0 grade points    (60%-69%)

F =      Not passing -          0 grade points     (0%-59%)

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Criteria:

Weekly Quizzes:                     40%

Final and Mid-level Exams:       40%

Assignments:                          20%  

 

A student who withdraws from a course will receive the symbol W” (Withdrawal) for the course, which has no impact on the GPA (Grade Point Average): A minimum of 3.0 cumulative GPA must be maintained. Failure to maintain the minimum will put the student on academic probation.

 

To advance to the next level, students must reach a GPA of 75%, or a letter grade C. A student will be placed on academic probation if s/he fails to receive a passing grade of seventy (75% or a C grade) in any class at the end of the quarter. The student will be sent a written notification of his /her academic probation status, and her/ his student record will reflect that s/he is on academic probation. Being on academic probation means that the student will be required to retake the same class level that s/he failed to pass in the subsequent quarter. If the student passes the class in the next quarter, s/he will no longer be on academic probation. If s/he fails again, s/he will be suspended from the school.

 

Maximum Course Repeats : Students may repeat a course only twice. However, students may repeat the TOEFL iBT preparation class three times to refine their skills to be better prepared for higher education and reach their desired TOEFL score.

 

4. Leave of Absence Policy

To be approved for a vacation, the student must be in status and have paid his tuition. A student is permitted a vacation once per year after successfully completing 12 months of instruction. The vacation may be up to a maximum of 4 weeks duration and the student must return to this institution to continue his studies. For students who are enrolled for shorter periods, it is recommended that they take their vacation after they have completed their studies.

 

F-1 Students who are in status and have completed their studies may remain in the United States legally for up to 60 days after completing their studies. For students wishing to have a break by leaving the country they must be in status and have their tuition paid. They have to provide an explanation as to why they are required to return home and a copy of their airline ticket. A student, if approved, must return within five months. If the student fails to meet this deadline, they will have to reapply for a student visa. Breaks in school are permitted on a case by case basis. Breaks in school in the United States are permitted for medical and emergency reasons only. These breaks must be documented with either a Doctor’s letter or other acceptable evidence of the emergency. These are approved on a case by case basis.

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5. Code of Student Conduct

A F International expects its members to observe traditional canons of scholarly discourse, academic behavior and due process. Students as well as faculty are expected to exhibit the high level of personal integrity which society demands of professionals. A F International insists of the greatest degree of freedom of teaching, learning and expression for all its members; activities which disrupt the regular and essential operation of the A F International are not permitted.

 

We expect every student to act in a mature and responsible way at all times. The following list of unacceptable activities can result in suspension or termination.

• Violation of any of the AFI’s policies or procedures;

• Refusing to follow the teacher’s instructions pertaining to course work while in class and thus disrupting the class;

• Indifference, disrespect, or rudeness towards a fellow student, or AFI employees, whether overt or implied;

• Intentionally or chronically speaking languages other than English during class time;

• Not bringing your textbooks and other necessary materials (i.e. paper, pen or pencil, etc.) to your classes;

• Use of cell phone, lap tops or any other communication devices during class (cell phones must be turned off during class);

• Cheating on exams or possession of the official exams for AFI courses;

• Violation of security or safety rules (Negligence or any careless action that endangers the safety of another person);

• Being intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance while at school except medications prescribed by a physician that does not impair work performance;

• Unauthorized possession of dangerous or illegal firearms, weapons or explosives in school;

• Engaging in criminal conduct or acts of violence, or making threats of violence toward anyone on school premises or when representing AFI, or fighting, or provoking a fight on school property, or negligent damage of property;

• Threatening, intimidating, stalking or coercing fellow students or AFI employees on or off the premises at any time, for any purpose;

• Engaging in an act of sabotage; negligently causing the destruction or damage of school property, or the property of fellow students or employees in any manner;

• Theft or unauthorized possession or removal of school property from the premises without prior permission from management or unauthorized use;

• Immoral conduct or indecency on company property;

• Conducting a lottery or gambling on company premises;

• Use of school telephone, fax, computers, office supplies, or other school properties without approval from the office;

• Smoking in restricted areas or at non-designated times;

• Drinking or eating in classrooms, or any act of creating or contributing to untidy or unsanitary conditions;

• Posting, removing or altering notices on the school premises without the permission from management;

• Soliciting, selling, or collecting funds for any reason on the school premises;

• Bringing pets of any kind to school;

• Viewing contents that are sexually explicit, violent or others that may be found offensive to others on the school premises whether using a computer lab or using the student’s personal computer;

• Downloading any active-X controls or harmful files, or creating or modifying any of the computer files or programs of the school that would affect the computer system;

• Obscene or abusive language - or any act of harassment -toward a fellow student or an AFI employee.

• Please note: AFI has a zero-tolerance policy towards any verbal and physical abuse.

 

6. Force Majeure

A F International is not liable in cases where A F International is unable to fulfill any services or obligations due to any extraordinary event such as a war, a fire, an act of government, an act of terrorism, a natural disaster, labor disputes and other events beyond the control of A F International.

 

7. Computer Use

Computers in the computer lobby are available to all current students with course-related assignments. We offer free wi-fi..

 

8. Policy on Human Rights

A F International will admit any student regardless of their race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national, or ethnic origin providing they have met the requirements for admission. Each student will have a right to participate in all of the school’s programs and activities.

 

9. Non-Immigrant F-1 Student Policy

In addition to the policies stated herein, the F-1 student must comply with the terms and conditions of his/her F -1 visa. The student who fails to meet any of the regulatory requirements set by the U.S. and the school will be “out of status” and “terminated” in SEVIS.

Be sure to comply with these policies:

• Enroll by the 2nd day of every session as a full-time student. (18 hours or more of instruction per week).

• A 10% late fee will be added to the tuition amount if payment is received after the first week of the new session.

• Inform the school within 10 days, for the following changes: home address, contact information, sources of financial support, immigration status, and dependent status.

• Do not engage in unauthorized employment.

• Be sure to have a valid Form I-20. If your Form I-20 is about to expire, report to your student advisor about your intent to extend your program by completing and submitting the I-20 Extension Request Form at least 30 days prior to the expiration date indicated on your Form I-20 and submitting it to your DSO/PDSO.

• Provide the documents requested by the school within 10 days for any filing required by the school for compliance with any regulatory agencies.

If you are a new student, report in person to the school on time and have tuition fully paid in a timely manner for the amount agreed to pay in order to undertake the courses; an initial student must report within 30 days and a transfer student must report within 15 days prior to program start date. The tuition is due for the period and for the program indicated on your application form. The period of stay on the Form I-20 should be consistent as requested on the application form. Partial payments will not be accepted.

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10. Exiting the School Policy (F-1 Students)

To avoid being terminated from SEVIS for failure to enroll, a student who plans to leave the school must complete and submit the Notice of Intention to Exit form 30 days before the last date of attendance. The student’s cumulative attendance and GPA will be reviewed and closed out in SEVIS accordingly.

 

When transferring to another SEVP approved school, the acceptance letter from the school must be submitted together with the Notice of Intention to Exit form; a letter or a form that expresses only intent to transfer is not sufficient.

The student’s record will be released to the school within 7 days of the student’s last day of registration. If the student does not meet the minimum attendance and/or academic requirement, the student will be released “terminated.”

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F-1 Student Guidelines

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F-1 students must observe the following guidelines to maintain their F-1 status.

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General Requirements

• Enroll by the 1st day of each term as a full-time student (18 hours or more of instructions per week).

• Do not engage in unauthorized employment.

• Inform the school within 10 days of the following changes: home address, contact information, sources of financial support, immigration status, and dependent status.

• Be sure to have a valid Form I-20. If your Form I-20 is about to expire, report to your student advisor about your intent to extend your program by completing and submitting the Extension Request Form at least 30 days prior to the expiration date indicated on your Form I-20 and submitting it to your DSO.

• Provide the documents requested by the school within 10 days for any filing required by the school for compliance with any regulatory agencies.

• Tuition is payable on the first day of the session. New students must report in person to the school and fully pay the invoiced amount agreed upon in order to undertake the courses in a timely manner.

 

Exiting the School

To avoid being terminated from SEVIS for failure to enroll, a student who plans to leave the school must complete and submit the 30-Day Notice of Intent to Exit form 30 days prior to the last day of attendance.  When transferring to another SEVP-approved school, the acceptance letter from the school must be submitted together with the 30-Day Notice of Intention to Exit form 30 days prior to the last day of attendance. If the student does not meet the minimum attendance and/or academic requirement, the student will be released in terminated status.

 

Leave of Absence Policy

A student may request a leave of absence or take less than the required course load (less than 18 hours of instruction per week) by completing the Vacation/Drop Below Request form. Leave of absence is for continuing students and cannot be abused to extend the student’s transfer period between schools or stay in the U.S.

A student must meet one of the following three criteria.

• Annual Vacation- A student is eligible for up to 30 days after completing 12 consecutive terms as a full-time student.

• Temporary Absence from the US- A student may be relieved from the registration requirement for the terms where the student’s absence from the U.S. is greater than 6 class days. The absence period will be determined by the plane ticket’s departure and arrival dates, which will later be verified by the student’s Form I-94.

• Medical Leave- A student who needs to take a reduced course load or no course load due to medical reasons must provide an official letter from a licensed physician. A leave of absence due to medical reason(s) cannot exceed 3 terms altogether during the student’s studies.

• Care should be taken to complete the BPPE Enrollment Form before requesting a leave of absence.

 

Traveling Outside the U.S.

A continuing student who has a multiple entry F-1 visa (not the F-1 visa obtained by the change of status in the U.S.), may be allowed to re-enter the U.S. if the following criteria are met:

• The student has a Form I-20 with current information that is signed by the DSO on pages one and three allowing travel outside of the United States.

• The student's visa and passport is valid (not expired) at the time when the student reenters the United States.

• The student returns and resumes his/her studies within four (4) terms.

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