ApplyESL.com is operated by DISCO International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of Tokyo-based DISCO Inc. Established in 1989, DISCO International Inc. is a human resources firm specializing in providing a wide range of information regarding Japanese-English bilingual job recruitment. DISCO International, Inc. is engaged in a wide range of business and international education and manages the largest Japanese-English bilingual job fair, known as Boston Career Forum. Additional job fairs are held annually in Los Angeles, New York, London and Tokyo. In addition to Career Forum, the company runs CFN (CareerForum.net), the premier website for Japanese-English bilingual job candidates.

Students interested in attending an English program can research, identify and apply online directly to the school of their choosing at ApplyESL.com. Through our website, you can send your online application safely and quickly to over 200 schools and choose from over 300 listed courses. Furthermore, you can make an informed decision about your school by accessing ApplyESL.com's exclusive information about schools including school rankings, student reviews and comments from those students who have applied before you. With this information in hand, you can submit your application to study abroad on your own.

ApplyESL.com's free online application service was designed to provide students who want to attend English programs overseas with the opportunity to apply to the schools they choose on their own. ApplyESL.com supports its users by providing accurate and updated information at all steps in the application process.

ApplyESL.com is a school search and application website for students who want to fully complete the application process on their own. In addition to basic information about each individual school, the website provides other support and guidance such as school rankings, advice and substantive reviews of schools by former students who chose them. ApplyESL.com does not collect service fees in exchange for counseling and assistance with admissions and visa processing. Since all applications are sent directly to the school from the student, without any interference from agents, ApplyESL.com does not charge any service fees.

The use of ApplyESL.com resources and services is free-of-charge.

Your online application, submitted through ApplyESL.com, is emailed directly to the admissions office responsible for handling student applications at your school. The school contacts the applicant directly and all communication and correspondence pre-arrival is in English between the student and the school.

Online applications are easy to understand and can be submitted by anyone in a fast and efficient manner. ApplyESL.com's online application system will not send your application until it is complete saving the applicant and school the time correcting any mistakes. Students can be confident as the ApplyESL.com staff tracks and confirms all applications sent to schools.

Although most schools view both online and mailed applications equally, admissions offices, which now use computer databases to track students, tend to prefer those applications sent online as they are easier to process. By receiving applications quickly by e-mail, the time required to process student paperwork is reduced. Also, unlike traditional applications, online applications tend to be easier to read.

A confirmation e-mail is sent to you immediately once your school's admissions office has received your application. Generally, schools begin processing student applications within 72 hours of their submission through ApplyESL.com.

Your online application is sent directly by e-mail to the individual responsible for handling student applications at your school. Your personal information is clearly presented to the school's admissions office in a standard format which can be viewed and printed out easily in multiple formats.

Once you submit your application online, wait until you receive an e-mail response from your school's admissions office. In their reply, the admissions office will include information they need from you to complete the application process. Follow your school's instructions carefully regarding the fees you will need to pay and additional documents required for admission into their program.

If you want to cancel your application, be sure to contact your school's admissions office as soon as possible by telephone, e-mail or fax explaining your intent. Also explain that you will write and send an official letter of cancellation as soon as possible. Be sure to contact the same person who initially responded to your application. Keep in mind that letters can be sent abroad in only a few days with express mail service. When informing your school of your cancellation decision, provide the admissions office with your full name, enrollment identification number, the date you applied to the program and the course starting date. In most cases of cancellation, your application fee and housing deposit will not be refundable. Be sure to ask your school about its refund policies if you have already paid your tuition and other fees.

Some schools, especially university-based English programs, have an application deadline and stop receiving student applications after a specific date. Before applying to an English program, realistically consider all the necessary steps that will be required to process your application in terms of obtaining your student visa, sending your financial statement and, if you do not already have one, applying for a passport. Since it can take up to four weeks to process all the required documents, we strongly suggest you apply at least 8 to 10 weeks prior to the starting date of your English course.

You do not need to pay an additional application fee if the two courses you are considering are offered at the same school. ApplyESL.com advises all students to apply to only one course at your chosen school. Once you arrive at your school, if your visa allows, you may be permitted to extend the length of your study or change your course. If the two different courses you wish to apply to are at two separate schools, you will be required to pay a separate application fee for each school's course.

No, you do not need to have your own credit card to pay your school's application fee. However, if you must use the credit card of your family member, relative or close friend, be sure to ask permission prior to using their card to pay your program's application fee to avoid any misunderstanding later on.

If you need to make corrections to your application after submitting it online, simply contact your school's admissions office as soon as possible either by e-mail, telephone or fax. When contacting your school, be sure to contact the person who responded to your application initially and provide them with your full name, enrollment identification number, the date you applied and the course starting date so that you can receive a prompt response to your request. Make sure to clearly state the mistake on your application and explain the correction that needs to be made.

Yes, you can complete the application process on your own. Even for those with little English ability with the resources available on the Internet, it is easy to find information and opinions of other students who studied at the school you might be considering. As long as you pay careful attention to details, follow all the instructions given to you from the school and give enough time to the admissions office to process your application, you should be able do to everything yourself. The application process is especially easy compared to applying for undergraduate and graduate programs.

A basic level of English and some knowledge of the steps necessary should be sufficient to complete the application process by yourself. Most programs to which students apply request similar information from applicants. You should familiarize yourself with important English terms associated with the application process and, if you encounter any confusion, consult a dictionary, ask friends or reference the information at ApplyESL.com to help you understand.

You must contact your school's admissions office immediately by e-mail, telephone, or fax if you need to change your course. When contacting the admissions office, be sure to provide your full name, your enrollment identification number, the date you applied to the school's program and the course starting date in order for the office to help you. Once the course change request has been received, you should be sent a revised invoice and enrollment confirmation reflecting the new course. Be sure to check after you receive the new invoice whether you need to send additional money or if you might be due a refund. Refund policies differ at each school so make sure you check with the admissions office and be patient as most refund issues take some time. Most schools require that full payment be made for your requested course prior to your first class, so make sure you take care of this before you arrive. Also, make sure you inform the school of your housing arrangements prior to arriving. In particular, remember to contact the school if there are any changes to your arrival details or if you have any special requests for your host family. As your hosts will be important to you during your stay, be sure to make all arrangements well ahead of time so you can make a good first impression.

When contacting your school, be as detailed as possible by providing your full name, enrollment identification number, the date you applied to the school's program and the course starting date you requested. It is important to state any questions that you have as clearly and simply as possible. In the event that you do not immediately receive a response from the admissions office, do not be frustrated. Simply resend your email again to the admissions office with your questions.

Admissions offices receive many inquiries from around the world everyday. Be patient if you do not receive an immediate response from your school after making an inquiry. Use the contact information provided in your correspondence, get in touch with your school's admissions office either by e-mail, telephone or fax and clearly state your full name, enrollment identification number, the date you applied to the program and the course starting date. Explain to the admissions office that you made an inquiry and have not yet received a response.

It is important to contact your school by e-mail if you have not yet received a response after submitting your required documents. You must receive your acceptance letter verifying your spot in the program in order to have your student visa issued. When contacting the admissions office either by e-mail, telephone or fax, be sure to mention essential information such as your full name, enrollment identification number, the date you applied to the program through ApplyESL.com, the course starting date, the date you sent the required documents to the school and which documents you sent. Be sure to let the admissions office know by when you need the acceptance letter in order to obtain your student visa. If you need such documents in less than a week, make sure to request the school send the documents by Express Mail so you will receive them in time. Keep in mind that admissions offices are often closed during National Holidays and this can cause a delay in processing.

You can pay the school's application fee with any major credit card (VISA, MasterCard or American Express) after filling out the ApplyESL.com online application form. If the credit card payment option is not available on your application form, you could be asked by the school to pay your application fee via wire transfer or check later on in order for your program to begin processing your application. Be sure to follow the payment instructions given to you by the school.

While your application is being processed, your school may request a tuition deposit in order to confirm your attendance for the upcoming English course. The tuition deposit, which is separate from your application fee, should be paid before you arrive at the school. It is the first payment of your total tuition costs and, depending on the school, can be paid by all major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard or American Express), wire transfer or check. The tuition deposit amount varies among schools. Please wait until further instructions are provided by your school's admissions office.

The amount of money needed to be shown on the requested financial statement varies both by the school and by the course, therefore it is very important that you pay careful attention to your school's requests and follow their specific instructions. Generally speaking, schools require prospective students to show sufficient funds for all living and tuition expenses during their time studying at the school.

If you are providing a financial statement other than your own (parent, spouse, etc.) to your school's admissions office, you must additionally submit a letter from your sponsor bearing that person's original signature. It is important that you send your sponsor letter and information along with the additional documentation required by your school's admissions office in order to be admitted to the program.

If you are required to submit letters of recommendation for admission into your particular program, the strongest candidates to write these letters for you would be those who are most familiar with you either in your academic or working environment. Teachers, college professors, employers or colleagues, rather than friends or family members, tend to provide schools with unbiased remarks that reflect your personality and academic or work-related achievements. Recommendation letters should be about 1 to 2 pages long and include remarks concerning your character as a student or worker, your good qualities as an individual and the strengths you will bring to the school as a student attending their program.

Many schools do not accept copies as official forms of documentation. In order to speed up application processing, schools might accept a copy at first and then request the original document by mail later. Contact your school's admissions office directly to discuss the school's preference in terms of receiving required documents and make sure to allow sufficient time to send originals documents if necessary.

Yes, you should be able to extend your study period at the school once you complete your program, if your attendance is acceptable and the school feels your English language ability has sufficiently improved during the course of your studies. Many students choose to extend their stay once they begin their program. Please be sure to ask the school directly about their program's policies after you arrive.

Transferring to another school is not hard if you follow the steps correctly. When transferring to another school, it is essential that you inform your current school and contact your new school's admissions office to educate yourself about their transferring terms and conditions. Follow the instructions given to you by your new program's student advisor carefully and provide all the necessary information required to begin processing your transfer. If you are a student already studying in the United States and wish to transfer, be sure to clarify your current visa status and be prepared to provide your new program's admissions office with all the documents required.

If you are planning, for example, to enroll at a university after you first complete an ESL program, you might be issued two separate I-20 forms. When you visit the American Embassy or Consulate to begin processing your student visa, you must submit the I-20 form for the program that you will attend first, so in this case you would submit the I-20 issued to you from the ESL program only. If you possess the university degree program's acceptance letter, be sure to present this so the visa official is aware of your plan to continue your studies beyond your initial ESL course.

Just because you have a valid student visa does not necessarily mean that you are allowed to stay in the United States for the entire period allowed by it. The length of your student visa and the number of days you can stay in the country may be different. Your student visa is the document you need in order to enter the country and the I-20 document provided to you by the school will note the specific period of time you are allowed to stay. When a student visa has expired, a full-time student in status may stay legally in the United States as long as they possess a valid I-20 document. If you successfully complete your course and your student visa is valid, you may stay in the United States legally for 60 days, but unless you extend your study program, you must return to your country after that.

In general, no, you cannot change your non-student visa while in the United States. In order to change another visa to an F-1 Student Visa, you must be a full-time student and have the school issue an I-20 form. With the I-20 form in-hand, usually students leave the United States and go to the nearest American Embassy or Consulate in their home country to be issued a valid F-1 Student Visa. With the newly issued visa, students can re-enter the United States for study. Ask your school representative for more information.