Student Admissions Requirements

Requirements for All Students

• Registration fee.
• Placement test.
• Tuition payment (For more information, contact us; a Student Service Representative will provide more details.)

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Requirements for Students Applying for F-1 Visa

• Completed Zoni Student Application.
• Passport (copy) (valid for at least 6 months).
• Personal bank statement.
• If the student has a sponsor, the sponsor needs to provide the following:
  • Bank statement and/or bank letter.
  • Sponsor’s personal letter or statement of ensuring financial support to student (the Sponsor’s Personal Affirmation of Financial Responsibility).
• Placement test.
• Registration fee.
• Tuition payment.
• SEVIS fee.

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Requirements for F1 Students to Transfer to Zoni Language Centers

• Completed Zoni Student Application.
• Passport (copy) (valid for at least 6 months).
• Personal bank statement.
• F1 visa (copy).
• I-94 (copy).
• I-20 form (from all previous institutions).
• Transfer form signed by authorized person of previous institution attended.
• Personal bank statement.
• If the student has a sponsor, the sponsor needs to provide the following:
  • Bank statement.
  • Sponsor’s personal letter or statement of ensuring financial support to student (the Sponsor’s Personal Affirmation of Financial Responsibility).
• Placement test.
• Registration fee.
• Tuition payment.

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Requirements for Students to Change Status from B1 - B2 (Visitor/Tourist) or Other Status to F1 Status (Student)

• Completed Zoni Student Application.
• Passport (copy) (valid for at least 6 months).
• Visa (copy).
• I-94 (copy).
• Personal bank statement.
• If the student has a sponsor, s/he needs to provide the following
  • Bank statement.
  • Sponsor’s personal letter or statement of ensuring financial support to student (the Sponsor’s Personal Affirmation of Financial Responsibility)
• Money order payable to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or online payment on USCIS.gov.
• Completed I-539 form.
• Personal letter explaining the reasons for changing status.
• Registration fee.
• Placement test.
• Tuition payment.
• SEVIS fee.

Note: It is the student's responsibility to send all documents to DHS.

Requirements for F-1 Students Applying for Reinstatement

• Completed Zoni Student Application.
• Interview with our Designated School Official (DSO).
• Passport (copy).
• I-94 (original).
• F-1 visa (copy).
• I-20 form (from all previous institutions).
• Student’s letter to DHS explaining in detail why s/he couldn’t attend classes along with all supporting evidence.
• Personal bank statement.
• If the student has a sponsor, s/he needs to provide the following
  • Bank statement.
  • Sponsor’s personal letter or statement of ensuring financial support to student (the Sponsor’s Personal Affirmation of Financial Responsibility).
• Money order payable to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
• Completed I-539 form.
• Placement test.
• Registration fee.
• Tuition payment.

Pre-Arrival Information

STUDENT PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION

Things to know before arriving at your selected Zoni School.

Are you ready?

We can help! Your Zoni experience started long before your first day at Zoni; from the moment you decided to select Zoni as your school and you book your course, our entire team is there to help you prepare for student life!

Our staff knows that just the thought of arriving at a totally new country can be a bit frightening, especially if you are travelling alone for the first time, or without knowing the new country’s language. For this reason, Zoni is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At any point during your arrival or stay, you can call us on our emergency telephone number (you will be given this number when you receive your course confirmation). We will make your arrival a genuine and worry-free experience.

Our admissions staff will explain to you the requirements, program information, provide application forms, F1 Policies and Enrollment Agreement. Admissions staff will contact you by e-mail/phone in advance upon your arrival to finalize arrangements and prepare you for what to expect when you arrive to your destination.

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Part-time students * In-person instruction non-student visa

Our Part-time students come to Zoni to take ESL programs for many different reasons. They may want to learn English to communicate in their daily lives, develop skills to find a new or better job, become a U.S. permanent resident or citizen, get a high school diploma or GED certificate, advance to higher education programs (e.g., vocational training, college, university), help their children succeed in school, take an incidental class while they are on vacation in the United States, or they may simply love to learn.

Things to know before start:

• Placement test will be done before or on the first day of your classes.
• All paperwork must be completed by your first day.
• Buy the books and get ready for classes.

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F-1 Student Pre-Arrival Information for the United States

Discover a different world here at Zoni

Welcome to Zoni Language Centers

Upon arrival, please go to see the Campus Manager or International Student Advisor. There is an Office of International Student Services at every location, and all our student service representatives are here to assist you.

Getting Started at Zoni Language Centers

Begin your journey by following this checklist of things that you should do within the first two weeks of arrival. Please remember we are here to help. You can email us at info@zoni.edu or call us at +1 212 736 9000

Arriving at U.S. Port of Entry

(Immigration and Customs)

Please have the following documents ready:)

• Passport with F-1 Visa Stamp
• Zoni I-20 (If you plan to attend Zoni, you MUST enter with a printed Zoni I-20)

It is also recommended that you carry with you:

• Evidence of financial resources
• Paper receipt of SEVIS I-901 Fee
• Contact information of the Zoni International Office

IMPORTANT: Make sure your passport is stamped F-1 (according to your visa) and length of stay is indicated as “D/S” (duration of status) instead of a specific expiration date.

Transportation from the airport

Please request detail information before traveling with your student service representative.

Shuttles & Taxi Information Transportation Safety Tip

Passengers are advised to ignore offers of transportation from unauthorized solicitors inside the terminals. Unauthorized solicitation of ground transportation is an illegal activity, and many illegal solicitors are unlicensed and uninsured. To obtain safe and legitimate ground transportation, please be sure to go to the designated Taxi and Shuttle stands or official ground transportation desk located at the airport, where uniformed airport staff members will be happy to assist you. Please ignore any non-uniformed persons offering to assist with transportation or baggage. Always seek out uniformed airport employees with airport ID badges for assistance.

Medical insurance

Zoni strongly recommends having insurance. If you would like to learn more about insurance companies that are available for international students, please contact your student service representative. (Please note that Zoni does not endorse any particular insurance company).

Housing

For information on housing, please contact our Student Service Representatives.

Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

Phone: 212-736-9000

Opening a bank account

Opening a U.S. bank account will allow you to store your money in a secure place and make easy transfers of funds from your home country. Below is a list of documents you should bring when opening a bank account:

• Passport
• Zoni school ID
• Cash
• One or more of the following documents
• Valid driver’s license
• International tax identification number
• Diplomatic ID
• Proof of current residence
• Social Security number if you’re working in the US (Only on campus employment is allowed)

Please ask our student service representatives for more information.

Staying safe

Zoni’s destinations are generally a safe place. However, as with any major urban area, there are some general precautions you should take when travelling:

1. Leave your valuables in the hotel safe or home. There’s no reason to carry a lot of cash with you, so leave extra credit cards and cash at your hotel (in the safe) or home. Use caution when using ATMs, and don’t carry too much cash around with you. Lock your suitcases and hide your laptop computer whenever you are out of your room.
2. Never wear flashy jewelry if you can avoid it.
3. Men should keep their wallets in a front pocket. Women should carry their purses in front, if possible, with one hand firmly on your purse straps.
4. Don’t walk alone. Stick with the crowds, even on bus stations.

AVOID SCAMS

As with any large city, there is always the risk of being scammed. Here are some things you should watch out for:

1. Paying double gratuity in bars and restaurants – check your bill before giving an extra tip. Some places already include this in the bill.
2. In Miami restaurants and bars regularly include an 18% gratuity on your bill. Some circle it. Some use a big red stamp that says “Tip included.” Others don't even mention it and hope you skim past it. Also check the items on the bill for items you never ordered.
3. Waiters are NOTORIOUS for quoting some drink prices without mentioning that tip is included. So that $7 orange juice mysteriously graduates to $9 when the waiter drops it in front of you. Ask for a receipt every time and look to see if tip is included. This cannot be stressed enough. Never trust a waiter when they tell you the amount of your tab, and always look at your credit card slip to see if the tip line says “Additional gratuity.”
4. If you are arriving to Miami please do not count on public transportation at all. The buses do not run on schedule sometimes. You can either rent a car, use ride-shares or taxis.

Driving tips

Remember to drive on the right side of the road. Legal speed limits are posted on the right side of the road. You may turn right at a red light after coming to a complete stop, unless a sign indicating “no right on red” is posted at the intersection.

Headlights must be on from dusk to dawn, as well as in fog or rain. Turn off windscreen wipers when stopping at toll booths.

When law enforcement vehicles are in one of the “break-down” lanes, either assisting a motorist or pulling over a speeding vehicle, you must move to the far lane, away from the police or slow to 20 miles per hour below the speed limit.

Law requires wearing your seat belt. In addition, children under age 4 or less than 40 pounds (15 kg) must be in a child car seat, usually available from your car hire company.

Driving in the United States while drinking alcohol or while under the influence of alcohol is illegal. Appoint a “designated driver” in your group who will drink only non-alcoholic beverages and drive home safely.

You only need your documentation of identification, such as your driver's license from your native country, to drive in the United States along with your passport and visa. You do not need an international driving permit to drive in the United States for 6 months.

International student services

The International Student Services staff are your main point of contact while you are at Zoni. We assist international students with visa and non-immigration processes and compliance, provide referrals to on-campus resources and serve as advocates for F-1 international students.

Our staff is committed to guiding international students at Zoni. The office provides high-quality services and support to help our international students achieve academic and personal success.

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F1 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CHANGE OF STATUS APPROVED BY USCIS

Keep in mind that if you have completed a change of status to F1 and it has been approved by USCIS, you have 5 days to report to the campus where you completed the process. If you do not do so, you will be subject to “fail to enroll”. This means that your SEVIS account will be terminated for not registering for classes as soon as possible in accordance with your F1 approval notice.

In addition, please be aware that it is the student's responsibility to report if the case has been approved and also if he or she needs more documentation, or if an extension of the current status is required.

Please contact your Student Service Representative to receive a detailed information in order to start your classes as soon as possible.