Frequently Asked Questions

Please pay the application fee via a credit card.

Yes, you do have to have a test score to be admitted. The required test score for admission to MEI can be one of the following:

Fall/Spring:
ibt TOEFL: 45+
IELTS: 5+
Duolingo: 75+

Summer:
ibt TOEFL: 40+
IELTS: 4.5+
Duolingo: 70+

All I-20 requests take approximately 3 weeks to be processed if your application is complete. ISSS will email your I-20.

You must email the materials in to the Maryland English Institute. Email the completed portfolio to Jennifer Moore at mei@umd.edu using the subject line: Application.

Yes, you can apply to both the University of Maryland and the Maryland English Institute. However, these are separate application processes.

No, admission to MEI does not guarantee admission to the University of Maryland.

If you are a conditionally admitted student, then yes. Otherwise, if you are admitted to the IEP program but not to UMD, no.

MEI does not offer conditional admission to the University of Maryland. The university does offer conditional admission both to undergraduate and graduate students. You can find more information through the International Student and Scholar Services Website.

You will need to complete the transfer form found in the application portfolio. This form asks for your name, current address, and when you want to start at MEI. There are also questions to be answered by the International Student Advisor at your current school.

It depends on the student’s visa status. Students on F-1 student visas cannot study part-time; they must maintain full-time enrollment. Dependents of visitors on J-1 or J-2 visas can study part-time. Diplomats on A-1 or A-2 visas can also study part-time.

You will need a visa to study in the USA. The F-1 Student Visa is the most common visa for students. You may be able to get a J-1 Student Visa, but you would need to be sponsored by an organization that has been approved by the U.S. State Department.

Once you receive your I-20 from MEI, you can schedule your interview. Apply for your visa as soon as you can. June, July, and August are usually the busiest months. Allow 3 to 4 weeks for planning and getting an appointment. You can call the U.S. embassy in your country or go to the embassy web site for information and instructions.

• The I-20 form you receive from MEI.
• A completed DS-156 and DS-158 visa form (available at the embassy).
• A photograph of each person applying. The photo must meet visa requirements.
• A passport valid for at least 6 months longer than you expect to be in the U.S.
• A receipt for the visa processing fee for each applicant.
• A receipt for the SEVIS fee
• Financial documents showing you have enough money to pay for tuition and living expenses during your time in the U.S.
• Proof of your relationship to your spouse and children if you are married and/or have children.
• Evidence that you have strong ties to your home country. This includes proof that you have a place of residence, that you intend to return to that residence, and that you intend to leave the U.S. when you finish your studies.

Your interview will be with an embassy official. The interview may not take much time. You should prepare in advance and bring all the required documents. Listen carefully and answer all the questions the official asks.

The official will want to know that you have good reasons for wanting to study in the U.S. So think about your reason for wanting to study English at MEI. Maybe it is to help your career in your home country. Maybe it is to get a better job. Maybe it is to learn English with native speakers. Maybe it is because the teaching methods in the U.S. will help you learn English as quickly as possible.

If you plan to study another subject after you finish at MEI, be ready to talk about that. Tell the official what subject you hope to study. Show the official that you know about the university or college that you have applied to. Be able to explain why you want to go to that school.

Most importantly, the official needs to know that you are coming to the U.S. to study. Wanting to visit friends or family is not a good reason for giving you a visa.

If your visa is declined, you can re-apply. The two most common reasons for a visa refusal are:

• Your reasons for wanting to study in the U.S. were not good enough.
• Your proof that you plan to return to your home country was not good enough.

If you re-apply, think about these two points. Be ready to discuss them in a different way than in your first interview. You may need to give more details about your commitments at home, or your plans for study.

More information is available at the Department of State and the USCIS web sites.

The university fee pays for support services. These include:

• campus facilities use and maintenance
• services at the campus health center
• campus-wide technology services
• student registration services
• the recreation centers
• shuttle bus service
• the libraries
• campus police
• the computer labs
• the writing language labs, and
• disability support services.

No, MEI does not offer scholarships or financial aid.

You will pay for your tuition before the semester starts. If you are sponsored by an embassy, your sponsor will pay the university. Otherwise, you will pay at the Cashier’s Office on campus. You may pay by cash, money order, check, or credit card. Checks and money orders must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank.

If you already have health insurance, you must provide proof of that coverage. If you do not have health insurance, you will need to have UMD’s health insurance.

Housing costs range from $650 to $1500 per month. Food costs range from $300 to $400 per month.

The easiest way from one of the airports is by a shared van (shuttle) or taxi. The table below shows what you should expect to pay from the listed airport to College Park:

Tipping is an important part of the service industry in the United States. You are generally expected to tip the shuttle or taxi driver 15%.
If you are not coming from one of the local airports, see these directions to UMD.

You should budget at least $1000 for your first week here to cover such expenses as hotels, taxis and other costs. Try to bring most of your money as credit cards or traveler’s checks. Do NOT carry large amounts of cash with you.

College Park is a great place if you love changing seasons. We have moderate winters, including occasional snowstorms, so be prepared. Temperatures can go down to 20° F (-7° C), but are usually around 30 to 35° F (-1° to 2° C). The area’s fall temperatures are beautiful (50-60° F, 10-15° C), but you should come prepared with a few sweaters. Spring is a wonderful 60-75°F (16-24° C), but most rainfall comes during the spring, so you’ll need an umbrella and jacket. In summer, temperatures can be really hot – as high at 100° F (37° C) – and the weather can be very humid.

After you clear customs, look for the signs that read “Local Transportation.” That’s where you will find shuttles and taxi service.
You may also opt to use sites like Uber and Lyft to request a ride.

MEI does not offer airport pickup at this time.

Hotels within walking distance or a two-mile bus ride from the campus include:

Rooms in hotels closest to the University of Maryland usually cost at least $80 to $120 per night, not including taxes. When contacting hotels, please ask about discounts for University of Maryland students.

• your Form I-20 if you have an F-1 visa
• your Form DS-2019 if you have a J-1 or J-2 visa
• your Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record)
• your passport
• your visa
• your letter of admission from MEI

All English classes at MEI focus on developing academic English skills. These are the skills you need to get high scores on the TOEFL or the IELTS exam.

MEI has served students from 52 countries, representing speakers of 27 different languages. Students come from all continents of the world (except Antarctica!)

The average number of students per class is about 12. Classes are small enough for you to get individual attention, but large enough to have a variety of interesting people to work with.

IEP classes in the spring and fall semesters meet Monday through Friday, five days a week. The Reading, Writing, and Grammar classes are three hours per day, every day. The Listening & Speaking classes are two hours per day every day except Wednesday.

IEP classes in the summer semester meet Monday through Thursday, at least 4½ hours per day. Optional classes meet Monday through Friday and are from 2 to 4 hours long.

The IEP currently offers courses for intermediate and advanced English speakers.

You will take a placement test when you first come to MEI.

That depends on you. It is expected that a student will move up at least one level per semester. Some students move faster, some move slower.

If you pass your classes, you will receive a Certificate of Achievement. You need a grade of 75% or better to pass your classes.

You can find information about off campus housing through the OCH website. They have a list of resources as well as a database with different types of housing.

The university campus is fully wireless with Internet access everywhere. Part of your university fee pays for this. You will get a university email account when you register with MEI.

In the United States, credit cards and debit cards are used all the time, even for small payments. A U.S. bank account will make managing your money a lot easier. You should set one up as soon as you arrive. You then can pay all of your bills by check, debit card, or online.

On campus, Capital One Bank operates a branch in the Stamp Student Union. Bring your immigration documents, your university ID, and the money you want to deposit. Capital One is used to seeing international students for new accounts, so setting up an account will be easy. More information can be found on the Capital One website.

However, you do not need to use Capital One. You can open an account at a local branch of any of the banks in the area. Three of the largest are Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Bank of America.

Your best option is to buy a local based SIM card to put in your current mobile phone. You can purchase a prepaid SIM card that will save you money on calling costs and avoid any roaming charges.

To make an international call using your USA SIM card in your phone, dial 011 then the country code and phone number.

No, you do not. Shuttle buses connect the campus to local housing and the Washington Metropolitan Area bus and subway system. Sites like Uber and Lyft can be used to request rides. Biking is also a common option among students. Visit the Transportation Services website for information about biking on campus.

If you have a driver’s license in your home country, and you plan to drive in Maryland, you must get a Maryland Driver’s License within 60 days of your arrival. You also must register your car.

There is visitor parking at various locations on campus. There are parking spaces on the street or in parking lots with hourly fees. You can also buy a parking permit.

All lots on campus require parking permits from 7am – 4pm. If you park in a lot without a permit, you will be ticketed.

You can get a parking permit but you will not be assigned a parking space. Plan to arrive on campus 15-20 minutes before class so you can be sure to find a space.

Follow these guidelines:

• choose an important concept from your field
• choose a topic for first-year undergraduate students
• prepare an 8-minute mini-lecture
• plan on using a whiteboard
• make sure you can pronounce key terms
• rehearse, but don’t memorize

Depending on your score, you will be placed in either UMEI 006 or UMEI 008.

Appeals are possible if:

• the testing procedures were disturbed or interrupted
• the testing results were based on incorrect student ID or name

Appeals must:

• be in writing and made within 10 days after the ITA evaluation
• be made by the referring Graduate Director
• explain the basis for the appeal
• include your name and your UID number
• include the name of the department and of the Graduate Director

The appeal should be submitted by email to Dr. Jon Malone at jemalone@umd.edu. The appeal will be reviewed within 3 working days. The decision of the MEI Director is final.