Centers & Locations

Enku

March 5, 2013

I have been studying at ELS for three months. Within these months, I have improved my English and made friends. ELS Grand Forks prepares so many exciting indoor and outdoor activities such as ice skating, swimming, movies, and so on. The teachers and administration are so friendly to the students. ELS Grand Forks is a great place to learn English in effective ways.

Kim

February 20, 2013

I really like Grand Forks and ELS. Grand Forks is a small city, so it’s very peaceful and safe. It’s really good for students, especially girl students. I think this ELS center isn’t too big, so teachers and students are more familiar and have a good relationship. Also, every teacher always tries to help their students. In addition, I have a really nice host family. I’m a part of my American family and they’re a part of my Korean family. We just love each other and we do many things together, such as go to hockey games and big holiday parties. It’s really helpful to adapt to a new country.

Ezechiel

February 11, 2013

I need English for my courses so that I can continue studying either at UND or at any college or university throughout the USA. Also, English is unavoidable nowadays. All over the world English is used. Therefore, I came to ELS. At ELS, both administration and students as well as teachers are excellent and reliable. The teachers are astonishing. They are doing their best so that students can master English within good conditions.

Jair

July 20, 2012

I am studying at ELS because I need to perfect my level of English. I have had such a good experience here and I have made very good friends. ELS also provides students with a great group of teachers and administrators. Not only are they good at their jobs, but also friendly. I am comfortable in my classes and at the center.

Sulaiman

July 19, 2012

I am Sualiman Aldrees, a student at ELS Grand Forks of four months. When I first arrived I felt pleasant, I like this town so far. I don't spend a lot of money here, so I can save money to travel all around the USA. I love residents from the town; they are all so friendly and I always see them with beautiful smiles on their faces. I believe that I could stay here for five years and not be bored.

Ayaka

July 16, 2012

I came here through a recruiting program in Japan, and I am so glad to study here. There are many students from different countries. Of course it is difficult to communicate in English because I have only been here for one session, but after coming here, I think I want to study for a year. I think this experience has made me grow up and learn a lot.

Auechan (Aaom)

July 3, 2012

I think I like most things about ELS. Everyone is very nice including the other students at ELS. This center is in a small town. It is very quiet, safe, and the people are nice; I can guarantee it. The environment is good. There is fresh air, pure water, and I don't have to worry about traffic. I can focus on what I have to do to succeed.

Mohammed

May 14, 2012

First of all, I came to Grand Forks because of my job. My job sent me to ELS Grand Forks. They told me the best university to study Aviation Management is the University of North Dakota. In the summer, there are many activities you can do. Now I like Grand Forks because I made new friends and I like all the teachers. The teachers are very friendly, funny, very helpful, and respectful.

Ryutaro

May 14, 2012

I decided to study aviation at UND because UND has a famous aviation program. But I thought that before starting to study in UND, I have to study English. And I found information that UND has ELS on campus, so I chose this ELS Language Center. Studying English at ELS is just a step to study at UND, but I know that this step is very important for me to succeed at UND, so I will study English harder than ever!

Clayton

April 18, 2012

I came here because I had a friend who was studying at UND. When I started to look towards my international education and career my friend told me about Dr. Ingle (my trumpet professor) and said he would help me to be successful.

At first, I sent Dr. Ingle an email using Google Translator because at the time I didn’t speak one word of English! So I sent an introductory email and told him I wanted to come to study with him. Within one hour, he replied! He told me either I would need to come to audition for him, or put some videos on YouTube of my performances.

I worked hard to find someone in Brazil who could take my old videos from VHS to DVD and that took more than a month. But I finally got them up on the web and sent them to Dr. Ingle. He told me he’d help me, and then it took me about another year to be able to come to the United States. I moved back home to save money, I sold everything and I asked people for help – finally I was able to come. All I had was my airline ticket and $300 in my pocket.

I remember arriving at the airport expecting to see my friend, and when I greeted him he introduced me to Dr. Ingle who had also come to the airport to collect me! Wow! I was so surprised. I asked someone on my flight who spoke Portuguese to write on a piece of paper “I don’t speak English, but if you believe in me, I can learn.” So I started my schooling here at UND in the ELS (ELS Language Centers) program. After a few months there I received a scholarship and then after a year I graduated from the program. I worked really hard.

When I was done, I went to the chair of Music, Dr. Wittgraf, and told him I was ready to begin my graduate program. The Music Department gave me some financial assistance with a tuition waiver and graduate teaching assistant position. So, in one year after arriving with only $300 and speaking no English, I was accepted into the music graduate program and given an assistantship in Music and one in Anthropology, AND I had learned English. I didn’t know that was possible.

It was hard at times. For a year I ate only one meal a day and there was a period of 6 months when I didn’t collect a paycheck. But everyday, my will carried me through. When I was young, a trumpet player who I really admired once told me that when he was at school, he didn’t have money to eat, so he would go to the practice room and study more. This is what I did, too. I love to play, so I would go to the practice room and do my homework. I am there everyday.

When I left Brazil, my mother gave me a small vial of gold and told me that when things seem difficult, to look at that gold as a reminder of what I am doing in life. I carry it with me always.