English Language Institute - One Embarcadero Center Campus
Information about English Language Institute - One Embarcadero Center Campus
94111, San Francisco
Opening hours
- sunday: (closed)
- monday: 9:30-17h
- tuesday: 9:30-17h
- wednesday: 9:30-17h
- thursday: 9:30-17h
- friday: 10h-16h
- saturday: (closed)
The English Language Institute located in downtown San Francisco provides affordable English classes, TOEFL preparation, and Business English courses. With a dedicated team of professional teachers and a welcoming atmosphere, our institution has been delivering high-quality English language education for over 30 years.
Our mission is to enhance students' language skills to help them achieve academic, career, and social success. While you improve your English, you'll also have the chance to make new friends and experience the vibrant culture of San Francisco.
At ELI, we offer a variety of courses including Intensive ESL, TOEFL preparation, Business English for Entrepreneurs, and University Preparation. Our state-of-the-art campus is conveniently located within walking distance of public transport and iconic sites like the Ferry Building and Fisherman’s Wharf. Additionally, students benefit from free elective classes and exclusive discounts on local housing options.
Apply today and embark on your journey to a more fluent English in an enriching and safe environment!
Our comment from StudyLanguages about English Language Institute - One Embarcadero Center Campus:
English Language Institute (ELI) is a premier language school located in the heart of San Francisco, offering a dynamic and friendly environment for learning English. Many students appreciate the well-structured curriculum, fun cultural immersion activities, and the opportunity to meet classmates from around the world. The staff and teachers are described as professional, friendly, and supportive, ensuring that students feel welcomed and engaged throughout their studies.
Highlights:
- Excellent teaching structure and experienced instructors.
- Welcoming atmosphere promoting cultural exchange.
- Helpful administrative staff assisting with visa and course-related issues.
- Convenient downtown location with access to various amenities.
- Extra classes for business skills and cultural activities available.
While some feedback mentions concerns regarding attendance policies and a few teaching experiences, the majority of reviews highlight the positive impact ELI has on students’ English skills and overall learning experience. Most notably, alumni have successfully pursued further education and professional goals thanks to the strong foundation built at ELI. It's a wonderful choice for anyone looking to enhance their language abilities and enjoy their time in San Francisco.
Services
English Language Institute - One Embarcadero Center Campus: Reviews
Fantastic experience: I feel very comfortable at this school. I’ve met classmates from all over the world, and I really like their teaching structure. I’ve also had a lot of fun during the group meetings and the cultural immersion trips. Choosing ELI school was a great decision. The teaching structure is solid, the location and facilities are excellent, and the staff is super friendly, professional, and always checks how you’re feeling in class. Thank you, ELI School!
Fantastic experience: I’ve had a really positive experience at this language school. The administrative team is professional and very responsive, which makes everything run smoothly. My teacher, Jeff, is knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor, so classes are both effective and enjoyable. The overall atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and everyone is polite and respectful
Thank you for your lovely review, Sky. We're so glad you enjoy Jeff's class and are always happy to help our students succeed!
Fantastic experience: Under a teacher’s guidance, the lectures were very interactive; therefore, students were actively engaged in the learning process.
Thank you, Tada! We're happy to hear your TOEFL class is going well. :)
Fantastic experience: I recently took my IELTS test at this center, and overall, I had a positive experience. The staff were professional, helpful, and well-organized throughout the process. They provided clear instructions before the exam, which helped reduce my anxiety. The test environment was quite and comfortable, allowing me to concentrate fully. Additionally, the computer-based system was easy to use, and everything functioned smoothly without technical. Overall, I would highly recommend this test center to future candidates due to its efficient management and supportive staff.
Fantastic experience: The school is excellent, friendly, and enthusiastic. I've studied here for two years, and I feel my English has improved significantly. They are very helpful; no matter what you ask or what you're not good at, they'll help you.
Thanks for being such an engaged student, Fiona. Love to see you in elective classes and office hours and your English has improved so much!
Negative experience: This is a truly terrible school, guys—steer clear! You’re bound to see plenty more reviews just like this one. This school fraudulently stripped me of my F-1 status; never, ever attend it. They brazenly twist the rules to suit their own ends and left me with absolutely no options. They lack any sense of human decency or moral principles. Honestly—given such immoral behavior—how do you even sleep at night knowing you are destroying people's lives?
Negative experience: Mucha atención al principio pagas la inscripción y si por alguna razón cancelas el curso te cobran penzalizacion lo cual es entendible pero el resto se deslindan con su cliente . Y te dan largas para no darte el reembolso llevo más de 6 meses pidiéndoles el reembolso y me sacan puras largas y trámites absurdos los cuales voy a tener que proceder legalmente por que es puro fraude pésima su atención piensen bien antes de inscribirse en esta “”escuela”
Hi Carlos - We have no record of you ever being in contact with our school or paying anything to us. You have incorrect information or this is about another school or this is Spam. Please remove this false review.
Fantastic experience: We hosted two Polish guest for a last minute service immersion experience by tagging on a English-learning experience. After a quick online search, we did went with ELI for individual lessons since each one was a different level of English experience. The institute took the time time to find a tutor that was perfectly suited for thr time frame we were working with and noted the progression of their learning in real time during the six weeks. We're looking forward to having more of our international colleagues join us in our mission and confidently know where to find a suitable place that meets our English learning needs. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind review, Antonio! It was our pleasure to provide tutoring to your colleagues and hope more can join us soon.
Fantastic experience: This is one of the best English school in SF. I enjoyed having classes, group mates and teachers. I would suggest to all non native speakers to try and improve English. The school is in a very convenient location with all facilities provided for students’ comfort. The environment is peaceful and well-organized, helping students focus on their studies. Highly recommended!
Fantastic experience: It’s the best language school ever! You will have a transformative learning experience way beyond a single language school can offer!
Thank you, Preston! Our students make our job fun and we are always so proud when ELI grads go on to higher education and complete advanced degrees! Congratulations!!
Fantastic experience: I studied at ELI for just 3 weeks, but it was an amazing experience I will not forget. From the initial application, all teachers and staff were awesome, and so were all the classmates. We learned a lot, but also went on two field trips, watched a movie and did many fun activities. The place was really pleasant, super comfy and inclusive. I felt welcomed from the first time I opened the door. I highly recommend taking the elective lessons—they are fun, and you meet people from different classes. Overall, my English has improved in every possible aspect, and I've met some great new friends.
Stepan, it was our pleasure for you to study with us at ELI! We wish you all the best on your bike ride this summer in Czech and Poland and with all your future studies. You are an excellent student and we hope you can visit us again someday. Stay in touch!
Fantastic experience: When I started at this school, I didn’t know anything about the English language, but now I’ve made significant progress, and I’m continuing to improve
Keep at it, Libi! You’re a great student.
Fantastic experience: I Highly recommend ELI!! Excellent environment and quality of teachers! Thank you ELI for helping me to improve my English.
Ricardo, thank you for this review! Your English has improved so much - keep up the great work. We love motivated students and it is our pleasure to help!
Fantastic experience: I highly recommend ELI. I’m from South Korea and studied with ELI from this February to December, total 10 months. It was my third language school in SF. I want to say ELI is the best one among them. I learned lots of English skills and other knowledge as well. Every class has different curriculum which is good. I enjoyed regular classes, and after classes too. I’m gonna miss them. If you want to improve your English skills, I recommend taking both. All teachers, staff, director are very kind and professional. Especially I really appreciate to my teachers Kai,Guillermo,and Jeff. It‘s all thanks to you. It was so touching experience. ELI has a good location as well. You can go many good places easily after school. So walkable. ELI makes my life of SF. So so so appreciate it. I hope everyone,who I met at ELI, has beautiful days all the time.
Thank you for the lovely review, Ann! It was a pleasure to have you as a student at ELI and we hope to see you again sometime! We wish you all the best and hope you are doing well!!
Fantastic experience: Yes i want to improve my english from center
Fantastic experience: ELI is the best school! I studied TOEFL, Kai is a great teacher! The school helped and improved my English! The teachers and classmates are very friendly! ELI is an amazing place! I highly recommend ELI school!!
Thank you for the lovely review, Tolkyn. You are a great student and it has been our pleasure to help you reach your language learning goals. We hope to see you again soon.
Fantastic experience: This language course completely changed my learning experience. I didn’t just study grammar; I learned by speaking and listening to the language. The teachers were very kind and friendly, and thanks to their support, I felt comfortable and made progress faster. The course atmosphere was both fun and encouraging for learning. In a short time, I improved my language skills and made great friends. I recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn a language – it’s not just a course, but a wonderful community!
Hi Sina, thank you for your kind review! It was our pleasure to have you as our student. We wish you all the best in your Masters' program and hope you are able to come back again in the future!
Fantastic experience: I couldn't study at ELI for a long time, but I can say that if I had more time, I would like to attend more lessons. Briana is a really nice person and a really good teacher. The elective classes after lessons are also very helpful. There is an extra class for 1 hour after classes every day. I met teacher Jeff through these elective classes, and he is a really knowledgeable person. Even just a 1 hour conversation with him will improve your vision
Thanks for the 5 star review, Abdullah. We enjoyed your brief time with us and hope you can return to study again in the future. We wish you all the best! -Alen
Fantastic experience: I’d been here for 6 months and had a great experience with my professors, staff, and the overall atmosphere. Despite focusing on improving your English language skills, you also have the opportunity to immerse yourself in different cultures and explore various countries and make new friends. I was on an F1 visa status when I transferred my I20 to ELI, and they easily transferred my I20 to my university without any challenge. I’m grateful for the enriching experience at ELI!
Congratulations again for getting into the Design program at SFSU, Ensieh! We're so proud of you and love to see ELI students succeed and go to their university or college of choice. We wish you all the best and hope you come back to visit us sometimes. Thank you for the kind review! It is wonderful to work with dedicated students like you!
Fantastic experience: ELI helped me a lot, it is a wonderful school, the teachers and the team are great, I loved my time in this school. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. Thank you ELI for everything.
Thank you for the lovely review, Beatriz!! It was our pleasure - thank you for being such a dedicated student. We wish you all the best!
Fantastic experience: Right place to go if you want everything played by book. Just be ready to disclose your whole medical history if you have any special needs or are in need of any accommodation.
Fantastic experience: I had a great opportunity to study in this amazing school. I have met so many incredible students and teachers. Some of them changed my views and thoughts. Alen, Ryoko, Brain, and Sylvia are all wonderful people that have helped me during my journey. It located in the heart of downtown so transportation is 10/10. There are restaurants everywhere as well as grocery stores. This school will have a special place in my heart.
Thank you for the kind review Detch! Helping students on their journey is our pleasure. We wish you all the best and hope you visit us often.
Fantastic experience: My experience with ELI (English Language Institute) is exceptional, especially because I was facing some challenges with my I-20. The ELI staff are going above and beyond to assist me every step of the way. They provide clear guidance on the reinstatement process, helping me understand what I need and gather all the required documents. What I appreciate the most is their personal attention and care. They understood my situation and helped me in every step needed. I’m incredibly grateful to the ELI team and highly recommend them to anyone dealing with visa challenges or needing academic support. ElI isn’t just an English institute; they’re dedicated to their student’s success and well-being.
We are so happy about your successful reinstatement, Danial. It was our pleasure to help you and we wish you success in your future study plans!
Positive experience: جيد جدا
Fantastic experience: The amazing school with beautiful people! I've had really great memories there and they are always supportive. I'm so grateful that I have chosen this place. May have all of you guys be happy and blossom. Thanks again.
Hi Sola, we wish you all the best! We hope you come visit us for our next ELI BBQ. We miss you. :)
Fantastic experience: Efficient and fun study. Every day is full of new discoveries. Great teachers.
We will miss you, Elena!! Thanks for the lovely review.
Fantastic experience: The school is awesome! Stuff is very friendly and supportive. Special thanks to my teacher Jeff Talarigo! English classes were easygoing, fun, and full of new vocabulary. We discussed tons of questions, read, wrote essays, and listened to great podcasts. Students from all over the world with their own traditions, stories, and experiences were something amazing! I am happy to have such a great experience!
Hi Julia,
It was a pleasure to have you as our student! We hope you join us again in the future. Enjoy the rest of your time in SF! -Alen
Fantastic experience: ELI is a seasoned school for English language training. From the conducive and well-equipped learning environment to friendly and approachable instructors, and not to mention so many fun-filled activities and experiences to balance academic sobriety. It's almost too good to be true. I love ELI and I am grateful to have studied here and met so many amazing friends from all over the world.
We will miss you Allwell and wish you all the best at City College. Thank you for the kind review. It is clear that you love writing! Keep it up.
Fantastic experience: I was fortunate to know ELI San Francisco when I first came to California. I'm very grateful for my whole experience: English learning, information, and diverse support, including homestay. I chose one-on-one lessons for my individual needs. I wanted to further improve my English skills at my own pace and at my own level. And Yes! I received many benefits from these lessons. Teachers helped me to focus on the areas where I needed to improve more. Most importantly, I learned how to communicate effectively. I was grateful for ELI's admission counselor's help as well as teachers' support to reach my goals. I highly recommend ELI San Francisco to whomever wants to improve their English with lots of support in a beautiful building in a wonderful city! Thank you so much!!
Thank you for your kind words, Jisun! You have been such a great student and we wish you all the best. Please let us know if we can assist you again in the future.
Fantastic experience: Excellent school to learn English. I learned a lot in just 1 month. Congratulations on the work ELI!
Thank you, Vinicius - great work!!
Fantastic experience: I have studied English here for a year and a half, and I am very grateful for their help.The school is located in a bright,clean, convenient and safe district.The teachers here have a lot of teaching experience. The staff always help students solve problems quickly and friendly. Here, students come from different countries all over the world. I attended a business English class in which ten students came from ten different countries. Everyone practiced in English with their entrepreneurial ideas. It was so cool! Teachers here will tell you a lot about American culture and its origin. If you want to improve your English and understand American culture, here is your best choice.
Thank you, Emily! It is a joy to have such motivated and dedicated students at ELI. We will miss you and wish you all the best for your future!! Please come visit us anytime.
Fantastic experience: I lost my F1 visa before I came to ELI, and ELI helped me apply for the F1 reinstatement and get my F1 visa back! After graduating from ELI, I successfully get Northeastern University's Master's degree offer. After graduating from Northeastern University last December, I get a full-time job at Dahua Technology.ELI has a perfect language environment. My teacher Jeff, and Vivi are not just our teachers but our friend, professional, patient, friendly, and kind. I recommend ELI for everyone who wants to improve their English skills, needs an F1 visa, or needs an F1 visa reinstatement.
Junye - we are so proud of your success!! Congratulations on graduating with your Master's degree from Northeastern and also on your new job! Great work!!!
Negative experience: Stay away from this school if you are planning to change your status! You don't have to study while waiting for your case to be approved! Money trap!
Hi Kubra,
I hope all is going well for you at Diablo Valley College. We were very happy for you when you received admission and transferred to your college of choice. I wonder, if you felt this way, why you continued to study at ELI for more than 6 months after your F-1 visa was successfully approved after we assisted you in gaining your visa? We are always happy to help our students with their visa and educational goals. Anyone who checks our website can see our prices as they are all published and visible prior to enrollment and all policies are provided to students prior to enrollment. We do still have where you signed Enrollment Agreement that clearly informs students of all policies and prices in writing before admission. We wish you all the best in your future.
Negative experience: They have good teachers but too expensive, they want to take a lot of money from you and also if you have a f1 visa be careful because they don’t want that you leave the school. I don’t recommend this place to study
Fantastic experience:
Thank you, Islom. We wish you all the best!
Fantastic experience: This place has been more than a school. This has been my home in San Francisco, because I feel that way here. This is an international community where respect, tolerance, and peace take place. Beyond teaching, ELI shows that different cultures can respect each other and live in harmony. Here, I could make good friends, some are no longer here, but I still have contact with them through social media. The teachers make us very comfortable and always look for creative ways to transmit knowledge. Teacher-student relationship is very respectful, professional, and at the same time very friendly. ELI staffs are very helpful and always help me when I need some information. In addition to classes, the school provides extra activities such as outings and parties.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos, Marcelo! We miss your kind and happy energy at ELI. We wish you all the best at college and know you will do great!!
Fantastic experience: Good Teacher, Good Classmates, and Good staff. At ELI, You can learn English in free atmosphere!
Thank you for being a wonderful student, Jiwoon!
Fantastic experience: Amazing teachers, very friendly staff and very comfortable place, which makes you feel like home! As a foreign pharmacist, I had to take toefl and needed 26 in speaking. Several months studying and taking the test, I got stuck in 22! Getting 26 was only a dream, and only foreign pharmacists know how frustrating it is! I decided to forget about becoming a pharmacist again; however, my life took a turn. I moved to San Francisco and became familiar with ELI. Just after 3 months, I was encouraged to take toefl, and guess what! I got 109 on toefl and 27 in speaking! Still, I can't believe it, but it's true. With no doubt, ELI was the best decision I could ever make!
Congrats on your rockstar score of 109 on the TOEFL, Azi! Thank you for the kind review and we wish you all the best always. :)
Fantastic experience: Eli thank you for great last few months together ! Fantastic people and what is the most important improved my business English . Highly recommend BEE class !!!
Paulina, it was a pleasure to have you in our Business English for Entrepreneurs course. We know you'll succeed in your business endeavors! Keep us posted! <3
Fantastic experience: Its absolutely the best language school in SF! I love the environment ,atmosphere, location and teaching style!Everything in ELI is great and wonderful! You will never regret to study here.
Hi Milly, thank you for your kind words! We hope you are doing great and miss you at ELI!
Fantastic experience: I was referred by one of my friend who is studying at this school and have nothing but good things to say about this school. The campus is beautiful and right in the center of Downtown, giving you easy access to transportation and tons of interesting things to do in San Francisco. I was in preparation to start my PHD so I was here to improve my professional english. I attended for few days but I feel I have received a perfectly adequate course at ELI. I would like to start with administrative staff who helped with I-20 process(As I’m an international student), it was so quick and easy. Faculty are great, always willing to lend a helping hand. Lots of opportunity to get involved and expand your circle!. Finally, I can’t close this review without mentioning about Alena who is Director at school. She was nice and friendly. I went there early on the orientation day and Alena took care of me personally as I had issues with my I-20. I highly recommend this institute to my friends.
Thanks Anusha and best wishes in your Master's program!
Fantastic experience: Thank you! Thank you ELI. I don’t have words for describe my incredible experience here. If you are looking for a school, there are many options... if you are looking for something more than a school, this is the perfect place. I’m gonna miss my friends from different countries, my teacher John and the staff from the school. I have learned a lot having fun with you. Martin (my dog) is going to miss the school too
We miss you and Martin! We hope you'll come back to study again Estefania.
Fantastic experience: Thank you so much stuff and teachers: Alena, Brian, Ryoko, Jeff, John, Vivi, Thomas, Matito, Glen, Rocket :) You all made an immense contribution in my dream and we got it! The school honed my skills in standardized tests, admission essays and presentations. Because of you guys I started my masters in the US, yet importantly in one of the top 60 grad schools accordingly to the US. News! Thank you so much, and keep you doing such a great job!
Congratulations Denis! You are such a highly motivated student, we know you will do great in graduate school. Keep up the great work and stay in touch. :)
Fantastic experience: I'm so lucky to learn in ELI. The wonderful learning experience helps me get my desir score. I got 96 points in my last week's TOEFL test. My original score is 66 and 67 before I studied in ELI, and I'm very very satisfied with improving 30 point after two months study in ELI. I wanna thanks my teacher Glen and all the teachers and faculties is ELI. Before I study in here, I have been struggling with TOEFL for three years and every try was failed. But, here, I met the wonderful teacher, faculty and classmates. The TOEFL teacher guide me the most efficient and effective way to handle TOEFL test in a short time. ALL strategies and materials I leaned here are so helpful for me. For example, the POE method is so amazing to solve difficult TOEFL questions you can't figure out. During the learning of TOEFL preparation program in ELI, in first few weeks I felt the courses are too easy and relax which might be helpless, but after few weeks when I do practice at home I figure out all the skills I learned are useful. To compare with the relative TOEFL courses I took in China, I have to say that ELI is better at inspiring and guiding students to prepare TOEFL test in the right way. It does not help you pass a test, but also let you under stand English's history and culture deeply. After the test, I realize I really love English! I would like to keep learning it. WHAT'S MORE, the environment and facilities of ELI is excellent. There are free breakfast and snacks for students. Every teacher here is enthuastic and professional. CHOOSE ELI IS A GOOD DECISION.
Congratulations on your excellent TOEFL score, Wei Zhu!! We are so proud of you. Please keep in touch - we know you will do great in your TESOL program at University of San Francisco!
Fantastic experience: One of the best English School in SF. I spent a wonderful time there. The teachers are amazing and all employees are super friendly. I recommend this school !!
Thank you, Pamela! We miss you and wish you all the best in your future. :)
Fantastic experience: I recommend 100% this place to study english because it's a very friendly institute and there is very good people there . They have values and for me this is very important in humanity. The teachers are very good and the administration too. I will miss going to class. Thanks for everything.
Hi Ignacio, thank you for the very nice review. We miss you at school!!
Fantastic experience: Thank you ELI for everything.
Thank you, Abdullah! Good luck in your future. :)
Fantastic experience: Studying in ELI was a great experience, it is an amazing English school. The classes, the activities and the teachers make worth the time you spend there. I was in the school just for six months, but it really improved my English, and thanks to Thomas and Glen, my TOEFL teachers, I achieved my desired TOEFL score. They know a lot, and they always find the best way to help you to improve any of your skills. If you are looking for a place to improve your English and enjoy your time is this country, ELI is the best school to go!
Congrats on your TOEFL score, Alejandra. Thanks for being a wonderful student at ELI and for your lovely review. Stay in touch!
Fantastic experience: When I came to CA I looked for a full time school to practice my English and improve my Toefl score. Fortunately I found ELI and I am thankful with the teachers I met. Glen and Jeff were not only excellent teachers at class but also made extra time effort in order to support me with my exam preparation and school applications. I finally reached a score of 104 in my Toefl which allows me to apply to the master's I want. Definitely ELI has been an important step in my professional path. Thank you ELI!
Congratulations on your amazing TOEFL score, Silvia! We wish you all the best in your master's program. Please keep in touch and let us know where you decide to go!
Fantastic experience: I was looking for an English course to improve my english and it was very good discovering a Business English course in down town San Francisco. Im a business consultant, recently moved from Madrid to the US. Combine english classes with business skills, focus on Lean Startups tools, Silicon Valley business culture, makes this course very valuable. The staff at ELI is friendly, flexible and commited to help students achieve our goals. After a few weeks my English and Business skills had increased markedly. I feel now much more confident to develop my professional carreer in this country. Perfect location, amazing content and insuperable teachers. Highly recommended. Aymara Gárciga del Río
Aymara - you were a true asset to the Business English for Entrepreneurs class. We hope you return again and wish you all the best!
Fantastic experience: ELI is the best school I've ever studied. I’ve been there for one year. As soon as I finished level 6, I started to study for the TOEFL test. So, during this time, I had the opportunity to improve my English in many ways. The atmosphere in the school is amazing, and the team is very dedicated in finding new ways to improve the student's learning experience, doing activities like field trips and parties at school when people can know each other better and practice their speaking skills. The teachers are amazing! As a result of this beautiful journey, I got 95 (out of 120) in my TOEFL score. Thank you Glen, Thomas and Vee, who made my experience even better than I was expecting.
Congratulations on your amazing TOEFL score, Danielle! You worked hard and deserve it. We wish you success in your future studies.
Fantastic experience: When it comes to talk about standardized test like the Toefl, ELI is the best option. In the twelve-week toefl course, Glen --my Toefl instructor-- shared his strategies and tips that contributed to get my desired score (+100). For example, in the speaking section, strategies like avoiding fillers and providing specific personal examples helped me to beat my previous speaking scores(23), getting 27 as the highest. I can tell that it is a good school!!
Kevin, congrats on your excellent TOEFL score and best wishes in your next steps. You are a dedicated student who will find success!
Fantastic experience: ELI is a great and an excellent school. I enjoyed my time with them. I cant imagine how they helped me from the visa procedures to the time I made it to San Francisco. Great support for internationals. The staff is friendly and super supportive.
Joel, thanks for being a great student. It was our pleasure to assist you with your visa process and we hope we get many more students from Malawi.
Fantastic experience: I'm grateful that I could study at ELI. All teachers are very enthusiastic and professional and there are lots of students from different countries who have different age, culture and background. They have events at school and field trip as well. I will recommend ELI if you want to study and meet many friends in San Francisco!
Thank you for being a great student, Yuko. We miss you!
Fantastic experience: I recommend ELI School for everyone who is going to improve his language skills and get more knowledge about American culture. I am more than satisfied. First of all I feel much more confident about my speaking English. Secondly I learned how to teach myself, by reading news and watching movies. Last but not least: I spent a really great time at ELI School and I met a lot of fantastic people.
Thank you for your great review. We love to hear back from our wonderful students!
Fantastic experience: I was a student at ELI for 8 weeks. I can strongly recommend that school for all the people, who look for intensive, affordable English language classes at the perfect located place in San Francisco. I had a really great experience with ELI. Well-prepared teachers (Ian and Mat), friendly atmosphere and a lot of interesting social events (such as an unforgettable Halloween Party;). And of course, my English developed very fast. The additional value of the classes were the topics we had been discussing during meetings: a lot of issues important for American culture, politics, history and social life. No prattling about travels, favourite food and holidays:) That was really interesting!
Thank you for the lovely recommendation. Thanks for being such an incredible student!
Fantastic experience: The school is located in downtown San Francisco. It’s very easy to access. All the teachers are very professional and friendly. They provide a comfortable environment for students to speak English. I’m having a great time here. While learning English, you can also experience the fun part of the city!
Hi Audrey, thank you for your kind review and, most of all, thanks for being such an excellent, dedicated student at ELI! ELI is awesome because of students like you. :)
Fantastic experience: No doubt I had an big improvement in my English in this school. Thanks to the teacher Glen for always believing that I can be better, challenge myself and made me believe that dreams can be possible with determination. Thanks John for transforming the learning process into something funny. Thanks Matt for your dedication, organization and enthusiasm. You are an inspiring teacher. Thank you Ryoko Cox, for always solving everything quickly, with professionalism and love. Thank you Alena for being so nice and kind and making ELI like a big family. I will miss you guys!
Hi Caroline, you were such an excellent student. We are so proud of your success. We miss you too!
Fantastic experience: Great teachers, meet a lot good friends here! Had a awesome experience in this summer
Thank you, Kevin! Student like you make ELI an awesome experience for us everyday. We hope you come back again this summer!
Fantastic experience: The toefl class is so good. The teacher who has the exp for teaching student for 23 years. I am really enjoy the life in ELI.
Hi Jason, thanks for your review of the TOEFL class and for being a dedicated student. We know you will reach your goals!
Fantastic experience: ELI is an amazing English school. If you want to pass TOEFL, there's no doubt that you should study at ELI. I had the opportunity to study TOEFL with Glen at ELI. He knows a lot about TOEFL, he has an excelent teach methodology and I don't think that there's a person better than him to teach TOEFL. Glen is for sure the best teacher that you can have if you want to succeed on TOEFL. I totally recommend this school.
Hi Carla, thank you for your review of Glen and the TOEFL preparation class! We are happy to hear you had a good experience at ELI and wish you all the best in your future. Please keep in touch!
Fantastic experience: 2 years ago I came to ELI in order to pass my Toelf. My English at that time was ok, I was able to communicate well but my writing and reading weren't enough advanced for an academic school, so I decided that now, it was time to pass to another level. I took Glen's class (Toelf) without knowing what I was going to learn. :-/ Today, I will recommend to everyone to take Toefl class at ELI because I've learned more than taking a TOEFL test. In fact, I've learned to advocate for myself, to take the lead in small projects and overcome my fear to talk in public. Today I am a Trojan grad. student at USC "Fight On " and all my learning experiences at Eli are very useful every day.
Hi Carolina, we are so proud of your success. Thank you for being such a dedicated student and we hope you continue to stay in touch!
Fantastic experience: great teachers, environment and classes!!! Love it
Thank you Xo So, glad to hear you had a positive experience. Best wishes to you and I hope you continue to practice your English!
Fantastic experience: ELI is a wonderful school. It has a lot of amazing teachers. They are all kind. I really had a fulfilling time at ELI for studying English. ELI is in Downtown of San Francisco. After you finished the class, you'll be able to have enough time to visit around the city.
So glad you enjoyed ELI's teachers and location. Your English is great! :)
Fantastic experience: I've been in ELI for a year and it is a really good academy . They have toefl clases with a prestigious teacher if you want to pursue undergraduate and bachelors degree. Also they offer after clases which are free and you can learn about business, take Spanish lessons and extra English grammar. It has a really friendly environment where you can socialize with the students and also with the teachers. If you are planing to study abroad contact ELI because is a good choice for your learning and your pocket
Congratulations on getting accepted to your masters' program, Andrea! We are really proud of our students' success stories.
Negative experience: Estuve durante 14 semanas recibiendo clases en ELI con la intención de prepararme de forma intensiva para hacer el TOEFL o IELTS. Pero debido a que el TOEFL program ya se había iniciado cursé el General English. Mi experiencia personal en las últimas 6 semanas fue bastante decepcionante. Hay que remarcar que grandes profesionales como: Glen, Alena (clases extras) y Phil, con los que se aprende mucho. Pero no tuve suerte con otros tutores como John o Nick que dejaban mucho que desear, y el aprendizaje era lento y difuso. A menudo las clases se convertían en monólogos interminables sobre lo que el profesor ha hecho en su vida privada o, como hacía Nick, te daban constantes lecciones morales sobre homosexualidad y racismo. Al principio esto resulta interesante, pero cuando es a diario, dejan de lado lado la participación del alumno y se aleja de la meta real que es aprender inglés. La escuela está bien ubicada en pleno centro, a un precio razonable (menos de 700 usd al mes si pagas en efectivo). Instalaciones correctas pero faltan algunas básicos como perchas para los abrigos, el 50% de las sillas son plegables y pequeñas para estar 4 horas sentado. Son estrictos con la puntualidad y la asistencia, pero te premian con dinero si eres el más puntual del mes (20usd). En mi caso, la puntualidad , en ocasiones ,no fue la correcta y algunas faltas de asistencia (con pre-aviso al tutor) determinaron que mi porcentaje fuese un 79%. Siendo 80% el límite, con lo cual me informaron que debia abandonar US en 15 días y no me dieron el el certificado. Lo mejor: es el clima con los compañeros, las clases extras gratuitas, la ubicación, y los snacks agua y café gratuitos. Lo peor: el sistema de niveles de aprendizaje, y los detalles descritos anteriormente. Pd. Ofrecían 20usd de descuento en la cuota por evaluarles. No es una escuela de 5/5.
Hi Didac, I know you are unhappy that you did not receive a certificate due to your attendance but some of the things you say in this review are untrue. I would be happy to speak to you about this, but I kindly request you remove this review. -Alena
Fantastic experience: I've recommended this school to all friends of mine who needed EFFECTIVE, not overpriced and not simply ''for fun'' language school. This place is truly dedicated to enhance students' english language and I'm still so thankful to my teachers Alena and Glen whose proficiency helped me to achieve my study goals and to be admitted to the Law School from which I graduated last December! P.S. Miss my teachers sooo much! :)
Congratulations on graduating from Law School Alisa!! That's wonderful. We miss you too. It is always a pleasure to have such dedicated students.
Fantastic experience: Frankly i can say that 1.5 year in ELI contributes me a lot of things in many ways. When I came to SF first, I had the language barrier and culture shock, but thanks to this friendly and helpful teachers , I easily overcome these problems and adapt my self to this new life. I am so thankful for each teacher who contribute to improve my English knowledge, besides that, they were always with me if I had any problems, I really appreciate that. Moreover, thanks to ELI , I got my acceptance from University of San Francisco. Thank you for everything all ELI stuff.
Congratulations again on your acceptance to USF, Deniz! I know you'll do great. Come back to visit us at ELI anytime.
Fantastic experience: Nice prices, VERY useful, fun and friendly atmosphere! If you decide to go to ELI school to study English, It will be your best choice! I'm a native Russian speaker and they taught me everything including grammar and vocabulary! It was really useful and we had a great time because of excursions to different hidden sites in San Francisco, holidays and nice teachers! They have really nice education schedule: Mon - Thu, 8.30 - 2.30 and then additional lessons (speaking, grammar, business and etc.) I participated in business classes that helped me to build my resume. My wife took TOEFL classes and passed successfully the TOEFL exam and went to the GGU university. p.s.: The photo from Halloween :)
Haha. Halloween costume contest winner! We are glad you like the Business Class, Ilia. Hope you are doing well.
Fantastic experience: Estudie por un año en ELI y mi experiencia fue gratificante. Empecé en nivel 4 y fui subiendo de nivel hasta graduarme en el último. Las clases son prácticas y te ayudan a desenvolverse en la ciudad; no son clases tediosas donde solo repiten ejercicios simples y frases sencillas una y otra vez (incluso en los niveles bajos). Está ubicado en pleno centro de la ciudad, muy conveniente. Es bastante económico para esta en una ciudad tan costosa. Tienen muy buenos profesores que se preocupan por los intereses de los estudiantes y no solo por enseñar una lección. Aprendí sobre temas relevantes de la historia de la ciudad que hicieron que mi experiencia en San Francisco fuera mucho mejor. Tienen extra clases gratuitas que te ayudan a aprender sobre la cultura en los Estados Unidos y San Francisco (¡la clase de Rock and Roll de John fue Genial!). En mi caso particular como profesional graduado, los profesores me ayudaron a aprender conocimientos básicos sobre mi profesión, en ingles. La clase de preparación para el TOEFL en muy buena para quien quiere una excelente resultado sin estar todo un año dedicado solo a eso. Todo el personal fue siempre muy amable y amigable. Lo que más disfrute de mi experiencia en ELI es la cantidad de gente de distintas partes del mundo que conocí, diferentes culturas de todos lados con los que compartí mi tiempo en la escuela. Ahora tengo amigos en todo el mundo y puedo decir que aprendí ingles muy bien y de una manera provechosa.
Gracias Leandro!
Fantastic experience: Great location, reasonable tuition, skilled and experienced teachers and friendly staff.
Thanks for the review Makiko! We always love to hear when a student enjoys their time at ELI.
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