If you have all the information about the classes, you just need to go to the Academic Office and pay the tuition fees. You can also pay online with an international credit card.
No, the tuition varies depending on the program and on the hour. For example, the tuition is 185 USD at 6:50 a.m., whereas it’s 160 USD at 11:10 a.m.
It’s quarterly; you pay every session.
No, it’s not, but it is advisable. However, it is required for all new students to pay in full. Students currently enrolled may decide to pay by installments when they register for the next session.
The tuition fees cover tuition, books, and students’ ID badges.
A new student is one who has never enrolled at the Haitian-American Institute in the past.
If the new student is a true beginner and wants to start in the beginning classes ( E010 or SP-1), s/he can just go to the window to register. If the new student thinks s/he can do better, s/he may request a placement test.
A placement exam or evaluation test is a test administered to any prospective students who do not want to start at the beginning level.
There are 100 questions broken down into segments of listening, vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension. If you score 90 per cent or more, you are allowed to register for any advanced classes without an oral evaluation. If you score less than 90 per cent, you will be given an oral evaluation to determine your level.
Yes, it is possible. It is left to the interviewer’s discretion. Some students may not do well on testing, but do well on speaking.
A returning student is one who has left HAI at some point and has decided to come back.
Your status changes from ‘currently enrolled student’ to ‘returning student’ only if you are gone for six consecutive months.
After six months, you need to be evaluated either in writing or in speaking before you are allowed to continue. The evaluation test can be waived providing you bring proof that you had been living in an English-speaking environment during that period.
The evaluation exam costs $25 US dollars.
No. The $25 covers both the evaluation exam and the oral test.
There are REGULAR, ACCELERATED and INTENSIVE courses at the institute. The REGULAR course lasts 1 hour (Monday through Thursday) or 4 hours on a single Friday morning or afternoon. The ACCELERATED course lasts 2 hours every day (Monday through Thursday). The INTENSIVE course lasts 4 hours per day and is now offered every day of the week (Monday through Sunday). So, it is now possible for students to come for one day and take 4 hours of class on any given day, whereas it used to be Saturday and Sunday Intensive only.
No, they are different. Students in the REGULAR, ACCELERATED and Friday REGULAR program use STEP FORWARD, whereas the students in the INTENSIVE program use the AMERICAN ENGLISH FILE.
Yes. You can choose between the Friday REGULAR and the Friday INTENSIVE, either morning or afternoon.
Yes, you can, but you need to see a Registrar about it.
You need to complete four mandatory advanced classes: Listening 110, Listening 210, Reading, and Writing.
Yes you can. A student who’s proficient needs to prove his/her proficiency by taking the placement test (also known as an evaluation exam). Then, he/she will be allowed to take an advanced class depending on the score.
These mandatory advanced classes (Listening 110, Listening 210, Reading, and Writing) are offered every session and at almost every hour. Sometimes, not enough students register for a class; in this case, we ask the students to choose another hour or to lobby for more of their friends to come register at their chosen schedule.
No, but a transcript may be available upon request. Remember, only after successfully completing the four mandatory classes (Listening 110, Listening 210, Reading, Writing) can a Certificate of Completion be given to you.
Yes, indeed. Students taking REGULAR courses complete the cycle in two years plus one year for the four advanced classes, whereas students in the ACCELERATED and/or INTENSIVE programs complete the cycle in one year plus one year for the advanced classes.
Yes, indeed. We offer TOEFL and SAT preparation courses on certain Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Although the Haitian-American Institute is an international center for TOEFL, SAT and GRE, we make sure that the TOEFL instructor NEVER participates in the test administration so as to avoid any conflict of interest.
The ENGLISH FOR TOURISM course is a nine-month program designed to hone the English skills of students in the hospitality sector. The program covers the basics in the first three months with the textbook EVERYDAY ENGLISH FOR HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS; the ENGLISH FOR TOURISM book is used for the next six months in the Intermediate and Advanced levels. At the end of the program, the best students are selected for hands-on training sessions in the United States, made possible by a partnership between the Haitian-American Institute and Frenchman’s Creek Beach and Country Club in Florida. If you are a student in a hotel school or an employee in a hotel, this English course is for you.
These are optional (elective) classes for advanced students. They are also recommended to advanced students who have trouble passing the mandatory courses.
Yes, it’s called the English Conversation Club, and students who are currently enrolled, along with alumni, can practice English with one another. The participation fee is $30 US dollars per session, and conversation classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays.
All about Spoken English and Practical English Classes
The Spoken English Class (SEC) or the Practical English Class (PEC) is a remedial class intended for students who have failed in a regular class. A student scoring less than 55 on the exam is automatically sent to SEC or PEC. New students may also take these classes if they wish. They may request a brief interview if they do not want to start from scratch.
Is there a difference between the Spoken English and the Practical English? There is only a difference in names. On weekdays, we call the remedial class ‘Spoken English’ whereas on weekends, we call it ‘Practical English’.
How are the classes labeled? For Spoken English, we do even numbers: 2, 4, 6, 8. That is, we have Spoken English 2, Spoken English 4, Spoken English 6, Spoken English 8. For Practical English, we have Practical English 1, Practical English 2, Practical English 3, and Practical English 4.
Spoken English 2 caters to students who have trouble passing the exam in E010/E020.
Spoken English 4 — — — — — — — — — — E030/E040.
Spoken English 6 — — — — — — — — — — E050/E060.
Spoken English 8 — — — — — — — — — — E070/E080.
Practical English 1 caters to students who have trouble passing Fri P1 or SP1 or SunP1.
Practical English 2 — — — — — — — Fri P2 or SP2 or SunP2.
Practical English 3 — — — — — — — Fri P3 or SP3 or SunP3.
Practical English 4 — — — — — — — Fri P4 or SP4 or SunP4.
What is the program based on? Basically, the instructor should have in mind the program of the class the students have had trouble with and emphasize the contents pertaining to that class. However, there should not be a single reference to textbooks and the instructor should use lots of visuals, videos, pair work and group activities in order to engage the students.
Can a new student register for Spoken/Practical English classes? A new student can register for Spoken English 2 or Practical English 1 directly. However, for the higher classes (SEC 4, 6, 8 or PEC 2, 3, 4), the student must be interviewed prior to enrollment.
If I am currently enrolled at HAI, can I register for a SPEC/PEC CLASS? Yes, you can, but you have to wait for your final test results to enroll for the correct level. For example, if you are in E010/E020 and you pass, you may go to SPEC 4. But if you fail the E010/E020 final exam, you need to take SPEC 2. The same applies to FRI Ps, SPs, and SunPs with the PEC classes.
Can I switch from a SEC or a PEC class to the Regular Program or the Intensive classes? Yes, you can provided you pass the test for that class. For example, if you are in Spoken English 4 (which is somewhat the equivalent of E030/E040), you need to pass both E030 and E040 tests to be admitted to E050 or E050/E060. The same applies to FRI Ps, SPs, and SunPs with the PEC classes.
How are students evaluated in the SEC/PEC classes? Each student is administered an oral evaluation based on the items covered during the session. No written test!!!
Are there any advanced classes for the SPEC/PEC students? Yes, there are three advanced classes: 1) The Pre-Advanced class where students are expected to work on listening, vocabulary, and grammar. 2) SPEC Advanced 1/ PEC Advanced 1 where students are expected to use idioms, make conversations, and do short presentations in class. Emphasis is placed on listening and speaking in this class. 3) SPEC Advanced 2/ PEC Advanced 2 where emphasis is placed on the students’ reading and writing skills.
Can I switch from an SEC Advanced/PEC class to a Regular or Intensive Advanced? Yes, you can, but you will have to take the placement test administered at the institute and get a score of at least 70. From a Regular or Intensive Advanced class to a SPEC Advanced or PEC Advanced, you need to do well on an oral interview.
What are the advantages of the Spoken/Practical English classes at the Institute? There are numerous advantages: 1) No textbooks to purchase 2) Low tuition fees 3) Audio-visual materials 4) Daily practice 5) Lively classroom atmosphere 6) Student-centered approach 7) More emphasis on speaking and listening