FAQs for Students
Program Details
Is ENGin really free?
How long does the program last?
When do sessions usually happen?
What happens during the speaking sessions?
I am younger than 13. Can I sign up for your program?
I am older than 22. Can I sign up for your program?
Do I need to use videochat? Can we just speak by phone?
Are all of your volunteers from the United States?
Application Interview
I’m trying to schedule an interview but don’t see any timeslots that work for me. What can I do?
I can’t make it to my scheduled interview. Can I reschedule or cancel?
I accidentally missed my interview. What can I do?
My interviewer canceled or didn’t show up to our interview. What should I do?
I completed an interview with an ENGin team member, but I did not get a decision. What should I do?
Getting Matched to a Volunteer
When will I be matched to my volunteer?
I was put on the waitlist. How long will I have to wait?
I am not sure of the status of my application. What should I do?
I just received my match email. What do I do next?
I don’t check my email a lot. Can you message me on Telegram or Facebook?
Trouble with a Volunteer
My volunteer isn’t responding to my messages. What can I do?
My volunteer and I can’t find a time that works for our sessions. What should we do?
My volunteer doesn’t seem to enjoy speaking with me. Can you help?
What can I do if my volunteer is too busy to have sessions every week?
I want more practice. Can I have a second volunteer?
Can I change my volunteer?
Leaving the Program
How can I leave the program?
How can I join the program again after leaving?
Group Sessions
What are ENGin group sessions? How do they work?
How do I sign up for group sessions? Do I need to prepare for the session ahead of time?
If you click on the link and don’t see any available dates, it means all sessions are full. We add new dates and times every week. If you want us to email you when new dates are added to the calendar, please leave your email here.
What if I sign up for a session, but can’t attend?
Do I have to use my webcam?
Group sessions are designed for active participation. We ask all students to have their webcams on and be ready to speak and listen. If you have your webcam off or remain muted and don’t participate, your volunteer may ask you to leave the session.
Can I attend more than one session per week?
Because all sessions scheduled in the same week will be identical, we encourage you to attend just one session per week.
Can ENGin organize group sessions by age, English level, interests, etc?
Right now, any student can sign up for any group session, so you will have a mix of ages and English levels in your group. We have tried organizing different sessions for different types of students, but it was too complex logistically for us right now. We hope to do this in the future.
Can volunteers choose their own topics or activities for group sessions?
We used to give volunteers this option, but almost all volunteers asked ENGin to provide activities. So now, we have a standard set of activities each week that all volunteers will use. This makes sure all students get the same experience and volunteers don’t struggle to come up with new activities.
FAQs for Volunteers
Program Details
Can I get community service hours for my time at ENGin? How do I do that?
How long does the program last?
What are ENGin students like?
When do sessions usually happen?
What happens during the speaking sessions? Do you provide any resources for volunteers?
Volunteers are responsible for leading each session and deciding what to do. We provide many, many resources and activity ideas for you to choose from:
I am younger than 15. Can I volunteer with ENGin?
I am older than 22. Can I volunteer with ENGin?
Do I need to use videochat? Can we just speak by phone?
Application Interview
I’m trying to schedule an interview but don’t see any timeslots that work for me. What can I do?
I can’t make it to my scheduled interview. Can I reschedule or cancel?
I accidentally missed my interview. What can I do?
My interviewer canceled or didn’t show up to our interview. What should I do?
I completed an interview with an ENGin team member, but I did not get a decision. What should I do?
Getting Matched to a Student
When will I be matched to my student?
I am not sure of the status of my application. What should I do?
I just received my match email. What do I do next?
I don’t check my email a lot. Do we have to communicate by email?
Can I change the platform we use for sessions (Zoom, Skype, Hangouts, etc)?
Trouble with a Student
My student isn’t responding to my messages. What can I do?
My student and I can’t find a time that works for our sessions. What should we do?
My student doesn’t seem to enjoy speaking with me. Can you help?
My student keeps canceling or missing our sessions. What should I do?
Leaving the Program
How can I leave the program?
How can I join the program again after leaving?
Adding/Dropping/Changing Students
Can I start working with an additional student?
Can I drop one of my students?
Can I get matched to a different student?