Global Engagement

About ECC

Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, Illinois, 40 miles (64 km) from Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the USA and a cultural, financial, and educational hub that attracts millions of visitors a year. Elgin, IL has a population of over 110,000 people and is connected to downtown Chicago by Metra rail, bus, and an interstate system. Learn more about ECC

ECC is located within easy reach of many notable attractions:

• Minutes from shopping, restaurants, and outdoor activities
• 30 minutes to Woodfield Mall and O’Hare International Airport
• 60 minutes to downtown Chicago and the world-famous Lake Michigan beaches
• 1 hour, 30 minutes to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• 1 hour, 45 minutes to Madison, Wisconsin
• 1 hour, 45 minutes to Starved Rock, Illinois
• 1 hour, 45 minutes to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

New International Student Admissions

Elgin Community College warmly welcomes international students from more than 25 countries around the world! ECC is about 40 miles from Chicago, which has world-championship sports teams, an internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra, award-winning theater, dozens of museums and historical sites, premier shopping, and some of the best restaurants in the United States.

Apply now

Resources for Current International Students

Are you a current F-1 or J-1 international student or scholar studying at ECC? Better understand how to maintain your status, your rights, and responsibilities as an F-1 student, and general information about life in the U.S.

Resources for F1-students

Study Abroad

ECC offers semester, summer, and short-term study abroad opportunities. Studying abroad increases global awareness and cultural competency and gives your resume a boost in a competitive global marketplace. Plus, you can earn credit toward your degree or certificate. 

Study abroad details

Homestay Program

ECC's International Student Homestay Program promotes international friendship and cultural exchange and provides students with a clean, safe, and caring atmosphere while attending school.

Homestay program details

• Local Residents Host an International Students: Experience another culture by hosting an international student.
• International Students Live with American Families: Experience American culture by living with an American family.

International Partners

ECC has International partners around the world. These partners help students in their home country apply for admission to ECC, host ECC students and faculty for educational programs abroad. They also help with exchange programs to send international students and faculty to ECC.

The Center for Global Engagement at Elgin Community College promotes dynamic and transformational global education experiences that prepare students to live in a culturally diverse and ever-changing world. We offer fast and simplified admissions for international students, opportunities to improve your English, and globally-focused study abroad programs.