Fernanda Aguilar — ESP School PT Talk to us
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Exclusive partnership · International Educational Advisor

Your degree can have a U.S. address.

ESP School is an International Educational Advisor for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in Brazil. That means something rare: the entire path to an American university — from English proficiency to admission — guided in the student's own language, by the school that signs with the university.

Exclusive educational advising partnership in Brazil
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota — International Educational Advisor
80+undergraduate, graduate and online programs
13:1student-to-faculty ratio
US$28,000average annual scholarship for internationals
58,000+global alumni network
The partnership

Not an agency. An official advising partnership.

In October 2025, ESP School signed an official agreement as an International Educational Advisor for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota — at the university's own invitation, through its International Partnerships office. It is our exclusive educational advising partnership in Brazil, which is why every student is guided end to end by us, with no intermediaries and no generic treatment.

Agencies sell destinations. We prepare the student's English, guide the application, and speak directly with the university that will welcome them.

Karen Ho — Director of International Partnerships, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Karen Ho

Director of International Partnerships · Saint Mary's University

With more than 30 years of leadership experience at Fortune 500 companies — Ameriprise Financial, U.S. Bank and LPL Financial — Karen leads Saint Mary's global partnerships. Originally from Hong Kong and a former international student in the U.S. herself, she brings that experience forward to help others navigate their educational journeys, opening doors and broadening horizons through global learning. She is who ESP School works with directly.

The university

A "hidden gem" in the heart of Minnesota.

A private, non-profit Catholic Lasallian institution with a strong academic reputation. The Winona campus is home to undergraduate programs, while Minneapolis and Rochester host graduate programs.

80+ programs in high-demand fields: Healthcare, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Business and Mechatronics Engineering

13:1 student-to-faculty ratio — professors who know every student by name

97% of students complete a research or creative project before graduating

Minnesota — one of the safest states in the U.S. and home to 17 Fortune 500 companies

Real partnerships with regional employers and healthcare systems, including Mayo Clinic

MBA and Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology among the standout graduate programs

The investment

A scholarship for every international undergraduate.

It is not a lottery: all international undergraduate students receive a scholarship, between US$25,500 and US$30,000 per year, determined by academic performance (GPA) — renewable annually and covering up to 65% of tuition.

US$60,110total annual cost — tuition, housing, meals, books, health insurance and fees
US$28,000average scholarship for incoming international students
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US$32,110average annual net cost — highly competitive among U.S. private universities

Straightforward, transparent admissions: transcripts, English proficiency and standard application materials. Tuition and scholarship figures apply to the 2026–2027 academic year and are subject to annual review and updates. Campus residency is required to maintain scholarship eligibility.

Campus life · Winona

The complete American college experience.

College Dorms & College Life — an institutional video by Saint Mary's University of Minnesota: residence halls and everyday life on the Winona campus.

840+ undergraduate students — big enough to feel diverse, small enough to feel personal

450 acres of woods, bluffs and Mississippi River views

10 residence halls and 40+ student clubs

Classmates from 34 U.S. states and 15 countries — a global community

24/7 campus security, in one of the safest states in the country

CPT, OPT and STEM OPT — guidance on U.S. work experience during and after the degree

Annual career fair with 80+ employers Personalized Career Services and Writing Center Global network of 58,000+ alumni
How it works

From the test to the campus, right beside you.

1

Interview and goal

We understand the student's project — undergraduate, MBA or graduate study — and map Saint Mary's exact requirements for it.

2

English at the required level

CEFR diagnosis and personalized preparation for the admission's English proficiency requirement — our specialty for 25 years.

3

Guided application

Transcripts, documents and forms with direct guidance — in constant contact with the university.

4

Scholarship, visa and departure

Scholarship confirmed, I-20 issued, final preparation — and the student arrives in Winona knowing exactly what to expect.

Understanding the U.S. model: a bachelor's degree takes about four years (120 credits), combining the student's major, general education and electives — structure with flexibility. Graduate programs are specialized and take one to two years. We explain all of it, in Portuguese, in the very first conversation.

Studying in the USA starts with one conversation.

Talk to Fernanda Aguilar — official International Educational Advisor for Saint Mary's University in Brazil — and discover the path, the deadlines and the scholarship possible in your case.

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