You can take various language examinations during language courses in England, but also here in Switzerland. English language examinations include the Cambridge Diplomas, which are highly regarded worldwide. The IELTS certificate, the Certificate of Advanced English and the Certificate of Proficiency English are also recognized in many places. The English certificates are structured as follows:

• FCE - Cambridge First Certificate in English
• CAE - Certificate of Advanced English
• CPE - Certificate of Profiency in English
• BEC - Business English Certificate
• IELTS - International English Language Testing System
• BULATS - Business Language Testing Service
• ICFE - Cambridge International Certificate in Financial English
• ILEC - Cambridge International Legal English Certificate

In addition, the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and the TOEIC (Test of English in International Communication) tests are carried out for the English language, but according to the American system.

Before you register with a language school for language travel to England, you should make a few preliminary considerations that will help you find the right language course and the right language school for your language training. Clarify the following questions, among others:

• Which city do you prefer?
• How big should the language school be?
• What is the minimum and maximum amount of time you would like to spend in an English course per day?
• Would you like to obtain an internationally recognized language diploma?
• How much time do you have available for the language study trip to England?
• What budget do you have?
• Which type of accommodation do you prefer?
• Are there any special leisure activities that should definitely be offered?
• Which course size do you prefer?

You can also find information on further considerations you should make to find the right language course and the right language school in England in our free guides "Education and continuing education, further training in the field of languages" and "How to choose the right education provider" (see navigation point "Education help" above").

It happens again and again that language trips to England cannot be taken, and this can be for a variety of reasons, such as a moderate or serious illness, an accident, the sudden death of a family member or the loss of a job. If you don't have any travel cancellation insurance, in the vast majority of cases you must expect that the costs already paid for the flight, accommodation and English course will not be refunded. As you usually have no influence over these events, it is advisable to take out appropriate insurance. You should also take out international health insurance if you have not already done so in order to be covered in an emergency and not be left with the costs of treatment and possible repatriation. Take into account the amount of the excess and weigh up whether an annual policy might be more worthwhile than an individual policy for the duration of your language study trip to England. Ask the language schools for language travel to England about insurance offers and packages, which are often cheaper than buying directly from the providers.

There is hardly anyone for whom a language study trip abroad is not suitable. Of course, the basic prerequisite is always that you or your child are motivated enough to deal with a possibly completely new language and to use it on a daily basis. After all, only those who are prepared to communicate with other people, take on a new challenge and learn regularly can really benefit from a language study trip.

For language courses in England, it is not usually necessary for you to know your exact language level before you register. A precise assessment of your knowledge and subsequent allocation to the appropriate learning groups usually takes place on the first day of the course. However, some schools require participants to provide a rough assessment of their language skills at the time of registration. If you have problems with this self-assessment, you can often take a free online language test directly at the language schools, which will give you a good assessment of your English skills. You can also take such a language test here at Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch, which will show you at which language level you can attend a language course. Click here for theOnline language test.