Language schools in England usually have a class size of 10 to 15 students per course. However, you can often also opt for the alternative of small groups or mini-groups, where there are significantly fewer students together in one room. This option is usually more expensive, but offers the advantage that the teacher is responsible for fewer students and you are better supported in this way. The effect is that you make greater learning progress and participate more actively in lessons. Teachers in small groups can also respond more specifically to the individual needs of each student and take appropriate measures if some of them are unable to keep up with the learning material or are underchallenged. For exam preparation courses in particular, it is advisable to look for a language school in England that offers diploma courses with a smaller number of students so that you can learn more effectively. In all cases, always check the information on the maximum class size of the individual courses and ask the language schools directly.

If you have decided to go on a language study trip to England, the first thing you need to do is find the right city and the right language school. Ask yourself what requirements the city and the school should meet, whether you would prefer to travel to an exciting big city or a small, tranquil place. The size of the school also plays a role and can range from small, with up to 60 students, to large with over 200 students. The language school in England that you choose should also have a good infrastructure, have common rooms if necessary and be conveniently located. A good mix of nationalities should also be taken into account so that you don't just come across Swiss, Germans and Austrians with whom you can speak German instead of English.

When planning, you should always consider how long you have, how big your budget is and what your goals are. If you would like to prepare for a language exam, you should bear in mind that exam preparation courses, for example for the First Certificate in English (FCE) or other Cambridge certificates, only take place on fixed dates each year, so you should plan your language stay accordingly. These preparation courses also often last longer, usually 10 to 12 weeks, so this will require some planning.

Also think about which accommodation you prefer. If you want to learn English as quickly as possible, living with a host family or even with a language teacher at home is the best option. If your priority is to meet as many new people as possible and to be able to organize your free time flexibly, shared flats and student residences are probably more suitable for you.

You will usually arrive at your accommodation the day before the start of your language course to settle in and get used to your surroundings. On the first day of the course, which can usually be a Monday each week, you go to the language school in England that you have chosen at the prescribed time and arrive at the meeting point. Bear in mind that you should allow a little more time to find the right room and have a look around if necessary. After being welcomed by the teachers, newcomers are usually given a placement test to place them in the English course that corresponds to their language skills. Such a test ensures that you do not accidentally end up in a language course that is too demanding or even too difficult for you, but that you are assigned to a group with a similar language level to your own, thus ensuring effective learning that benefits all course participants equally. After you have taken the English language test and have been assigned to a class, you will arrive in the course rooms and usually start with an introductory round that covers your personality and goals, adapted to your previous language skills. After this introduction round, the course materials will be distributed and you will usually start your lessons quite quickly, even if the first day is still very relaxed.

On youth language trips or school language trips to England, the leisure programme is organized and supervised throughout, so that young people can enjoy a varied language vacation. On language courses for adults, it is not the rule that leisure activities are offered every day of the week, especially not at smaller language schools. However, a larger language school in England may well put together an interesting leisure program, with sports activities in particular. At the weekends, excursions are organized or weekend trips are offered from time to time, which anyone who is interested can take part in. Please note, however, that these and most other activities are not included in the course price and must be paid for separately on site. The language school will often also help you to plan leisure activities, for example if you would like to take a golf lesson, attend a sailing course or visit the theater. If you have a particular activity in mind that you would like to do more intensively, you could also consider a special course, which some language schools offer. Such a special course consists of an English course and a leisure activity, such as English and cooking, English and golf or English and windsurfing.

Language courses are developed independently by each school and usually also by all language teachers, so there are no standardized English courses. Courses at a language school in Australia usually take place in the morning. At lunchtime, you are either free for the rest of the day or have a short break, after which you go back to your classroom and continue learning, especially on intensive courses and exam preparation courses. The content of what you learn depends on the objective of the course (e.g. business courses) and the language level (A1, A2, B1,...). In most cases, however, you will be taught the rules of grammar or these will be repeated and intensified, you will learn new vocabulary and read a wide variety of texts. As a beginner, you will also be encouraged to write and present your own texts in order to practise your pronunciation and fluency. In addition, listening comprehension is usually practiced in an English course, not only through communication with the teacher or other students, but also through radio reports or special audio learning texts, songs, film sequences or similar. In a language school in Australia, a lot of role-playing is usually used to put what has been learned into practice and create everyday situations. This makes lessons less rigid and encourages students to actively participate. You should expect that you will usually be given homework every day, which you should have completed by the following course day. This is a good opportunity to review what you have learned in class and prepare for the next lesson. The amount of homework can vary greatly, especially between the individual course types.

Language diplomas are an important qualification for many people who not only speak English in their free time and when traveling, but also need foreign language skills for their job. A language diploma is also required for some subjects, as well as for studying at many colleges and Universities abroad. The most popular certificate is undoubtedly the Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE), which, however, only teaches very general English skills, not job-specific ones. For this reason, you will often find business certificate courses at a language school in England in addition to the traditional Cambridge certificates. The most important English business certificates are:BULATS (Business Language Testing Service) language tests

• BEC (Business English Certificates)
• TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication)
• LCCI (London Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
• ICFE (International Certificate in Financial English)
• ILEC (International Legal English Certificate)
• TOLES (Test of Legal English Skills)
• WEFT (Written English for Tourism)

If you want to take a specific business language diploma and don't know which language school in England offers it, the most effective way is to use our contact form to send an inquiry to all the language travel providers you are interested in and receive a list of suitable schools. This will save you time and tedious searching and is of course free of charge and without any obligations.