Below you will find some of the most respected and widely recognized language associations in the world, and many of Language International’s schools are accredited by these associations:
- The Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) in the United States (USA)
- The British Council in the United Kingdom (UK)
- The National ELT Accreditation Scheme Limited (NEAS) in Australia
- The European Association for Quality Language Services (EQUALS) in Europe
- Instituto Cervantes in Spain
When choosing a language school you should generally consider a few different factors such as:
1. School location
When deciding what type of location you would like to study in, there are a few things to think about, but the most important thing to consider is your personal preferences. If you like to stay up late, enjoy cultural events or exotic restaurants then studying in a city might be the right decision for you. If you enjoy the great outdoors, or are interested in a slower paced lifestyle, then studying in a suburb or town might be a better choice.Generally speaking, if the school is in the center of a town or city, you will be closer to places like restaurants, bars, shops, cultural events and leisure activities. However, because housing options in these areas are more expensive, you may have to live farther away from your school than you would if you study in the suburbs.
If the school is in the suburbs, you will usually be in a quieter, more relaxed and often safer area. You will also be able to live much closer to the school than you would in the city. The only downside to studying at a school outside of the city is that you are more dependent on public transportation to get you around, which can be a challenge, especially late at night.
Language International publishes the complete address of each school and shows each location on an interactive map as well, so that you can evaluate its exact location as you make your decision.
2. School size
School sizes vary greatly—from schools with just a few classrooms to schools with several buildings dedicated to language learning. Although each school is different, it may be helpful to know what you can usually expect when it comes to school size.Generally speaking, larger schools offer better facilities, such as libraries, cafeterias and multimedia language labs. They also offer a bigger range of class levels, which ensures that you will be in a class with other students who share similar language proficiency.
If you are looking for specialty courses, bigger schools also offer more options for groups such as children, teenagers, business executives, and specific age ranges (like 50 and up). Finally, large schools have more students and offer the opportunity to meet more people during your studies.
Small schools, on the other hand, offer a more personal atmosphere, typically with fewer students per class (especially during low season), greater flexibility for taking individual student requests into account, and the opportunity to form deeper relationships with teachers and peers.
3. Student origin
Although there is no rule against learning with students from your own country, we suggest that you choose a school that has students from a wide range of nationalities. This encourages you to mingle with students from different cultures, and converse in the language that you are learning instead of speaking in your native language. A good rule to follow is: the fewer the students from your home country, the better.For the most part, the origin of the students enrolled in each school depends on where the school is located. For example, Japanese students are now booking more and more courses in Australia rather than in the UK. The majority of school profiles on Language International include data on student nationality.
