One of the best and most enjoyable ways to learn a foreign language is to enrol in a study course abroad - but how do you find the right language school? Here are the questions to ask.
Where do I start?
There are a huge number of language schools across Europe, Latin America and
Asia offering a vast range of different courses, class sizes, standards of accommodation
and extras such as evening activities, cultural programmes, lectures, museums
trips and excursions. Some cater chiefly for young people, others have a broad
mix of age groups and while some are located in the centre of towns and cities,
others are more rural or in the suburbs.
The best way to start looking for a school is by assessing exactly what you want to get out of your course - whether it's intensive, one-to-one teaching or a relaxed, one- or two-week break exploring a new city, meeting local people and picking up a little of the language.
For more advice and information on what's available, a good starting point is the Association of Language Travel Organisations, or Alto (0045 3317 0062; www.altonet.org), which was set up 1998 and has a membership of language schools and specialist agents that adhere to Alto's quality guidelines.
How do I book?
You can either book through an agent (see "UK booking agents", below)
or directly with the language school. A good agent will spend time talking through
your options and will use his or her experience to match your requirements with
a school that will best suit you. And because schools often offer agents reduced
rates, you shouldn't have to pay more for the convenience of booking through
a middleman. With an agent, you'll also have the added bonus of having more
back-up if things go wrong. However, if you know which school you want to book
with or if you prefer to do the legwork yourself, it's easy to find out information
about specific schools on the internet.
Examples of well-established city schools with clear, informative websites include the British Institute of Florence (0039 055 2677 8200; www.britishinstitute.it), which offers four-week courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced Italian speakers; UAB Barcelona (0034 93 433 5060; www.uab-barcelona.com), which offers year-round courses in Spanish ranging from two weeks to six months; and the Institut Parisien (0033 1 4056 0953; www.institut-parisien.com), which has courses from one to four weeks of 10, 20 or 30 hours per week, or one-to-one French classes.
How much do courses cost?
Costs vary and inevitably tend to be more expensive in cities. The four-week
courses offered by the British Institute of Florence range from £300 to
£560, while weekly charges at the Institut Parisien are £90 for
10 hours' tuition, £180 for 20 hours, £270 for 30 hours or about
£50 per hour for one-to-one sessions (plus an enrolment fee of £28).
Courses tend to be cheaper in Spain, where you can expect fees for courses booked through an agent to start at about £200 for two weeks, including 20 lessons of 45-60 minutes per week compared to a typical figure of about £250 for the same level of tuition in France. Prices also depend on the city you choose - a week of one-to-one classes could cost up to £450 for 20 classes in Barcelona compared to about £330 in Granada.
What about accommodation?
Both agents and schools can provide plenty of information on accommodation either
near the school or within easy reach by public transport. The most common form
of lodging is with a host family, where you share meals and live alongside local
people (the advantage of this is that you can practise your newly acquired language
skills). You can state preferences - agents will try to match requests such
as a central location, no smoking, no small children and so on.
If you'd rather opt for something more impersonal, schools can often provide rooms in self-catering accommodation shared with other students or will help you find your own apartment, b & b or hotel nearby. Accommodation costs are not included in the course fees - expect to pay at least £80 per week for a single room in a family home on a half-board basis, while in big cities the cost could be up to about £200 per week.
How long in advance should I book?
If you are going in the summer months, you should book at least six to eight
weeks ahead to make sure of getting accommodation. However, if you don't need
accommodation agents say you can often book as little as a week before the course
starts.
Anything else to think about?
As schools cater for all nationalities, classes are taught only in the home
language, so if you are a beginner it may be a good idea to learn some basic
phrases before you go. If you already have some knowledge of the language but
are not sure how you'll compare with other students, your school should test
you on the first day to assess which class you should go into.
Group sizes are usually kept to a maximum of eight to 10 in Europe (sometimes up to 15) and four or five in South America. Some schools offer a "mini-group" option, where class sizes are guaranteed not to exceed a certain number - usually four. You are normally expected to arrange your own flight but agents or schools may be able to organise transfers from an airport if required. Check that your travel insurance policy covers you if you have to cancel your course at the last minute.
What if there's a problem?
If you aren't happy with either your course or accommodation, you should talk
to a teacher, director or the accommodation officer at the school in order to
sort it out on the spot. If you've booked through an agent, you should also
keep him or her informed of the problem and expect that person to become involved
if necessary. If it's a serious issue - perhaps the school is unsatisfactory
or your allocated accommodation is dirty or too far away from the school - ask
your agent to move you. Don't wait until you get home to raise problems - this
will undermine your case if you want to take it further.
UK booking agents
Cactus Worldwide (0845 130 4775; www.cactuslanguage.com). Arranges courses at
schools throughout Europe, Latin America, China, Russia, Japan and Egypt for
all ages. Its programmes start at one week and include Junior courses (for six
to 18 years) and Young at Heart courses (for over 50s), which have fewer hours
of tuition and more extracurricular activities.
For more information, log on to www.cactuslanguage.com or call 01273 725200.