Dublin is the most popular European destination among those who decide to study abroad. The city has many language schools, and you may find yourself lost when choosing between them. If your main goal is to improve your English language skills, doing it in an Irish language school will give you the best quality experience.
That is why it is very important to pick an institution that offers everything their students need to make this your stay worth it.
Be sure to research well in advance and find a language school that will make your study abroad even better. Here are some points to look for when making your choice:
1. Choose a school certified by ACELS (Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services)
The first step to ensure the legitimacy and high quality of your English course is choosing a school certified by ACELS. This is the government agency that monitors and regulates the quality of the English taught in Ireland. To be certified by the ACELS, the school must follow strict rules and has to offer services that ensure the best experience for their students. By choosing an institution approved by the Irish government, such as Erin School, you can be sure your English classes will be what you expect of them.
2. Be sure your school has Learner Protection
The Learner Protection ensures that all the students will be taken care of if, for any case, your educational institution ends its’ activities. If that happens the insurance will give the student either the option of finishing the classes in other institution or will reimburse him on the full amount invested for the course. It’s very important for future students to take into consideration schools that offer Learner Protection.
3. Only schools listed in ILEP can guarantee your student visa
Another thing to look for when choosing your English course is finding a school included in the ILEP (Interim List of Eligible Programs), that register all institutions approved by the government to grant the student visa to all non-European citizens.
4. Look for experiences beyond the regular classes
The daily English classes are essential to improve your abilities, but other ways of making your study abroad more enjoyable are doing activities beyond the regular lessons. At Erin School, the students can attend extra classes every day after 4:00 pm with extra activities, just a few examples:
- Theatre class – students play scenes using English dialogue
- Movie class – watching movies, analyzing and commenting on them.
- Conversation class – a great way to develop your cognitive skills by listening and speaking with other students on topics of the day. It helps socializing and forming a stronger community between students.
- Dance classes – we don’t really need to explain this one.
- Many other activities that we will keep a secret for now 😉
Furthermore, the school also organizes parties for its’ students on different occasions. Sometimes during the classes, the teachers can take you outside and bring you to museums, parks and other landmarks in Dublin and teach you not just about the language but also the history and culture of the city and Ireland.
5. The infrastructure offered by the school
Always to look up for photos of the place and see the infrastructure of the language centre. It’s critical that there are well-equipped classrooms for at least 15 students. Libraries and others common areas for the students enrich their learning, Wi-Fi for those who want to use their computers and smartphones, and well-equipped bathrooms are just a few of the things that your chosen school must have.
6. Discover more about the school by talking with current and ex-students
Reputation is everything, and there’s no better way to know about the school than talking to someone who has already had an exchange programme there. To make sure that the preferred English course will offer what you are looking for, ask what the students of the institution think about the place and the course. Ask friends, friends of friends, search on Facebook groups and websites until you’re sure you’re making the best decision.
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Author: Juliana Hansen
