Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Most of our locations currently have homestay providers. This gives you an excellent chance to practise your English. Students have a bedroom with a place to study and storage for clothes and belongings. Meals depend on the provider and whether you want half-board, bed & breakfast or self-catering.

Homestay lets you experience the British way of life and enjoy conversation outside the ILC centre. Students are encouraged to use communal areas, and many become friends with their host families. We also offer places in local halls of residence at certain times of the year (subject to availability).

Both options have different benefits. If you would like to experience life in Britain, homestay is a great choice, as you live in the country as a resident, not as a tourist. A hall of residence place offers more independence and the chance to meet more young people.

Yes. All our homestay hosts provide bedding and towels and offer a once-a-week laundry service.

Many of our homestay hosts can offer special diets (for example halal, gluten-free, lactose-free and certain other dietary requirements). There is a supplement of £40 per week for this. See our Homestay page for details.

You can complete our enrolment form and return it to our Admissions team by post or email, or complete the online enrolment form on our website. You can also get a price quote and then go on to book online if you wish.

Please book your course at least two weeks in advance. You can book two weeks or less before the course, but you might not get a place, and you will need to pay the full fees when you book. If you want to start quickly, contact us as soon as possible so we can check availability.

• By bank transfer (if paying from outside the UK, you will need to pay all bank charges)
• By Flywire, an international payment system. We can explain how to use it.
• By credit or debit card (excluding American Express and Diners Club). There is no charge for paying by UK debit card.
• By cash at reception for remaining balances on arrival

If you need a visa to study in the UK, you must pay for the course in full before you start. If you already have a visa or live in the UK, you can pay for your course week by week in advance if you wish. If you do this, you will not get the lower weekly rate for longer bookings paid in advance, and you may not be able to use our periodic special offers. For evening courses, we require a minimum of 4 weeks' payment in advance.

If we have sufficient notice, we will refund your fees minus the registration fee and the accommodation handling fee (if you booked accommodation with us). Please see our Terms and Conditions for the notice required. To avoid a visa refusal, please follow the UK visa application rules very carefully.

If you tell us which holiday weeks you want to take before you start your course, we will not charge you for those weeks. Holidays taken after you start the course are not credited later. Unless a student is ill, we expect full attendance on our courses.

Before your course starts, we will email you an enrolment letter and a Student Handbook with general information about ILC and your chosen centre. If you have booked accommodation, we will also send you information about your homestay provider or hall of residence.

On your first day, you will receive a student card that gives you student discounts in many local places, and a welcome meeting with information about the school and local area, where you can ask any questions. On your last day, you will receive an academic report and an ILC leaving certificate.

Depending on the centre and the time of year, we usually have a variety of levels running. Taking our online level test gives you and us an idea of your current level and which class to place you in. Every new student also has a 5 to 10 minute speaking interview to check their speaking ability.

All schools are different, so to make sure every student is placed in the right class, everyone takes the same level test.

For most classes, morning lessons are from 09:30 to 12:45, Monday to Friday, with a short break from 11:00 to 11:15. Afternoon lessons are from 13:30 to 15:00. Evening classes run from 18:30 to 20:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please ask about evening class availability at each ILC centre.

Our morning and evening classes follow a structured syllabus, and students studying for 2 weeks or more need to buy the class coursebook for £40. You do not need to buy a book for the Communication Skills class.

Our teachers and Directors of Studies are always here to help. Your progress is monitored closely and the academic team works together to make sure you are in the right class. You may need to pass a test to change level.

Some of our centres offer exam preparation classes, so please talk to our academic team for the most relevant and accurate information.

Our young learner summer programmes are designed for children aged 5 to 10. Lessons and activities are fully adapted to this age group, using child-friendly teaching methods and materials.

Yes. Children can join at any English level, including complete beginners. Students are assessed and placed in the most suitable class based on both age and language level.

Children have about 15 hours of English lessons per week, through interactive and engaging classes focused on speaking, listening, vocabulary and confidence.

Students are grouped by age (for example 5 to 6, 7 to 8 and 9 to 10) and English level, so lessons suit both their maturity and their language ability.

Yes. Children are fully supervised throughout the day, during lessons, breaks, activities and excursions. Our young learner teams follow strict safeguarding and supervision procedures.

Yes. Teachers and activity staff working with ages 5 to 10 are experienced in young learner education and trained to deliver lessons and activities safely and appropriately for children.

The programme includes a wide range of supervised activities, such as sports, games, creative workshops and group projects, designed to help children practise English while having fun.

Yes. The programme includes organised local excursions and visits suitable for young children. All trips are supervised by staff.

For ages 5 to 10, the programme is usually a day programme (course and activities). Accommodation options may be available depending on location and dates, so please check with us for current options.

Yes. We can arrange airport transfers for young learners. Arrival and departure are supervised so children travel safely between the airport and the programme location.

Our welfare staff are experienced in supporting young children. If a child feels unwell or homesick, our team provides pastoral care and supervision, and parents are contacted when appropriate.

Yes. Parents can stay in contact with their children, and we provide emergency contact details for the school welfare team during the programme.

Yes. All students receive an English course certificate and progress feedback at the end of their programme.

You can book an airport transfer when you pay for your course. Please indicate this on your enrolment form and give us your full flight information. Once we receive your full payment, the driver will meet you at your chosen airport. Please plan your journey carefully, as delays will cost extra. You can also book a return transfer for when you leave the UK.

• Academic questions: the Director of Studies
• Welfare: the Office and Student Services Manager
• Accommodation: the Office and Student Services Manager