Choosing an English language school in the UK

Congratulations!  You have decided to invest in your English language skills and take your level of English to new heights!  Now is the time to think in more detail about your experience and what you want to gain from your time in the UK.  Here are our top things to consider when choosing to study English abroad.

Destination

This will have a huge impact on your overall experience.  Do you want a quiet, countryside location where you are more likely to meet only English people and have a more low-key experience?  Or, do you want to be part of a bustling city with access to more culture such as museums, festivals and nightlife? The United Kingdom offers a fantastic range of school destination choices where you can learn English.

Big school or small school?

Generally speaking, the English language schools in the UK are divided into two types of experience. The larger schools tend to offer larger premises, more students and are located in all of the top cities in the UK.  Smaller schools tend to be independently owned and offer a more personal experience in a boutique-style building.  A good question to ask yourself is – When you travel, do you prefer to stay in large, chain hotels or quirky Air BnBs?  If you prefer to stay in a quirky Air BnB then you will probably enjoy a small, independent language school more.

Getting to the UK

A lot has changed in the UK since January 2020 and the entry requirements have changed quite a lot.  Luckily, there is an easy place to check which entry requirements apply to you on the UK government website.  You can follow the link here to check to see if you need a visa to travel to the UK for your English course – https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

What do you want to achieve?

This might seem like an obvious thing to think about, but it is important to have realistic expectations when choosing your English course and experience. You may only have a short period of time to travel in which case you might want to choose to spend as much time in the classroom as possible.  If this is the case, you will be best choosing an intensive language course.  Or, you may want to have more access to native speakers of English during your time?  If this is the case, you may choose to study for half the day and spend the rest of the time visiting shops, museums, bars etc to practise speaking English in real life situations.

Before you arrive

Your experience can start before you step onto the aeroplane and we recommend spending at least a week before your arrival becoming familiar with the English language.  Think about the situations you will be in during the first few days in the UK – for example arriving at the airport, arriving to your accommodation, your first day at school, going shopping to buy some basics, travelling to school on your first day. Which language might you need to be able to speak in these situations?

You can also immerse yourself in the language by watching English speakers on social media, watching TV and films and reading blogs online.

Travelling abroad to study English should be an exciting and rewarding experience.  Our school is located in the vibrant city of Manchester, UK and our fantastic team of teachers and staff are happy to help you choose your English language experience.