Manchester – a destination for English language students

You have heard of studying English in London and the south of England, but have you thought about looking north and studying in Manchester?  Here is why we think you should consider Manchester as your English language study destination.

The people

Did you know that people from Manchester are called Mancs?  Although Manchester attracts residents from all over the UK (and the rest of the world!) there are still many local people who live in the city, making it an authentic place to practise speaking English.  With a population of 0.5 million residents in the city and 2.5 million people in the Greater Manchester county, you will be part of a bustling community of Manchester residents.

Award winning city – Lonely Planet

Lonely planet has awarded Manchester their ‘Best in Travel’ for learning accolade for 2023.  Manchester earned the award as recognition of all the exciting things to do in the city in 2023.  You can read more here – https://www.lonelyplanet.com/england/northwest-england/manchester

The city

Students usually describe Manchester as ‘not too big and not too small’, and we totally agree!  There is so much to do in the city that you will never be bored but it isn’t so big that you feel lost.  The city offers many opportunities to enjoy art, history, science, music, sport, shopping, nature… the list goes on.

The cost

In 2022, the cost of living in Manchester was reported to be over 30% cheaper than London for cost of food, clothes, transportation, personal care, and entertainment. The same applies for course fees for English language programmes in Manchester. If we compare the cost of course fees from The Essential English Centre, Manchester to a similar English school in London, you could save over £70 per week!

Top universities – be part of the wider student community of Manchester!

The University of Manchester is located in the heart of the city centre with approximately 40,000 students currently studying there.  It is known for its strong academia and focuses on the humanities and science courses and achieved the 6th rank in the UK and 28th rank in the world on the QS World University Rankings 2023. The Essential English Centre is located very close to the university district and many of our students enjoy connecting with the wider student community in Manchester.

Transport

Manchester offers a network of train, tram and bus travel options in Greater Manchester and The Essential English Centre is located in the St Peter’s Square area of Manchester, meaning the school is well connected on all transport links. In 2022, the mayor of Greater Manchester introduced the £2 bus fare, meaning you can take a single journey anywhere on the bus for no more than £2 (compared to £5.25 in London) and a weekly, unlimited travel pass for the bus costs just £21.

Access to the rest of the UK

If you google Manchester and look at the location on the map in the UK, can you see how central it is?  The easy connections all over the UK are what brings many professionals to live in the city.  There is a 2 hour direct train to London and a 3.5 hour direct train to Edinburgh. The impressive train network means you can easily explore many other places during the weekends and return to Manchester.

Would you like more information about our English language courses and experiences?