Guide: studying overseas

When booking a language course overseas, there are many things to think about, from what type of course you want, to what accommodation and leisure activities are best for you. So at Linguapop, we have produced a guide to help you decide you want from your language course – and to help you through the booking process. As always, our consultants are on hand if you’d like to talk through your options, just get in touch:

• What language? – This question may be easy for you to answer. Maybe you want to continue learning the language you studied at school, want to improve a language to further your academic or career opportunities or to have a fun few weeks away while learning a new language. If you are unsure, take a look at our guide to the languages we offer in the Languages & schools section.
• When would you like to go? – Linguapop offer courses all year around. If you are looking to do the course at peak times during the summer then you will need to book a few months in advance to make sure you get your first choice course and accommodation options. There is more flexibility for the rest of the year, but it is always a good idea to book a few weeks in advance to be assured of a place and to make sure you can get a good deal on your flights. Summer is bust as many students take a language course during the university summer holidays or as a 2-3 week holiday from work. Take advantage of the Southern Hemisphere and get some sunshine during the winter by booking a course in Australia, South Africa or New Zealand.
• How long would you like to stay? – Most of our students do a 4-8 weeks course during the summer. Those who do shorter courses tend to be students who have a full time job so need to fit in their language course in their holidays for work. We are seeing a trend for whole semester or 1 year courses as students want to learn a language before or after their university degree, or even to improve their language qualifications instead of gaining a university degree. If you would like to do a long-stay course then contact Linguapop to get special discounted rates.
• Which city? – This question will depend partly on what language you want to learn. Different cities have different atmospheres and reputations. For example, to learn English you may want the hustle and bustle of a big city like London, or prefer to study English by the beach in Cape Town or Brisbane. Likewise for French, for some it has to be Paris, while others would prefer the more peaceful La Rochelle or Amboise.
• Which course? – Most of the language schools have a choice of courses you can choose from that have different amounts of lessons associated with them. If you want more information on the course types then browse through the Course pages for each school on the Languages & Schools section of the website or get in touch with a Linguapop consultant.

o    Basic 20: The standard course of 20 lessons per week that take place every morning. This gives you the afternoon free to take part in activities, enjoy/explore the city you are visiting or work part time (if you have permission on your VISA/entry rights and you can find a job)

o    Intensive 25: Offers an extra 5 lessons per week either on general language skills, specialised subjects such as business or tourism or helping you to pass the recognised industry exams

o    Superintensive 30: Offers an extra 10 lessons per week that are specialised to best meet your needs. This is the best way to improve your language in the shortest amount of time. Perfect for students who do not have many weeks in which to improve their language skills

• What accommodation? – Most students who book through Linguapop stay with a host family, or what we call “accommodation within a family”. Staying with a family is perfect for learning and practicing your language skills as you can ask the family questions based on what you learn in your lessons. Furthermore, you will get to appreciate the cultural nuances of a family from the city you are visiting and you will be able to experience how they eat, how they have fun together, what they do at the weekends and what they watch on TV etc. Your family will also be able to guide you to which are the best parts of the city/country you should visit while you are there. Families provide breakfast and evening meals in the week and some also offer a full board option. Most of the schools also provide a student residence or shared apartment option. This is great for those who want to live in a student atmosphere and want more independence in what and when they choose to eat etc. This is also a great way to make friends with fellow students and explore the nightlife of your city as the residences/apartments are usually located more centrally in the city, while many of the families will be a little further out (perhaps 30 mins by public transport although this depends on the location). Again, look at the Accommodation pages for each of the schools in the Languages & Schools section of the website or get in touch with a Linguapop consultant
• What optional extras? – You can decide to extras to make the most of your studying experience or to make it more comfortable. For example, you can book blocks of 5 individual lessons to help you make process in the shortest space of time – or you can book insurance or transport from the airport to the accommodation. Full details are given in the Prices & Reservations pages for each school in the Languages & Schools section of the website