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Professional passport or personal interest, the study of a language is often as much an advantage as a major need for any student or international traveller. You have decided to come to study a language in its mother country, or you wish to improve your English, you will have several possibilities that we will see below:

The linguistic trip

For young people, taking advantage of the school holidays to improve their foreign language, trips abroad are organized for a few weeks period. The stay is usually with local families, boarding (pack-lunch at lunch time). Language courses with small groups occur during the day, with cultural activities and visits. It costs usually more than 600 EUR a week (and normally last for 2 weeks).

Intense courses

You should choose primarly a school certified by the British Council or Adult Learning Inspectorate in order to insure the quality of the education. According to the school infrastructure, you can work in a language laboratory, have free access to study rooms, libraries or the Internet. In addition, extra-curicular activities can be offered, such as cultural visits or trips.
An English test is asked at registration time, in order to assess your level.
Prices range from £30 to £150 a week, according to the number of hours and the time during the day.

Evening courses

Besides private schools, you will find a lot of language courses (you can learn Spanish, French, Italian,...) provided by the local educational facilities (usually organisd by the council). Registration usually starts in September and January for the second session. You can get information at your local Council Hall or at the school itself. We recommand you to register relatively early as seats are limited (groups of 20-30 people), especially for beginners levels where there is high demand.
You will find information on available courses here: http://www.hotcourses.com/.

Exams

TOEFL

For the past 40 years, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has been the leading academic English proficiency test in the world. Each year, more than 800,000 candidates register for the exam worldwide and test their capacity to master the English language in writing, speaking, listening on paper or with a computer.

The test covers several sections:
• Listening and Understanding
• Structure
• Reading
• Writing

Your result is a number of points for each section. A lot of institutes ask 500 points minimum for the paper test, or 250 points for the computer test.

IELTS

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a highly dependable, practical and valid English language assessment primarily used by those seeking international education, professional recognition, bench-marking to international standards and global mobility. IELTS is owned, developed and delivered through the partnership of the British Council, IDP Education Australia: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.. Similar to the TOEF, covers all four language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking and is offered in two test formats - Academic and General Training.
You will find more information on the official website: http://www.ielts.org/.

Cambridge (ESOL)

Tests of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) of Cambridge University are assesed each year by about 1.5 million of people in nore than 135 coutries. This exam is suitable for English teaching and is recognised internationaly.
You will find more information on the official website: http://www.cambridgeesol.org/