Insider tips for beautiful Bordeaux

At the crossroads of the Atlantic Ocean and the Garonne River, Bordeaux is a charming port city situated in the south west of France. Capital of the Aquitaine region, “La Perle d’Aquitaine” (The Pearl of Aquitaine) is the ninth largest city of France with a population of 240,000 inhabitants.

The founding of Bordeaux dates back to the fifth century B.C, when some vineyards already started to spring up! Burdigala, as it used to be called, experienced a significant development thanks to its port, whilst some of the the ancient city constructions and remains are still visible today. Don’t be surprised if Bordeaux seems to have a certain “English flair” – the city was actually ruled by the English for a long time!

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Why learn English in Malta?

Situated in the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta offers a unique combination of the East and the West. Many civilisations battled over this strategic small territory over the years, and all seem to have left their own visible footprints.

Originally a quiet fishing village, St Julian’s has gone through major transformations: located along the seaside, St Julian’s Bay is undoubtedly one of the most attractive tourist destinations of this intriguing country and home to one of our English language schools in Malta.

As Malta only gained its independence from Great Britain in 1974, English is still one of the two official languages of the country, along with the Maltese language which is a mix of Arabic, Italian, English and French. This is not the only asset of Malta; its southern location makes it an ideal place to enjoy a year-round sunny and mild weather.

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Toulouse – Welcome to the pink city!

All year round, Toulouse has an excellent, temperate climate: winters are mild, summers are hot and autumns are sunny – that’s why it is an ideal location to learn French!

Whether you are into history, shopping, science and technology, sports or all of the above, the pink city (La ville rose) has wonderful surprises waiting for you and there is always something fun or different to do.

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Brighton – no ordinary seaside destination

With the addition of our new English language school for Young Students in Brighton, I wanted to share my experience of this amazing English seaside resort! Historically established as a day trip location for residents of London, Brighton combines the sun and seaside with eclectic shopping, fascinating culture and unique architecture. I have personally been there on several occasions: as a tourist on holiday, a spectator for an international beach volleyball tournament, using it as a great meeting place for friends and also visiting Brighton as a student!

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Porto comes out on top!

We keenly follow anything related to European travel and were very pleased to see one of Europe’s oldest centres,
Porto, top the results of the online vote for the ‘Best Destination of 2014’. If you are unfamiliar with this award, and all the locations that were shortlisted, you may wish to visit the link below!

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New School – Oxford

Home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world, Oxford is the perfect choice of location in which to learn English for students who are interested in the history and culture of England. Most famous as the home of the university, Oxford is characterised by the many beautiful colleges dotted around the centre and is one of the most picturesque cities in the United Kingdom. It is for this reason that Oxford has been used as a set for many TV programmes and films, including Harry Potter!

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New School – New York!

This year we will be offering English courses in New York City in Manhattan. Our school is fantastically located on Broadway, just a stone’s throw from Times Square! This is great news if you are keen to study in the Big Apple, as you really will be learning English in the heart of the city!

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Things to do in Brest

Brest is the perfect location to have a short break in France. Come and have a complete change of scenery, fill your lungs with fresh, Atlantic Ocean air and enjoy amazing landscapes off the west coast of France.

If you like fish and seafood, Brest is a place for you! Thanks to its coastal location, there are a lot of seafood restaurants where you can savour a delicious seafood platter with crabs, langoustines, oysters and typical French steamed mussels! If you prefer to observe fish than eat them, you can go to the Océanopolis. A lot of tourists and marine-life lovers come from all over the world in order to visit it! It is not just an aquarium: there are three pavilions dedicated to the polar, tropical and temperate marine ecosystems, you will have a complete immersion in an underwater universe to discover the flora and fauna of oceans, and have the opportunity to see some really interesting exhibitions about marine biodiversity. You can even touch some species if you want to!

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Visas for courses in U.S.A.

Whether or not you will require a visa to take an English course in the U.S.A. will depend on your nationality and the duration of your course.

Visa Waiver Programme

The U.S. government does operate a Visa Waiver Programme which allows citizens of the following countries to visit the U.S.A. for up to 90 days without having to arrange a visa:

Please note that if you are a citizen of one of these countries, you will need to complete the online Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). This is free and can be completed any time before you travel. Your passport must remain valid for a period of 6 months after your intended departure from the U.S.A. and you will also normally need an e-passport/machine-readable passport.

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Visas for Japan

We are often asked by our students what visa they will require to take a course at one of our schools in Japan. The answer varies, depending on the student’s nationality and the duration they wish to take the course for. Whilst we can give an indication of the type of visa that a student is likely to require, we would always strongly advise that students consult their local Japanese embassy or consulate, as they will have the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding specific visa requirements.

Please note that students attending courses at our schools in Tokyo and Fukuoka are never eligible for student visas. If you apply for a student visa to attend one of our Japanese courses, your visa will be refused.

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