Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about courses in Bath

Getting a visa for studying in the UK
Before you travel...
Accommodation
Our courses
Course fees
Our social programme
Travelling to the UK
Information for students with learning difficulties and disabled students
Unhappy about anything?

Getting a visa for studying in the UK

If I need a visa, do you arrange this for me?

Visas and passports (if required) are the responsibility of the student. If any letters of invitation from our school are required to obtain a visa, we would be delighted to help, please contact us. For details of the kind of visa you may require, please visit the UK Government website.

Before you travel...

Do you provide any pre-departure information?

Yes, all students receive a comprehensive pre-departure information package before departing for the course.

Will the school be open on local public holidays?

No, the school will be closed and lessons are not compensated for. Please see our School Holidays page and the Terms and Conditions.

Do you recommend travel and medical insurance?

Yes, Languages United strongly recommends that all our students take out medical travel insurance before leaving their country. Arranging the insurance is the responsibility of the student.

I have found a cheap airfare, but I will arrive outside the start dates. How will this work?

In most cases this is not a problem, it is your choice. If you arrive a day late, you will miss out on your first lessons and perhaps the welcome introduction. If you arrive a few days early, depending upon availability, we can normally book you one or two additional nights accommodation before or after your programme. Please give us as much notice as possible of any change to your arrival and departure dates. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions regarding arrriving or departing early or late.

When booking flights, when should I plan to arrive and depart?

Nearly all our courses start on the Monday morning so plan to arrive on the Sunday before your start date. When departing, all our courses finish on the Friday, however you do not have to leave homestay accommodation until noon on the following Sunday, so plan to fly out on the Sunday. NOTE: this is the general structure but please check your course details for exact start and departure dates.

Accommodation

If I need to stay an additional night in the accommodation, can I book extra nights?

Yes, for an additional charge you can book a few extra nights before or after the course (subject to availability).

Do I have to bring bed linen and towels with me?

Both towels and bed linen are provided by the homestay and hostel.

If I stay in a homestay what should I expect?

The family will treat you as a guest and you will be expected to obey house rules. All families provide you with a bedroom (single or shared room depending on your booking) with access to living areas in the house. In most cases, students will be expected to share the bathroom. Experience has shown us that living with a family is the most interesting and effective way to become fully immersed in the English language and culture.

Your host will always do their best to engage you in daily conversation while making you feel as though you are in a 'home away from home'. Remember your homestay will have different customs and habits than perhaps you are accustomed to, and meals will be prepared according to local custom.

Most homestays are within 30 minutes traveling time of the school, either walking or by bus.

A couple of questions you should ask yourself if considering the homestay option:

Do I have realistic expectations?
Homestays may not have the same comforts as your home does, their values and expectations may be different from yours.
Am I prepared to live by the house rules?
You will be treated as a guest, however you will be expected to comply with your homestay's rules and expectations. Some homestays may have different curfews, some homestays might not allow smoking.
Can I adjust to unfamiliar food?
Meal times, portions and flavours may be very different to what you are used to.

How is your homestay provider chosen?

We have specific requirements that our families must meet before they are invited to host our international students. We require that the homestay is within a reasonable distance from the school, have ample living space for the student, and live in a clean, safe and comfortable environment. We work with hosts who enjoy hosting international students, trying to match each student with a homestay as best we can. The more details you provide on your enrolment form, the better the match.

What 'house rules' should I be aware of?

You will have to observe some basic house rules such as cleanliness and tidying up after yourself and generally fit in with family life. If you are under-18, you will have to observe agreed curfew times.

If I have chosen the shared-bedroom option, who will I be sharing with?

You will be sharing with another, same-sex student of a similar age who is studying at the school. When students are sharing rooms, we always place students of different nationalities together, so their language of conversation is English.

Our courses

Do I receive a certificate at the end of the programme?

Yes. All of our programmes offer a Certificate of Attendance and Academic Progress Report; we can also help prepare you for internationally-recognised English language exams.

How long is a lesson?

Typically a lesson lasts 90 minutes for adult English courses (eg for General English, the lessons are from 9.00-10.30 and from 11.00-12.30). However, the length of lesson is adjusted to the age of the student and their ability to concentrate, therefore they may be shorter for junior programmes.

How will the language be taught and what should I expect in class?

We believe that teaching a language cannot be successful solely by routine and repetition but should be creative and communicative.

We focus on learning to speak the language by instilling the most effective ways to master correct pronunciation and intonation. Our students learn most effectively in classrooms that are highly communicative and use techniques such as role-play, grammar games and videos to support lesson content. Current political, social and cultural materials are integrated to add interest and increase knowledge of the country and culture.

How many students should I expect in an English class?

Class sizes vary, our maximum class size is 15. During our high season in the summer, classes are typically 8-12 students. During low season, students often benefit from smaller class sizes of 4-8 students.

How long is your course and when do the courses start?

Our General English and Intensive English courses start every Monday all year round (with the exception of School Holidays. Our courses are very flexible and you can select your length of stay, from a minimum of 2 weeks to 3 months to one year. Please check the Key Facts section on our courses pages for further details.

What English language level do I need to attend a course?

We accept all levels from complete beginners to advanced levels. All our courses cater to many different levels of ability, however, complete beginners may have to start with a block of individual tuition lessons.

What happens if I feel I have been placed in the wrong class?

If you feel the class you have been placed into is too easy or too difficult, just let the teacher know at the end of the first day and we will see if another level is more suitable for you.

What should I expect on my first Monday morning at the school?

You should plan to arrive at about 8.45am (unless otherwise told) on your first day. Other students from around the world might also be starting on the same day.

As the students will be of different language levels, all students will be asked to take a language placement test, unless you are a complete beginner. Depending on the course you are taking, the test will take between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours; the teachers will evaluate your language skills and then place you in the correct class.

Once this has been completed you will be given a welcome introduction to the school and your first class will begin at 11.00am. After your first day, classes will start at the same time each day at 9am, see your chosen course for exact times.

How long should I study?

We believe the longer you are able to study, the better. Most students can expect to develop moderate fluency in 2-5 months depending on several factors (accommodation choice, personal motivation and application, and number of lessons). If you need to learn English in a very short time, we do offer intensive programmes.

We are committed to helping you acheive your language learning goals and if you are concerned about your progress we are here to offer advice and support. What we ask of you is to be punctual, attend all your classes, and do the homework that is set by your teachers.

Course fees

What is not included in the English course fees?

Course fees do not include the following:

Airfare
In-country transportation (unless airport transfer is pre-booked with us)
Passports, visas and permits
Travel and medical insurance
Spending money
Exam fees
Social and cultural activities (unless part of your programme)

What do the English course fees include?

Course fees include the following:

Selected course
Placement test upon arrival
Loan of course materials, if applicable
Leaving certificate upon completion

Additional fees may apply, depending on the options you have chosen. These might include:

Registration fee
Airport transfer
Accommodation
Accommodation placement fee
Bus pass

Please see the Fees page for further details.

Our social programme

Do I always stay with the students from the school?

No. Once class is finished you can do whatever you wish. You can join in with the students when you wish, or take a step back and do your own thing when you want to.

Does the school offer weekend excursions or trips to places of interest?

We do not provide a comprehensive social programme, but encouragei students to meet each other and organise activities themselves.

We provide students with information on events and advice on how to make the most of their free time. At the weekend, many students arrange their own excursions to local cities or local places of interest - there is plenty to do in the city, as well as trips to Stonehenge, The Cotswolds, Bristol, Salisbury, Cardiff, London.

Where do your students come from?

From all over the world! The nationalities will vary but the majority of international students come from Europe, Latin America, Asia and Arab countries.

Do the students meet up after class?

Yes, this is one of the many great reasons to study abroad; you make new friends from around the world! You will find that many students form friendships and spend a lot of time together outside of classes, it's always more interesting to go sight-seeing with a friend. There is so much to do after classes are over for the day. The cultural and excursion options are endless or you may just decide to relax for the afternoon...your choice!

Travelling to the UK

Where can I get more information about getting to Bath?

Please see our Getting to Bath page for more information.

What happens if I arrive late and miss the first day at school?

We would like to stress that it is very important to arrive on time and we would always recommend arriving earlier than later.

Should you arrive late and miss one or several days, the school will make every effort to bring you up to date with what has been taught and what you have missed. The teacher will still give you a placement test and place you into the correct class for your level. However your missed days can not be made up and you will miss those classroom days.

Sometimes we will offer the option of taking some additional private lessons (at an additional cost) to help you catch up, this can be arranged upon arrival and the additional cost paid directly to the school. Your class mates could also share their notes with you and you could copy those so you could study outside the class

Information for students with learning difficulties and disabled students

Do you have courses for students with learning difficulties?

Languages United may be able to adapt courses, or provide tailor-made courses, to help students with learning difficulties. Please contact us with your requirements and we will look into suitable courses for you.

Can a wheelchair access the school?

Languages United's building at 66 Walcot Street is a listed building which does not have wheelchair access. However, we are able to provide tailor-made courses at other locations in the city, or online.

Our Summer School venue provides wheelchair access to classrooms, and some activities will also be accessible. Please contact us for further details.

Unhappy about anything?

What should I do if I am unhappy about anything?

We hope that you are happy with your course and experience at Languages United. However, sometimes you may have a problem, or things can go wrong, please click here to get advice on what to do.