Frequently Asked Questions

Students and agents may have questions about studying and learning English in Vancouver, Canada. Many of the questions you may have are answered below.

All the information about our language school and your English course is here: What program of study is best for you, accommodation options, visa, tickets, insurance, payment, etc. In many cities our agents will help you with information and registration procedures. You can also contact our language school directly.

Registration and payment
Students at inlingua
Programs of study
School

Registration and payment

When can Students start their Program?

Students can start their courses any week. Our major intakes are once every four weeks. Please look at the Calendar included on the Application Form. There you will find the major intake days, the holidays and vacation time at the end of the year. By starting on a major intake day, students will cover the inlingua level in 4 weeks and study the inlingua book from beginning to end.

However, every Monday we receive new students and place them in our ongoing classes. They will finish their first level in one, two or three weeks instead of the regular four weeks. They will not start their lessons at the beginning of the textbook, but their improvement will be the same.

You should register in advance if you want to guarantee your placement at the school or for accommodation services. At least 2 weeks in advance is recommended. For immigration purposes, if you need to apply for a visitor's visa or study permit to come to Canada, you should register at least 1 month in advance, so you have enough time to receive our invoices and process your payment. After receiving your payment, you will receive our Letter of Acceptance and the Homestay / Rooming information that you will need to apply for your visa or study permit. If you are already in Vancouver and want to register, please contact one of our agents in the city, phone us or visit us to find out if there is availability for your course

How can I register at inlingua Vancouver?

You can register in person or online through one of our Agents or Representatives. You will most likely find education consultants or travel agencies in your city that represent us and you can register with them. If you prefer you can register directly at inlingua Vancouver, but the price will be the same. It is fundamental to complete the Application Form and fax it to inlingua Vancouver, or complete the form on our website www.inlinguavancouver.com or email the Student's information to making sure to include all the information on the Application form.

After sending your Application, you must pay the Registration fees. Our Refund Policy clearly states that inlingua Registration Fee $ 125 is not refundable under any circumstances and if you already received the accommodation family details, then the Accommodation Placement Fee $ 240 for Homestay, $ 180 for Rooming is only refundable if you have visa problems that you can document.

When will inlingua send the Invoices?

After you or your agent sends us the Application Form by fax 1 604 484 2424 or email to , we will then send you by email or fax or mail the invoice.

What Fees are included on the Invoices?

On the first invoice we will charge all the tuition fees, the inlingua Registration Fee, One set of inlingua Materials (1 book and CD) for the first level and if applicable the Accommodation Placement Fee, the initial 4-weeks of Accommodation and the Student Medical Insurance fees.

How much should Students pay in advance?

Registration fee and Accommodation Placement Fee must be sent to inlingua a minimum of 2 weeks in advance and are non refundable. If students need a Letter of Acceptance to apply for their visa, then the tuition fees must be paid in full or at least 50%. Please process your payment a minimum of 2 weeks in advance before the program of study starts. In case of cancellation, our Refund Policy will apply. For additional Materials (books) please bring the money to Canada and pay for any additional materials when changing to a new level. For additional periods of Accommodation please bring the money to Canada and pay the family directly before the next period of 4-weeks begins. If a Student only wants to pay part of the Tuition Fees, it is acceptable for inlingua Vancouver to receive 50% in advance to guarantee School placement. The other 50% for tuition fees must be paid by the student or the Agent prior to the start date at inlingua. The Homestay Placement fee, the first 4-weeks and airport pickup and drop off fees (if applicable) must be fully paid prior to the arrival date in Canada to guarantee Accommodation placement and receive the accommodation confirmation with the family details in Canada.

Can Students pay inlingua directly after they are in Vancouver?

If a Student wants to pay the entire Invoice amount directly in Vancouver, the total amount must be fully paid before the program of study starts, but the Letter of Acceptance will reflect that no payment has been made. However, inlingua can not guarantee placement if no money is received in advanced. If the Student enrols for a long term, i.e. 12 weeks but decides to pay every 4 weeks, the price applicable will be the one for 4 weeks.

When will inlingua send the Letter of Acceptance?

After the Student has paid the Invoice in full or partially paid the Invoice either to the Agency or to inlingua Vancouver, inlingua will email, mail or fax the Letter of Acceptance indicating the Amount paid in advance and the dates covered by the program. As a standard procedure, inlingua sends the Letter of Acceptance by fax or by email. If it is necessary to send original documents by courier mail, a courier fee will be charged.

What should Students know before paying?

It is very important for students to understand all the Policies, especially the Refund Policy and to sign the Application Form indicating acceptance of the terms. inlingua Vancouver will operate and make all decisions based on all the policies listed on our Application form on paper. These policies are also on our website. Please make sure to use the current Application Form and updated Policies for the year in progress.

Is it safe to pay before going to Vancouver?

Yes. We have been operating as a language school in Vancouver since 2001 and we have always provided the language courses and other services to all students who have trusted us with their advanced payments. We are a privately-owned school, part of inlingua International School of Languages, operating since 1968 and with head offices in Switzerland. As an accredited member of Languages Canada, inlingua Vancouver and all the other schools in Canada support each other. If one of the accredited members had to close, Languages Canada would be in charge of transfering the students to another comparable school. This is the School Closure policy all members of Languages Canada follow "Minimize the damage caused by the closure of a Languages Canada member program, by assisting affected students whenever possible, by offering alternative courses that are of an equal value, have similar content, and are in the same geographical area of Canada, to the affected student's original program". Students and Agents can rest assured that they will receive their expected services after we receive the advance payment.

Are there any discounts for Students enrolling for a long term?

Our Tuition Fees always include discounts for enrolments paid in advance. The prices go down as the duration of the course increases. Our Price List already includes these prices according to the number of weeks paid in advance.

Are there any other discounts?

Please contact our Agents or Representatives in your city, or contact us directly to find out about special promotions that we offer from time to time.

How can Students or Agents pay inlingua Vancouver?

Payments can be made in 5 possible ways, always in Canadian dollars:

Wire Transfer: This is the best option for Agents or Students located overseas.
Check: Best option for Agents located in Vancouver or with offices in Canada.
Credit Card: Good option. There is a 4% fee for paying by credit card. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted.
Traveler's checks: Good and safe option when Students want to pay some money directly to inlingua after arrival.
In Cash: Possible when made directly by the Agent or the Student. Please do not mail any cash.

Click here for more details about payment

Students at inlingua

Where do Students come from?

Students at inlingua Vancouver come from all over the world. Because Vancouver is close to Asia and Latin America, the most important nationalities at our school are students from Japan, Mexico and South Korea. We also welcome students from many other countries like Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Colombia, Taiwan, China, Turkey, Venezuela, France, Italy, Germany, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, UAE, Kuwait, Russia and others. In the summer we can have students from over 25 different countries. It is an incredible experience to meet so many different cultures and learn from each of them as you also show and share your own culture to your new friends.

Who is a typical student at inlingua?

A motivated person who wants to improve his/her language skills. Usually speaking and listening skills are very important for our students. In our lessons, international students also learn all the skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, pronunciation) and can prepare for tests such as Toefl iBT, Cambridge FCE, Cambridge CAE, or take a business English course.

Is there a limit to the number of students from one country?

Yes. The maximum number of students from one same country is 35%. Normally we have from 15% to 25% of our most important nationalities at the school.

How many students are there in inlingua Vancouver?

Depending on the season there will be from 180 to 380 students at our language school. Summer, from July to September, is the busiest season.

How old are the students at inlingua Vancouver?

A large percentage of our students are from 18 to 30 years old, but there are also lots of executives and adults over 30 who find inlingua Vancouver a young and vibrant language school which helps to improve their English.

I don't know anybody in Vancouver or Canada. Will I have fun?

You are going to make a lot of friends at inlingua Vancouver. The school Activities arranged by our Activities Coordinators will create many opportunities for you to meet other students and Canadians to practice your English, enjoy your time and go to tours around British Columbia, Canada.

Programs of study

What is the focus of inlingua Vancouver?

Our English lessons in the mornings focus on Speaking. We use the inlingua direct method to teach English, so Students will practice a lot and participate in conversations and speaking activities. Listening is also covered in detail on these English lessons. Reading and writing are reinforced by doing homework every day. In the afternoon our English Elective lessons focus on conversation, listening, business, skills building (grammar, writing, reading) or semi private lessons. Students will decide and choose the lessons for the afternoon that match their learning goals. Test preparation is a very important part of our curriculum.

There are 3 common academic paths for students at inlingua Vancouver:

1. Study General English all the time. They will progress one level every 4 weeks. They will improve very fast and learn with a different teacher every month. Students will learn how to speak fluently very quickly.

2. First general English until their level is upper intermediate or advanced, and then change to one of our test preparation courses and study to pass the TOEFL iBT, Cambridge FCE or Cambridge CAE.

3.First general English until their level is upper intermediate or advanced, and then change to our Business English course.

Click here to download a PDF with our English courses. Click here to visit the English courses section on this website.

How fast will I learn?

At inlingua Vancouver there are 10 levels, from Beginner to Advanced +. Each level lasts 4 weeks. You can advance to the next level if you pass the exams with 80% of achievement or more. Depending on your level of English when you start your lessons at inlingua, it will take you from 1 to 10 months to complete our 10 levels.

How many months do I have to study to learn English?

You can study from 2 weeks to 40 weeks or more, depending on your time availability and budget. You will learn a lot of English, even in a short program of 2 or 4 weeks. But learning English takes time, effort and patience. There is no magic formula but at inlingua, we make it easier to learn with our excellent teachers, method and materials (books, CDs, activities, online learning and more). You will speak English from your first lesson and you will improve all your skills in any short or long course.

Should I study a full time course or a part time course?

You can study full time programs or part time programs. If you need a Study Permit (student visa) to come to Canada, then you have to choose a full time program like SE, IP1, APP, TOEFL, Cambridge CAE, Cambridge FCE, Business English (see section of Programs for a detailed description). If you are already in Canada and want to study at our language school, you can study our part time programs like PT1 or SE Afternoon.

What is the best English course for me?

All the programs at inlingua Vancouver are good. Some are very intensive, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Some are less intensive, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, or only in the afternoon. Our most popular program, the IP1 Intensive English course is from 9 AM to 2:30 PM. In the end, It is your decision to choose one of our English courses. Even though you will learn English in any of our programs, you should consider the following factors:

Total time of study in Vancouver: The shorter your stay in Vancouver, the more intensive the program should be. For example, SE-Star English program is ideal for a student coming for 12 weeks or less.
Your budget: Full time programs are less expensive per lesson, if you take the total price and divide it by the number of lessons included in the course.
Your goals and objectives in Vancouver: Is learning English your main goal ? Then a full time program is recommended, like SE or IP1. Are you busy in the morning or afternoon doing other activities (sports, work, others) ? Then a part time program like PT1 or SE Afternoon might be better in your case.

After I start my program, can I change it?

inlingua Vancouver will accept changes of Program of Study between one Full-Time Program to another Full-Time Englijsh course, for example, from SE Program to IP1 Program or to a Test preparation course.

Changes from a Full-Time Program to a Part-Time Program will not be accepted. Students who want to make their Programs shorter, for example without one or all of the Afternoon classes, will not receive any extension in time in their final Program, and under no circumstances will they receive a Refund for the difference in price.

inlingua Vancouver will accept changes of Program of Study between one Part-Time Program to another Part-Time Program, for example, from PT1 program to SE Afternoon Program.

All students who want to make their Program longer, for example to include Afternoon classes or Morning classes, will only pay the difference between the Part-Time Program they enrolled for and the new Full-Time Program selected.

Will I learn English if there are 12 or more students in my class?

Yes. We guarantee it. Our method and teachers will give all the students time to speak and practice English in their lessons. And remember that we can offer competitive prices thanks to our balanced class size. Paying more for your English course in smaller groups will not help you more than our group classes. It is the combination of the inlingua method and your effort, both in class and outside the school that will allow you to improve and learn English very fast.

But what happens if I want to study English with only a few students in my class?

inlingua Vancouver offers semi private English lessons in the afternoon with only 3 to 6 students per teacher. These lessons are included in our SE-Super Intensive (Star English program). When students register in our SE program, they are getting some of our best lessons and not paying more.

We also offer the APP - Accelerated Professional Program that includes an One on One Lesson at the end of each day. You will have the total attention of your instructor, who will create a special program to maximize your learning.

What is the Cambridge FCE?

The Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE) is the third level of the Cambridge exams in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). It is an upper intermediate level exam, set at Level B2 of the Council of Europe's Common European Framework, and recognises the ability to deal confidently with a range of written and spoken communications.

Successful candidates receive a certificate awarded by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, and recognised by universities and employers in many countries. All candidates receive a statement of results, showing how they performed in each of the five papers.

FCE is provided by Cambridge ESOL - a department of the University of Cambridge in England. FCE is part of the Main Suite of Cambridge English examinations, which is closely linked to the Council of Europe's Common European Framework (CEF).

Who is Cambridge FCE for?

Cambridge FCE is designed for learners whose command of English is adequate for many practical everyday purposes, including business and study. Successful candidates will have a wide grasp of vocabulary, and should be able to construct an argument and use appropriate communication styles for a variety of situations. They also need to show an awareness of register and of the conventions of politeness and degrees of formality as they are expressed through language.

Cambridge FCE is taken by more than 270,000 people each year in more than 100 countries. It is a valuable qualification for anyone who wants to work or study abroad or to develop a career which requires language skills, including business, medicine, engineering and many other professions. It is also useful preparation for higher level examinations, such as the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English and the Certificate of Proficiency in English.

Why choose Cambridge FCE?

Cambridge FCE is recognised by many universities and other educational institutions as proof of intermediate level English skills, and these institutions accept it as meeting part of their entrance requirements.

Because the examinations are based on realistic tasks, an FCE certificate is an important asset for anyone who wants to work or study abroad, or in international business. Employers throughout the world recognise FCE. It indicates sufficient proficiency in English to be of practical use in clerical, secretarial and managerial jobs in many industries, in particular tourism, where contact with English speakers is required. Successful candidates have the ability to deal with routine letters and telephone enquiries, and to cope with some non-academic training courses and simple textbooks and articles.

You can find a list of universities, employers and other institutions that recognise FCE in the official website cambridge.-efl.org

Studying for FCE will also help learners to improve their language skills and to use them in a wide range of contexts. The inlingua Vancouver Cambridge FCE test preparation course will help students pass the test and learn a lot of English.

What does the exam involve?

FCE has five papers: Reading, Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking. Each of the written papers is returned to Cambridge for marking and assessment. The Speaking Test is conducted by two locally based examiners who examine candidates face to face. All examiners are accredited by Cambridge ESOL.

     Reading (Paper 1) 1 hour 15 minutes
The Reading paper assesses candidates' ability to read and understand texts taken from fiction and non-fiction books, journals, newspapers and magazines. Candidates are expected to be able to show understanding of gist, detail and text structure, and deduce meaning.

     Writing (Paper 2) 1 hour 30 minutes
The Writing paper assesses candidates' ability to write non-specialised text types such as letters, articles, reports, compositions and reviews of 120-180 words covering a range of topics and target readers and also set texts.

     Use of English (Paper 3) 1 hour 15 minutes
In the Use of English paper, candidates are expected to demonstrate their knowledge and control of the language system by completing various tasks at text and sentence level. These include filling gaps, transforming words and phrases, and identifying errors in texts.

     Listening (Paper 4) 40 minutes (approx.)
The Listening paper assesses candidates' ability to understand the meaning of spoken English, and to extract gist and meaning from spoken text. The texts are taken from a variety of text types including interviews, discussions, lectures and conversations.

     Speaking (Paper 5) 14 minutes (approx.)
The Speaking Test assesses candidates' ability to interact in conversational English in a range of contexts. It contains four parts, including an interview section, individual long turns of about one minute, a collaborative task and a discussion. Candidates are provided with stimulus material such as photographs and drawings. Candidates normally take the Speaking Test in pairs.

School

How big is inlingua Vancouver?

In our 2 campuses we have 30 classrooms, 2 computer labs, several student lounges and computer lounges, kitchen and kitchenette, Graduation rooms, TV areas and other areas for students to enjoy. We are a medium-sized language school that offers you all the quality services you expect with a personalized and excellent attention.

What services can I get at inlingua Vancouver?

Learn and study English in our comfortable classrooms
Participate in the school daily Activities, many of them free
Use the computers or free wireless with free high-speed Internet access
Watch movies or TV in the student lounge, every day
Heat up and have lunch with your friends
Read books, newspapers or magazines in the student lounge
Listen to CDs with the classroom CD players
Receive information on how to extend your visa
Confirm your departure flight
Arrange accommodation: We can offer Homestay and Rooming
Get your Medical Insurance for illness or accidents
Receive friendly, personalized attention from our Japanese, Korean, Latin American, Arab or Canadian Counselors. We will always help you with your needs
Use many more services to ensure you will speak English and enjoy Vancouver, Canada

How many students are in each classroom?

On average the number of students is from 8 to 12 for the lessons from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM. Sometimes there will be more, with a maximum of 15.

For the Semi-private lessons from 2:40 PM to 4:00 PM, the number of students is from 3 to 6 per teacher. These lessons are included in the Super Intensive Program.

In the One on One lessons included in the APP - Accelerated Professional Program, you will be the only student with the instructor.