Frequently Asked Questions – English Courses
What teaching method does Kaplan International use?
What do I need to know for my first day?
What time will I have my lessons?
If I have questions about anything, who can I ask?
Can I take vacation time?
Are Kaplan courses accredited?
Do you offer courses for students of all English levels?
How many weeks are your courses?
Do I get a certificate or diploma after the course?
How will Kaplan confirm my English language level?
How much can I expect to learn after a 2-week, 4-week, or 12-week course?
Will there be teachers who speak my native language?
Will Kaplan prepare me to take any official exams?
How many students are there per class?
How old do I have to be to take a language course?
When do the courses start?
Are there evening and weekend classes?
How many lessons per week will I take in my course?
Will I have a chance to practice my speaking?
Do you have private tutoring?
How long is one lesson?
What will I do in Elective Classes?
What is Structured Study?
How will my progress be monitored?
Can choose my start date?
When should I arrive at my destination?
Do you offer discounted prices or promotions?
How far in advance should I book my program?
What social programs do the schools offer?
Should I be covered by any insurance?
Kaplan International students learn through the communicative method of teaching. This means that classroom time is spent on using real-life, practical situations to focus on the four key language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Classroom activities reflect real situations, and are structured so students communicate as much as possible.
Students are tested every 5 weeks and move up to the next level depending on how well they do on the exam.
When you arrive at your accommodation, you will receive a package with all the information you need for your English course. On your first day, you must bring in your Kaplan International Colleges documents, your passport, proof of insurance and a pen. Your information package will tell you what time you need to be at school.
On Day One, all students take an English placement test, meet the school staff and get an introduction to the school, facilities, courses and the local area. You will receive an individual timetable later in the day and your classes begin on the following day. If you have questions feel free to ask! The school staff is there to help.
This depends on your school and the time of year – many of the schools run classes both in the morning and afternoon. Once we have set your lesson schedule, we will try to keep it the same.
Each school has a Director of Studies, an Academic Manager and a team of teachers. You will also have a teacher or tutor assigned to your course and class to answer questions throughout your studies.
Personal breaks will depend on your visa regulations, and you must give the school at least one month’s notice if you want to take days off.
The long term English and University Preparation Programs (Academic Year or Academic Semester, Foundation Certificate, Pre-Master’s or CHEBM) have set holiday dates which must be followed.
All schools are closed on public holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day, though they differ depending on the country.
Yes, all Kaplan International Colleges schools are accredited by local government organizations. See a full list of Kaplan International Colleges accreditors.
All of our schools have beginner to upper intermediate classes, and we also have basic elementary courses in some of our UK and Ireland schools. Please contact us or download a brochure for the special beginner start dates.
You can study for a minimum of 2 weeks with us and the maximum depends only on your visa. You can choose the length of your study program according to your needs and what you wish to achieve.
You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the end of your course, which will show your level of English, the dates on which you have studied and your attendance.
On your first day of class, you will take an English test on your grammar, writing, listening and speaking skills. Your class level will be based on your test results. If you want an idea of your English level right now, you can take our free online English test.
Every student learns at different speeds, however, on average, a student needs 10 weeks to move from one level to the next. See our progression chart for more information.
We teach our courses purely in English. However we will find a translator for any serious issues if necessary.
We offer exam preparation courses such as IELTS, TOEFL ® or Cambridge exams (FCE, CAE and CPE), which you can take at your school. We also offer preparation for SAT, GMAT® or GRE ® in some U.S. schools. Please note that the exam fee is not included in the tuition price and needs to be paid separately.
On average there are 12 students in a class, with a maximum of 15.
For most of our programs you must be at least 16 years old. However, there are summer programs for younger students. For more details please contact us; or you can read about our Junior programs here.
Courses start on Mondays. If the Monday is a public holiday, the course will start on Tuesday.
We offer evening classes with our Intensive English program in Perth and Sydney, Australia.
It depends on the course. For instance:
Vacation English: 20 lessons of general English
General English: 20 lessons of general English + 7 sessions of Supplementary Structured Study
Intensive English: Same as General English + 8 Elective lessons
Business English: Same as General English + 8 English for Business lessons
Yes of course! Teachers encourage you to speak in all classes. The schools have an English-only policy, and outside the school you will speak English with your host family, new friends, and around town.
Yes, we offer one-to-one lessons in all our schools.
A standard lesson is 45 minutes.
Elective options on the Intensive English course will depend upon your school and English level, but may include Vocabulary, Current Affairs, Local Culture or English for Business.
English for Business electives include subjects such as Communication in the Workplace, Participation in Meetings, Writing Skills in Business Situations and Interview Techniques.
Structured Study is additional lesson time in which students can customize their own study program. There is a choice between many study options including online and offline language activities, study clubs, talks, lectures and project work. Structured Study also includes guidance and monitoring from our teachers.
During the course, you will be given an Individual Student Record to assess your progress on a daily basis. Your teacher will record your class work, spoken participation in class, homework and scores on the level tests, which take place every 5 weeks and are followed by a one-on-one with your teacher. Projects, student portfolios and formal examinations such as IELTS, TOEFL® and Cambridge examinations also form an important part of your overall assessment.
Yes, most courses are offered year-round, though there are some with a limited number of start dates. Contact us for course availability on your desired date.
Classes start on Mondays, so we recommend you arrive on the Saturday or Sunday before your start date.
Yes. The more weeks you study with us, the bigger your discount will be. The tuition discount is already included in the price list. Also, check our promotions page for a list.
In order to have the widest choice of course and accommodation, we recommend you book as far in advance as possible. If you book fewer than 4 weeks in advance you might incur a late booking fee. For the USA we recommend that you book at least 2 months in advance to allow enough time for visa processing.
Each school has its own social coordinator who will make sure you have a good time during your stay. A full activities program is offered in each school.
You should have valid medical insurance for your entire stay. If you need insurance, we can provide it but please tell your education advisor in advance.
