Easy Languages

Program

How does it work?

This program is available to motivated students aged 15 to 19 who wish to spend one semester or one year in an Irish high school (secondary education) in Galway and share in the daily life of an Irish host family. Our partner offers a diverse curriculum of courses adapted to the levels of participants. Our students enjoy full access to all of the school's sports, clubs, and associations.

This program is probably one of the best educational investments that a student can make. As an exchange student, participants live as an adoptive member of their host family. Fed and housed, they'll take part in family activities and will have the chance to join local sports teams, or try entirely new pastimes.

It's a unique experience you can't find in a textbook. The experience is, as a whole, a powerful linguistic, cultural, and personal enrichment that participants never forget.

Destination

Galway is different, unique and special. As Ireland’s Cultural Capital, Galway has been described by W.B. Yeats as the ’Venice of the West’. It lies on the Atlantic west coast with the river Corrib running through the city.

The city is like its people - warm, friendly, welcoming - a community with a sense of Ireland’s past and a sharp eye on Ireland’s future. They can share with you their clean environment, a thriving artistic and dramatic culture, traditional pubs with music to suit all tastes, top quality restaurants and a full calendar of festivals: poetry, the arts, music, horse-racing, oyster, show-jumping. Galway is an ideal location for the sport enthusiast: golf, fishing, horse-riding, tennis and badminton are all easily accessible.

Galway is Europe’s fastest growing city with a population of 66,000 people and is the gateway to Connemara and the Aran Islands, areas of unique ecological and geographical importance. The majority of its industries are based on modern technology, computers, telephone systems and medical equipment. It is an ancient city and had important trade links with Europe in the sixteenth century - Christopher Columbus was one of its most famous tourists.

Why Ireland?

International education is not a new concept in Ireland - Irish monasteries have been known as the most important centres of education over 1500 years ago! This tradition has continued for centuries, and Ireland has since then accepted many students from the four corners of the world.

The Irish education system is more successful and effective than that in Europe. Ireland is a country with one of the highest rates of students in secondary schools pursuing higher education studies afterwards.

The Irish education system

Irish Secondary Schools divide up into two main cycles: Junior and Senior. Students entering the Junior Cycle follow a generalised program, while those who enter the Senior Cycle already begin preparing for higher education with a more specialised course program (sciences, literature, etc...).

At the end of each cycle, a public exam determines a pupil's level: the Junior Leaving Certificate for the younger students, the Transition Year and Leaving Certificates for the final three years. This last diploma is also the means of entry into English and Irish universities. To acquire it, you need to study two years in secondary school.

The program that we offer, a period of 1 or 2 terms, or an academic year, is aimed at students entering the final cycle (the Senior Cycle). Depending on your age and level of English, you can integrate in a class in the final or pre-final year of secondary school:

• Fifth Year: 15-16 years
• Sixth Year: 16-19 years

The Irish academic year is divided into three terms. As an international student, you can enrol in a class for one, two, or three terms.

School

Our partner school is located in the heart of Galway City. This private, co-educational school has a long-established reputation for educational excellence. Founded in 1992, Yeats College is following its ethos of "A great school gives you education for life" since then.

The advantages of studying in a private school are undeniable: the number of pupils per class is reduced, so that individual attention can be allocated to each student. The 320 pupils which make up the school represent 26 different nationalities, which guarantees a optimal cultural mix. Lastly, the school's modern facilities (science lab, art and design studio, kitchens, music room, gymnasium, etc.) ensure a quality educational experience.

Teachers and staff give their full attention to the student's individual requirements and ambitions. So that students don't lose their momentum or motivation, there are regular meetings with Principal and Vice-Principal of the school. This allows them to clearly express their goals, doubts, and to find solutions together, making their stay that much better.

Courses

Each school offers on average 15 to 18 subjects, students can choose 6 or 7, depending on their interests, language ability, and their career plans. Courses take place from Monday to Thursday, 8:45am to 12:50pm, and from 1:50pm to 4:45pm, and Friday runs from 8:45am to 2:30pm. Monday to Thursday evenings, as well as Saturday mornings, are dedicated to homework, for the pupils who want to.

Subjects offered by our partner school are the following: English, Irish, French, German, Spanish, maths, economics, geography, chemistry, physics, music, art, accounting, history, construction, design & communication.

Workshops run throughout the year: how to take good notes, revision skills, mind mapping, speed-reading, effective listening.

It's a unique opportunity to discover new subjects, or to perfect your skills in your preferred area. Students are free to choose whichever courses interest them.

Details

Activities

The school proposes, in addition to its range of courses, a varied program of activities: monthly cinema trip, golf tournaments, rugby, paintball, excursions to Irish cities, debating, gym...

Coming to Galway during your secondary studies will be a unique opportunity for you to blossom in subjects and activities you might know nothing about yet. But it will also be that dream chance to involve yourself in Irish life and meet local kids your age.

Irish Host Families

Accommodation in an Irish host family allows students to discover the Irish way of life and to practice the language with native speakers. The accommodation offered is in a single room and includes full board.

This is an ideal way for students to have regular communication with native English speakers, accelerating the learning process. All families are carefully selected by our local representative according to strict hospitality criteria. Depending on preference and availability, they can be located close to school or the town centre.

Your tutor

Throughout their academic stay at Galway, students will have the help of a tutor who will help them in case of problems, as much in the school as with the host family.

As it is important to be able to react quickly in case of any problems, the tutor remains in easy contact with the students on site.

Practical Info

Conditions of participation

• Must be aged between 15 and 19 and a half at time of departure
• Must have sufficient language skills to be able to communicate without too much difficulty (at least 2 years or 250+ hours of language study with good results)
• Must have attained good school results the last 2 years
• Must have the will to make new friends and to share in the daily life of a host family
• Must be able to justify motivation, maturity, and adaptability
  
  

Terms of enrolment

If you fulfil the participation conditions, then you should enrol as soon as possible.

You will then receive a preliminary confirmation and we will contact you for a telephone interview, during which we will evaluate your level of English. If your level seems adequate, we will invite you to pay an advance of 1000 € in order to confirm your enrolment and initiate the process.

Then we will ask you to take part in a second, more thorough interview in our offices in Paris or Brussels.

A fee of 70 € is payable on the day of this interview at the latest if an advance has not yet been paid. This fee is non-refundable and is deductible from the final balance in case of a definitive enrolment.

If the interview is favourable, we will then send you by post a folder to complete. This will require: letters of recommendation from your teachers, vaccination certificates, a letter addressed to your host family, and other documents necessary for the consideration of your application to Ireland.

Enrolment deadlines

The deadline for submitting the abovementioned folder is:

• 15th of March if you are leaving in August
• 15th of September if you are leaving in January
• 15th of December if you are leaving in May

The pre-enrolment forms must be completed and submitted to our offices in Brussels or Paris at least one month before the folder submission deadline.

Prices & Dates

Dates 2012:

• First term: From September to December 2012
• Second term: From January to April 2013
• Third term: From May to June 2013
• Academic year: From September 2012 to June 2013
  
  

Prices include:

• Enrolment and placement in our partner school
• Selection of and placement in a host family
• Detailed and personalised information on all of the aspects of your trip
• Advance interview
• Accommodation, meals, and laundry, as if a member of the host family
• Personal assistance, constant support, and tutor's advice during your stay
• Class materials
• All enrolment, administrative, and candidature exam fees.
  
  

They do not include:

• Travel to/from Galway
• Transfers and public transport
• Possible medical insurance
• Possible excursions
• Possible visa fees
• Accommodation during Christmas and Easter holidays
• Pocket money