Easy Languages

Program

How does it work?

This programme 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 programme 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 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 programme, while those who enter the Senior Cycle already begin preparing for higher education with a more specialised course programme (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 programme 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

We can offer three partner schools with whom we work. These schools have been chosen through strict critera: excellent quality of teaching, individualised care of students, diversity of classes and extra-curricular activities... all effort is made to ensure that international students are welcomed in the best conditions possible.

Colaiste: mixed school

This secondary school was founded in 1860. Its history is rich and prestigious, and its mission is to provide its pupils with an "education tailor-made to their needs to provide them with the right tools to enter into the adult world". This is why the classes are focused on personal development.

Classes take place Monday to Friday from 9am to 12:50pm and from 2pm to 4pm (3:30pm on Fridays).

These are the courses available:

• Language: English, Irish, French, German, Spanish
• Science: maths, physics, chemistry, biology, geography
• Humanities: history, art, music, religion, social and health education
• Business: business, economics, accounting
  
  

Extra curricular activities:

• Sport: Gaelic football, rugby, hockey, basketball, football, golf, tennis, swimming
• Cultural: debating, theatre, orchestra, ICT, mini-societies
• School magazine, plays, music
  
  

Salerno School: school for girls

Opened in 1965, Salerno School has increased the number of students from 65 in its first year to 650 this year. The 49 teachers guide the pupils throughout their secondary studies towards their Junior and Leaving Certificates (university route exams). The school is a Catholic institution for girls only.

The values which the school promotes include respecting others, respecting yourself, and increasing your self-esteem. Classes are of high quality to guarantee students the right academic skills to go to university.

Classes take place from Monday to Friday between 9am and 1pm, and 2pm and 4pm (3:40pm on a Friday).

• Language: English, Irish, French, Spanish
• Science: maths, physics, chemistry, biology, geography
• Humanities: history, art, music, religion, social and health education
• Business: business, economics, accounting
  
  

Extra curricular activities:

• Sport: hockey, basketball, badminton
• Cultural: debating, theatre, orchestra, pottery, choir, ICT
• Awareness of the business world through competitions

St. Mary's School: school for boys

St. Mary's College was founded in 1912, and offers an excellent environment to all its pupils with quality courses. It works hard to ensure all the intellectual, sportive, and individual skills of the students are developed to their fullest. Boys are strongly encouraged to take part in as many sport and cultural activities as possible to diversify their experiences.

Classes take place from Monday to Friday between 9am and 12:55pm, and 2pm and 4pm (3:20pm on a Friday).

• Language: English, Irish, French, German
• Science: maths, physics, chemistry, biology, geography
• Humanities: history, art, music, religion, sport social and health education
• Business: business, economics, accounting
  
  

Extra curricular activities:

• Sport: Gaelic football, rugby, hockey, basketball, football, golf, tennis, swimming
• Cultural: debating, theatre, orchestra, ICT, mini-societies
• School magazine, plays, music

Details

Activities

The school proposes, in addition to its range of courses, a varied programme of activities: Galway tour, supervised trip to the cinema once per month, golf tournament, rugby, paintball, excursions to other Irish towns, debates, competitions, 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 19,5 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 September
• 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:

• 1 term: From September to December or from January to March
• 2 terms: From September to March or from January to June
• Academic year: From September 2012 to June 2013
  
  

The 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
• Regular contact and evaluation reports
• 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
  
• Uniform (about 100€)
• Course materials (200€ for transition years, 400€ for final year)