Students do not need any formal qualifications for admission to most English Language programmes, although you will usually need to complete an English language test on arrival at your school or college to determine the appropriate course for your ability level.

There are accredited institutions throughout the UK, from the south coast of England to the north of Scotland and across Wales and Northern Ireland, meaning you can choose a location to study that best suits your needs.

You can also choose the type of language institution that suits you: a specialised language school, a college of further education or a university. State and private institutions offer different advantages. In a state institution you will have the chance to mix with UK students studying other subjects. In a private language school there are usually smaller classes and more individual attention and fewer UK students. Up to the age of sixteen, you will probably learn English in a language centre which runs summer courses. Independent schools also run these courses. You can also learn English at the British Council teaching centre in Paris.

If you are over sixteen, you can study at one of the following institutions:

• Private language school: Full-time and part-time courses at all levels. Short and long courses. English language only courses will be in the majority.
• Private and state language centres: Only short-term courses, normally in the summer, often including social activities and cultural visits. English language courses only.
• Independent schools and tutorial colleges: You could study a range of subjects at these schools and colleges, and all your activities would involve using English.
• Further education institutions: Full-time and part-time courses from beginners to advanced. They also offer career-based training and academic courses in classes where many students speak English as their first language. If you learn English language with another subject, the course will sometimes be called English Plus.
• Higher education institutions: Full-time and part-time courses. Students would be of intermediate level, or better. Many of these institutions specialise in teaching English for Academic Purposes.

Whatever, wherever and however you choose to study the choice is up to you!

You can learn English language for social, academic or business purposes. You can also study English on its own, or alongside other academic, business or hobby subjects.

Here are some of the options:

• General English: For students from complete beginners upwards.
• English for Academic Purposes: To help students learn the English they need for academic study.
• Pre-university English courses (also called Pre-sessional courses): For students who plan to study in the UK, and who have been asked for a minimum level of English. These courses can last from three weeks to a year.
• Support/in session English courses: These are like the courses above, but are usually free. They are to give extra help after the main academic course has started.
• English for specific purposes: For people who want to learn English to further a career in areas such as business, travel and tourism, and catering.
• English Plus combined courses: English language is only one part of a course. The other part - the 'plus' - could be training for a career or a professional qualification. The 'plus' part of the course could be anything from pottery to politics.
• English plus work experience: A general English course combined with study of another subject such as business studies or IT/computing, with work experience.
• Seasonal or vacation courses: Summer and Easter courses, available for juniors (aged under sixteen) and adults. These courses often include holiday activities, such as sport or sightseeing.
• Foundation and access courses: A combination of academic English with study skills and study of an academic or professional subject.
• One to one: Personalised individual tuition. Only one teacher and one student.
• Home tuition: One to one tuition in the teachers' own home.

Many institutions offer IELTS courses. IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is an internationally-recognised system for testing English language skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking. It is recognised by universities all over the world and can also be used to support visa applications.

For more information about IELTS, visit www.britishcouncil.org/learning-ielts.htm or www.ielts.org

The fees you pay will vary dependent on the type of course you choose and will differ from school to school and are at the discretion of the institution.

For a week’s course you could pay anything from under £200 to over £1000. It really does depend on the nature of the course you choose. You can find out what your course will cost by checking out the course providers’ profile on this site.

The British Council and English UK run 'Accreditation UK' – the only internationally recognised accreditation scheme for private English language schools in the UK and the only scheme for short courses for children. Accredited centres have been inspected by the British Council and meet a set of quality standards. All the English language courses listed on this web site are fully accredited.

For more information about accreditation and regularly updated A-Z list of all accredited schools visit our Accreditation web pages at www.britishcouncil.org/accreditation.

If your chosen course is offered by a college of further education or a university, it should have been checked by government inspectors as part of a routine inspection.

The Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) maintains and develops the National Curriculum and associated assessments, tests and examinations, and accredits and monitors qualifications in colleges and at work.  Further details can be found at www.qca.org.uk

You can find a list of all UK qualifications accredited by QCA on the Open Qualifications website at www.openquals.org.uk

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) ensures that UK higher education is of a standard that’s respected and admired across the world.  Further details can be found at www.qaa.ac.uk

The British Council does not recommend any particular English language qualifications, but it does work in partnership with a number of exam boards in the UK to help them promote their qualifications overseas. Examples would be the Cambridge and Trinity College English courses. You can find more information about the range of qualifications available from these exam boards and their contact details at www.britishcouncil.org/learning-exam-boards-english.htm

To apply for an English language course, first select the courses and schools or colleges that interest you. Make sure you choose an accredited school - you can access a full list of accredited English language schools in the UK online.

Contact any schools or colleges that interest you for a prospectus and application form, or visit their website.  Remember to find out information such as number of teaching hours each week, course dates (some English language courses can be started at any time of the year and others have precise start dates), class size, course fees (what is included and what extra costs there might be), the type of accommodation offered and any associated costs and if you can gain a qualification if you want to.  In some countries an education agent may be able to help you with this part of the process.

Once you chosen a course send the completed application form to the school or college.  You can expect to receive a reply within about two weeks. If you are offered a place, you will receive a letter of acceptance that will confirm your accommodation requirements and request a deposit. Once the school have received your deposit they will send you a letter confirming your place.

Inscription auprès d’organismes intermédiaires en France :
Certaines école homologuées sont représentées en France par des organismes qui peuvent à la fois conseiller sur le type de cours le mieux adapté à chaque cas et s'occuper de l'inscription. Ces organismes sont pour la plupart membres de l’UNOSEL ou de l’OFFICE, deux fédérations de professionnels des séjours linguistiques. A ce titre, ils sont soumis à des normes rigoureuses de qualité. Vous trouverez leurs coordonnées en faisant une recherche sur les sites de l’UNOSEL et de l’OFFICE. Nous vous indiquons également ci-dessous d’autres organismes non affiliés à ces deux fédérations. Veuillez noter que tous ces organismes ne font l’objet d’aucune homologation de la part du British Council.

• AMSL (Autour du Monde Stages Linguistiques)
• EF Education
• ESL Séjours Linguistiques
• IFG Langues
• Inlingua
• IFLV (Institut de Formation des Langues Vivantes)
• Institut Français de Traduction et d’Interprétariat (IFTI)
• Inter-Séjours
• Linguarama
• Richard & Turgis