A language study trip to learn English is an extremely attractive alternative to language courses here in Switzerland, as it successfully combines the useful with the pleasant. Of course, there are few countries better suited to learning English than England, the largest part of the United Kingdom.
In one of over 800 language schools in the country, language students from all over the world are taught by qualified language teachers to improve their English language skills - for work, school or leisure. The language course can last from one week to one year, depending on the goal, budget, motivation and time available.
But does it even make sense to plan a language study trip to England or would it not be much more interesting to fly across the pond to another continent to attend a language school there? In Sydney, New York or Maui, for example? What distinguishes England as a language travel destination and why is this country particularly suitable for special language courses?
A language study trip to London, Brighton, Exeter, Cambridge, Oxford or one of England's other cities and towns offers language travelers a wealth of variety, cultural life, encounters, experiences and challenges. Whether in the big city of London with its sights, museums, musicals, pubs, shopping streets, markets and vibrant life, or the seaside resort of Bournemouth on the south coast of England, with its mild climate, long, clean beaches and the weekly fireworks display on the pier in summer, for those who love peace and quiet, adventurers, night owls, socialites, sports addicts, culture enthusiasts and nature lovers - England offers the right destination for almost everyone.
One of the biggest advantages of a language study trip to England, apart from pure British English, is the short flight time to the island. You can reach London from Zurich in less than two hours by plane or eight hours by train. This short journey makes it possible to book shorter language study trips of one or two weeks, which sometimes makes little sense for language travel to Australia, New Zealand or the USA. The time difference of just one hour is also not significant and therefore does not lead to tiring jet lag during the first few days in the country and after the flight home back to Switzerland. From a travel perspective, England is therefore a top choice for a language study trip!
If you're looking for a destination where you can lie on the beach and enjoy life in warm summer temperatures after your lessons, England is ideal - but only in midsummer and not in all regions of the country. For those who would like to combine their language study trip with a beach vacation, the northwest of England, with a maximum temperature of 18 degrees in July, might not seem very attractive, just like the nation's seaside resorts, such as Bournemouth, Brighton, Newquay or Margate, with only slightly warmer temperatures. For a surfing vacation, on the other hand, England, especially the south coast around Cornwall, offers ideal conditions for fantastic surfing, even for beginners, thanks to the Gulf Stream. Therefore, if you take the English weather as it is, you can make the most of your language vacation with good planning. For those who love hot, dry summers, other English-speaking countries such as Australia are probably a better alternative.
Speaking of surfing. Many English language schools in England offer language courses that combine a language course with a leisure activity, such as surfing. In this way, language students spend the morning learning English and the afternoon surfing or windsurfing under the guidance of expert surf instructors. Of course, not only the combination of language course and surfing can be chosen during a language study trip to England, other options are also possible, although less popular than in other countries (flamenco in Spain, wine in Italy, field hockey in Canada, diving in Australia, cooking in France).
Business language courses are ideal for those who are not necessarily looking for a wide range of leisure activities but want to improve their language skills for everyday working life. And it is precisely these that numerous reputable language schools in England offer. As it is not always possible to take several weeks off work, language courses in England are offered for as little as one week and are ideal as regular refreshers due to the easy accessibility of the island.
Spontaneously booking a language study trip for English because your vacation has been approved after all, your best friend has backed out of your planned beach vacation, you need a short break right now or you want to improve your English quickly for a new job offer. None of this is a problem in the UK, as Swiss nationals resident in Switzerland only need a valid Swiss passport or identity card for the entire duration of their stay in the UK. As the arrangements to be made for a language study trip to England are therefore very minimal in this respect, England is also ideal for spontaneous language trips.
Yes, the topic of security has hardly been worth mentioning for language travel to England until now, but this has changed since the beginning of 2017 at the latest. There were four terrorist attacks between the end of March and mid-June, three in London and one in Manchester, and the British authorities have also pointed out the risk of terrorist attacks. Anyone who feels unsafe in this regard should avoid the capital and book a language study trip to other, no less attractive locations instead.
First of all, language travel costs money. However, a language study trip to England costs comparatively little compared to a language study trip to the USA, Australia or New Zealand. This is mainly due to the fact that due to the short distance, flights can be obtained very cheaply if booked well in advance and are therefore not a major factor in the travel budget. The costs for a language course in England vary depending on the language course model chosen, the accommodation and the extras, and are sometimes also dependent on the travel time booked, and amount to around CHF 2,600 to CHF 4,000 for a four-week intensive language course including host family with half board in a single room, registration fees and school materials. Other meals, flights and transfers, leisure activities, excursions and pocket money must be added to this. However, as the cost of living in England, including London, is much lower than in Zurich, you can enjoy a three-course dinner for two - London on average EUR 60, Zurich EUR 140 - or even have your hair cut - on average EUR 45.64 for ladies in London and EUR 80.19 in Zurich (source:https://www.ubs.com/microsites/prices-earnings/prices-earnings.html) . Compared to Swiss prices, England does not cut a bad figure at all.
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