Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions, which are not answered within this section please complete the contact us form.

1. Where is the school?

We are located in the upper floors of an upgraded 18th century Townhouse building at 41A York Place, which is in the historic "New Town" of Edinburgh. We are less than 5 minutes walk from Princes Street which is the main shopping and entertainment area of Edinburgh. We are two minutes walk from the main bus station and ten minutes walk from the main railway station.

2. How long has the school been teaching English?

The opened in July 2010. It is a Scottish owned, privately operated school and is the sister school of Glasgow School of English, which was established in 1997.

3. Are you a quality school?

We are both British Council accredited and ISO9001 certified. We are also a member of the International Association of Language Centres (IALC) which is an association of independent language schools that teach the language of their country. The quality of IALC member schools is guaranteed through minimum standards, regular inspection, a code of ethics and a philosophy of continuous improvement.

We are sure you will improve your English and enjoy your stay with us.

4. How can I pay?

You can pay online with a credit card. If you do not have a credit card, you can pay by bank transfer. You will also be able to pay in cash or by credit card in person at the school.

5. When should I pay?

You can pay a deposit at the time of booking. All course fees, accommodation and other costs must be paid in full 4 weeks before the course start date.

6. How many students are in each class?

The maximum class size for group lessons is 16. However in off peak times, the average class size is 8.

7. What qualifications do the teachers have?

All teachers hold University degrees and specialist TEFL qualifications.

8. Does the school organise any trips?

Yes, we organise a trip every two weeks or more. Trips to local sightseeing spots are often free but you might have to pay between £5 and £10 for bus or train fares and entry fees. Also, 3 times a year we organise a discounted long distance sightseeing trip where we travel away from Glasgow for a day. We pay all the transport costs for these trips, although you will need to pay costs such as entry fees and activities by yourself, as well as any meals required.

Previous long distance trips have included the Trossachs where students could either cycle or take a trip by boat to view the beautiful scenery. Other longer distance trips have included visiting a whiskey distillery and Stirling Castle. On these longer distance trips approximately £20 - 25 will be needed to cover the cost of the activies and food for the day.

9. What is the minimum age?

The minimum age for our adult General English courses is 16 although the vast majority of students at the school are 18 years or older. You should be aware that if you are aged 16 or 17 that you will be participating in essentially an adult course and not a junior programme.

We also run Young Learner courses for groups of students aged from 11 to 17 in July and August at the campus of Stirling University.

10. Do you have courses for children or teenagers?

Yes, please see the information on our Young Learner programmes, found under Courses.

11. What is the average age of students?

Most students are in their 20s but we have had students of all ages, up to 75.

12. Do you offer evening or weekend courses?

We now run evening classes through the week. See the course information for more details. We have no weekend classes at the moment.

13. What nationalities are the students who attend the school?

The mix of nationalities in the last year has been quite varied. Students have come from countries from across the world, for example:

Aregentina, Armenia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darrussalam, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Swizerland, Thailand and Vietnam.

14. Can I extend my course after I start?

Yes, students can extend their course as long as there are spaces available. You cannot, however, shorten your course after you have paid.

15. How can I get a Student Visa?

Please see our Do I need a visa to study page? for details of the different types of visas necessary for studying in the UK. The UK Border Agency (UKBA) is the organisation that controls entry into the UK and the UKBA website can be found at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/

16. Do I have to pay a deposit?

Yes, all students must pay a deposit. The amount of the deposit depends on whether or not you require a visa and also if you book accommodation with us. Full details of the current deposit arrangements can be found at our How do I Apply for a Course? page

17. If I pay a deposit and I don't get Visa, do I get a refund?

If you have to cancel your course because your visa application has been rejected then a cancellation fee is charged, after which the balance of your deposit will be returned to you. You will need to provide us with a visa rejection letter before we can return the balance of your deposit.

The cancellation fee charged depends on the following factors;

Your nationality and the type of visa applied for.
Does the booking include course fees only or is accommodation also included?
How much notice of cancellation is given? This is calculated from the date on which a visa rejection letter is provided.

We require as much notice as possible of course and accommodation cancellations and this is reflected in the cancellation charges. The current cancellation fees are shown on the How Do I Apply for a Course? page.

18. I am an EU/EEA student. What happens if I cancel my course?

If you give us 21 days or more notice before your course is due to start we will return your full deposit and there will be no cancellation charge. If you give us less than 21 days notice before your course starts you will be charged a cancellation fee. The amount of this charge depends on whether your booking includes accommodation or not. Details of the current cancellation charges are given at our How Do I Apply for a Course? page.

19. Do I need to buy a textbook?

There is a standard charge for course materials which varies depending both on the course being studied and the length of the course. The appropriate charge will be automatically added to the total cost of your booking and you will be issued with the correct course materials when you arrive at the school. The current charges for each course are listed on the How do I apply for a course? page of our website

20. Do I get a certificate when I complete my course?

Yes, all students can receive a certificate upon completing their studies.