Top 5 Things to Look for When Choosing an ESL School

Choosing an English school in Vancouver - or anywhere in the world - is an important choice.  You and/or your family members are spending a lot on your learning, so the cost and the quality of your education are two crucial things you must consider when choosing the best place to study English. The following points will help you choose the best place to learn English.

Checklist for Choosing a Great English School:

1. Make sure your teachers are native English speakers.

You have traveled so far from your home country in order to study English in Canada. Therefore, it only makes sense that your ESL school employs native English speakers. However, some schools employ teachers who are from non-English speaking countries, and who have less experience, so that the school can pay a lower hourly wage.


2. Learn from professionally-trained teachers.

Ask questions about the professional backgrounds and requirements for teachers at the school you are interested in. Simply holding a university degree in English is not sufficient in order to teach second language learners. At a minimum, teachers should have:

1. A four-year university degree.
2. A TESOL Canada accredited TESOL teaching diploma (http://www.tesl.ca/)
3. Three years of practical experience.

International or intercultural experience is a bonus, but you’ll find lots of awesome ESL teachers in Vancouver who have only taught in Canada.


3. Don’t base your decision entirely on price.

The cheapest school is not always the best school. The old adage in English “you get what you pay for” holds true when choosing a school in Vancouver.  Use caution if the school is offering you a price or “discounts” which are half the weekly cost of other similar schools.  Invest in your future by choosing the best school for your needs.

While the tuition cost varies depending on factors such as course subject and class size, you can expect to pay around $300 to $350 per week (based on a 30-hour-per-week program). Always ask how many hours are included in a full time program at an ESL school, and be wary if the cost is drastically higher or lower than what you expect to pay.


4. Find a school with a good mix of nationalities.

A school with students who come from a number of countries generally means that the institution is a popular, respected place to learn English at. By choosing a school with more cultures, you’ll also be exposed to friends, social events and opportunities from around the world, which will enrich your experience in Canada.  


5. Ask about professional accreditation.  

Every school will have some sort of certificate or association which promises quality.  In Canada, there are international, national, and provincial levels of accreditation:

Languages Canada
Languages Canada is a Canadian national certification for quality schools in Canada for both French and English language. To qualify, a school is evaluated in a number of categories including: curriculum, teacher qualifications, student services, student admissions, marketing, promotion, facilities, and administration.  The standards are rigorous and internationally respected.

Quality English
On an international level, Quality English schools are selected from the best of independent English language schools in the world.

Quality English monitors international quality around the world (UK, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the USA.) These schools are independent of a chain and are run by directors and staff who care about education and the individual needs of their students. QE regularly monitors the quality of its schools through student feedback, agent references, and accreditation results.


British Columbia’s Education Quality Assurance
BC's EQA Designation is Canada's first and only provincial brand of quality for post-secondary education. EQA provides a standard provincial seal that can be recognized globally as a symbol of quality education and consumer protection.