Your language program

Your language level

Before you leave for your program, you’ll need to take our language test on EF Campus Connect. We’ll use your results – along with an oral test on your first day of school – to make sure you’re in the right class. There are 6 different stages and each stage has 2 or 3 different levels (i.e. B1-1, B1-2).

A1 Beginner

A2 Elementary

B1 Intermediate

B2 Upper Intermediate

C1 Advanced

C2 Upper Advanced

Your first day of school

Your first day of school starts at 8.30am on the Monday after you arrive – most students arrive at their destination on Sunday. Your first day will be spent getting ready for your studies by taking an oral assessment and meeting classmates and teachers. You’ll also receive your timetable, academic year calendar, student ID and a welcome pack before going on a neighborhood tour.

Your schedule

EF Language Year Abroad programs are divided into different terms depending on length:

Academic Semester –2 terms, 1 vacation

Academic Year –3 terms, 2 vacations

Academic Year Extended –4 terms, 3 vacations

Your timetable is structured based on the program you’re studying. You’ll have either 32, 30 or 26 lessons per week, each lasting for 40 minutes – mostly organized in double lessons lasting one hour and 20 minutes, with classes in both the morning and afternoon. There are no lessons on national holidays.

Attendance

It’s really important to attend all of your classes – but, if you’re ill or can’t make it, be sure to let the Academic Office know. If you’re ill for three days or more, you’ll need to bring a doctor’s note with you when you return to class. If you’re not sure how to get a doctor’s note, talk to the staff at your school.

Please remember that we’ll have to send you a warning letter if your attendance gets close to the minimum of 80%. If you're under 18, we’ll also have to contact your parents or sponsors if your attendance continues to decline.

Changing or extending your program

The Academic Team can advise you on all the different study programs that EF offers. If you’d like to change your program or extend your stay, just come see us. We can also prepare you for official language exams in your study language (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean) if you reserve them in advance – and they're available at your EF Campus. Talk to your school's Academic Team to find out more about exam dates, costs and availability.