Excel College Brochure 2014 by Excel College

Contents Why study at Excel College? General English IELTS Preparation Intensive English Communication Class Writing Clinic Business English One-to-One lessons E-support writing Practice Tests Accommodation -Homestay -Flatshare Extracurricular activities Volunteering How to apply

3 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Why study at       

No registration fees No book fees Free placement test 2 free trial classes Weekly assessments Tutorials with your teacher every 6 weeks Start any day Monday to Friday

Established in 2003, Excel College is a UKBA Highly Trusted Sponsor, accredited by the British Council and a member of English UK. We deliver an excellent level of education for serious students at low cost prices. Flexible courses: You can study in the morning, afternoon and evening from 3 hours a week, parttime to 30 hours a week, intensive. Students already in the UK and EU students have the option of flexible payments and can choose to pay every term, every month or even week by week.

Work and Study: Many of our students come to the UK to work and study so we know how important it is to be able to fit your English lessons around this. You can choose when you want to study and any time you need to change your days or save a day for next week, speak to us and we will always do our best to help. University Preparation: As well as providing high-quality English courses to help you get your English to university standard, our partner company UKEC can advise and support you when you apply to an English university. Appointments are available for Excel College students on the same day. Speak to reception for more details. Extracurricular activities and Volunteering It is important to practice you English outside the classroom. As well as providing a wide variety of social activities, Excel College can find a volunteer placement for you with a local charity. Whatever your reason, we are here to support you and help you reach your goals. From your initial placement test until the very last day of your course, Excel College will make sure your get the most from your course.

General English Courses Our General English courses run in the morning, afternoon and evening. You choose how many hours you want to study per weekâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6, 9 or 15. You can also add skills and modules to make a more Intensive English course. Course Levels

CEFR

IELTS

Cambridge

Elementary

2.0 - 2.5

Pre-Intermediate

3.0 - 3.5

KET

Intermediate

4.0 - 4.5

PET

Upper Intermediate

5.0 - 5.5

FCE

Advanced

6.0 - 7.0

CAE

Proficiency

7.5 - 9.0

CPE

Our General English classes are designed to help you develop your language skills in interesting and stimulating ways. This will include the use of multimedia, role-plays and discussions as well as covering all the vocabulary and grammar appropriate to your level of study.

Students studying at Upper Intermediate, Advanced or Proficiency level will have the chance to use Cambridge materials to help those students interested in studying for the FCE, CAE or CPE exams. If you are interested in taking a Cambridge exam, speak to your teacher who will give you exam tips and practice material. Learning is conducted in a variety of ways through presentations, research, Debates and use of IT as well as through grammar and vocabulary exercises. In each lesson you can expect to cover all four skills; reading, writing, speaking and listening. Visits to museums and other cultural locations are an important part of learning. They allow you to use your English outside of the classroom whilst also learning about the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exciting history and geography. Trips are organised by your teacher every term and are fully integrated into the syllabus.

IELTS Preparation Courses IELTS preparation courses at Excel College are run by IELTS Specialists. You can study in the morning, afternoon or evening. You choose how many hours you want to study per week– 6, 9 or 15. You can also add skills and modules or some General English classes to make an Intensive English course.     

Expand your vocabulary on IELTS topics. Improve grammatical accuracy in writing and speaking. Increase your reading speed. Develop effective listening strategies. Extensive exam practice

Course Levels

General English Level

IELTS Band Score

Foundation

B1 - B2

4.5 - 5.5

Advanced

C1 - C2

6.0 +

Foundation level This course is designed to bring students up to a 5.5 in all band scores. Students will need to have a good intermediate (B1) level of General English before joining an IELTS preparation class. This course will continue to improve your general English language skills and expand your vocabulary on key IELTS topics. You will become familiar with all parts of the test and develop strategies to improve test skills.

Advanced level This course is designed for students who already have an overall IELTS level of around 5.5 and who need to achieve 6.5 or higher. At Advanced level, you will continue to improve your use of grammatical structures and key vocabulary across all parts of the test. You will receive intensive support in all skills during lessons and be encouraged to practise these extensively outside of class. You will have regular practice tests, many under exam conditions and be given approximate band scores to assess your progress.

Intensive English Courses There are many different course options for students wanting to study an Intensive English course. When you apply, we will discuss with you the courses that will best fit your study plan and help you to design your timetable. This is a great course for people who want to work towards taking a Secure English Language Test, such as IELTS or FCE, CAE or CPE. You can study 21, 24 or 30 hours a week. Simply choose your main course and modules and design a timetable to suit your study aims. For lower level students, we recommend a 21 hour course. You can change your modules while you are here following discussions with your teacher, who will make sure you are studying the best course for you. Here are a few examples of student timetables. Please check with us what skills and modules are available as we occasionally include additional options. 21 Hour Course

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

General English

Communication Class

Writing Clinic

Communication Class

Writing Clinic

24 Hour Course

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

General English

Writing Clinic

IELTS Preparation

Writing Clinic

IELTS Preparation

30 Hour Course

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

General English

IELTS Preparation

IELTS Preparation IELTS Preparation

Business English The Business English course at Excel College is designed for students who already have a good understanding of the English language. Like our other full-time courses, you can choose to study Business English for 6, 9 or 15 hours a week. You can also combine it with either IELTS Preparation, General English or the Communication Class and Writing Clinic for a more intensive course. Due to the ever increasing levels of international working relationships, a firm knowledge of Business English can directly impact the performance of your business and employment in general. The Business English course taught at Excel College is designed around your needs combining functional skills, such as writing an email and presenting ideas, as well as business vocabulary and grammar to help with overall fluency and comprehension. For those interested in taking the Cambridge BEC exams, this course will cover everything you need to feel confident in passing your exam whilst encouraging you to develop and build on your own skills and knowledge of global business. You will learn to communicate effectively and confidently in the business world, how to structure reports and much more, in a course that is designed around your businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs.

Exam

Level

Cambridge English: Business Preliminary (BEC Preliminary)

CEFR B1 Intermediate level

Cambridge English: Business Vantage (BEC Vantage)

CEFR B2 Upper-intermediate level

Cambridge English: Business Higher (BEC Higher)

CEFR C1 Advanced Level

Communication Class Our Communication Class runs for 3 hours per week. This course works well alongside Writing Clinic and with a General English or IELTS Preparation course as part of a fulltime course or an Intensive English course.  Focus on your speaking and listening skills  Work on your pronunciation  Practise your English in real-life, functional situations

Course Levels

General English Level

Lower Level

Elementary to Low Intermediate

Higher Level

High Intermediate to Advanced

Lots of students need to develop confidence in communicating in English. Both upper and lower level classes aim to improve fluency in speaking and listening. The syllabus focuses on real-life functional situations and key topical areas. The importance of clear pronunciation and a good use of grammar is embedded into the classes.

Writing Clinic Writing Clinic focuses specifically on improving the quality of students’ writing. This can be taken alongside Communication Class, General English or IELTS Preparation for an intensive course or as part of a full-time or part-time course. The overall aim of the course is to help students feel more confident in expressing themselves and communicating through writing.

Course Levels

General English Level

Lower Level

Elementary to Low Intermediate

Higher Level

High Intermediate to Advanced

Lower Level  Improve use of grammar  Experiment with sentence structure  Essay work

Higher Level  Advanced sentence structures  Academic vocabulary  Grammar practices  Report writing  C.V. workshops  Writing a covering letter  Personal statements for university  Academic essays

One to One lessons Sometimes, the most effective way to focus on a particular area of language study is to have a few one-to-one lessons. You can book one-to-one classes for any time Monday-Friday and we will find you a suitable teacher at a time that is convenient to you. One-to-one lessons can be a good way to boost your English and work really well when you study alongside your regular General English or IELTS course. With one to one lessons, you can book as few or as many as you want, giving you the benefit of concentrating on your specific learning priorities such as:  Writing  Communication  Exam help  Medical English  Legal English  Professional English  Public Speaking  Grammar Speak to reception for more details and to get an application form.

E-Support Writing Test Practice Our E-Support writing tests give you the chance to practise what some students consider the most challenging part of an English Language test and get individual feedback and guidance on how to improve.

E-Support Options 1x IELTS Writing test (Task 1 and 2)

£20

1x FCE/ CAE/ CPE writing test (part 1 and 2)

£20

3x IELTS writing test (task 1 and 2)

£45

3x FCE/ CAE/ CPE writing test (part 1 and 2)

£45

E-Support Tests include:  Email feedback on every test taken  Comments and advice for improvement

Practice Tests Excel College runs full IELTS, FCE, CAE and CPE practive tests throughout the year. You do not need to be an Excel College student to attend our practice tests, just fill in an application form and we will organise a time to suit you. Our practice tests provide candidates with an opportunity to take a full test in strict exam conditions, including a full individual speaking test. So, before you book a real test, why not book a practise one and get some advice on how to improve. Please note that for the FCE, CAE and CPE exams, two students are needed for the speaking exam. If this is not possible, we will be happy to do a 20 minute speaking test that will cover topics that are likely to come up. You can book an IELTS Practice test at any time by contacting the college.  Tests are held between 9-5pm Monday to Friday- please ask for an application form and write down the dates and times you are available .  A member of the team will phone or email you to confirm the date of your test. 

Practice Test Options Reading, Listening and Writing + Brief Feedback

£35

Reading, Listening and Writing + 30 minutes tutorial

£45

Reading, Listening, Writing and speaking + Brief feedback

£45

Reading, Listening, Writing and speaking + 60 Minutes tutorial

£70

Brief Feedback includes:  Band equivalent scores for each skill and overall score.  Guidance notes on most important points to improve. Tutorials include  Full diagnosis of strengths and weaknesses.  Detailed advice on how to improve.  Guidance on self-study activities and materials.

Accommodation Excel College can provide accommodation for you with one of our homestay families or in our flat share.

Home Stay Accommodation If you choose Home Stay accommodation, you will experience life as part of a British family. Our families live in different parts of Manchester. They usually live in residential areas, a bus ride away from the College. Some of our families have young children, some are retired couples and some are single, working people. All of them enjoy hosting students and learning about different cultures. All our Home Stay families speak English as their native language. Britain is a multi-cultural country and our hosts have a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. All our hosts are inspected every year to ensure that all Home Stay accommodation meets British Council requirements. Please see http://tinyurl.com/chk6cuu for information on British Council Guidelines. Your Home Stay room will be very comfortable. It will have a single or a double bed, a wardrobe, desk and chair as well as wireless internet access. PRICES The price includes breakfast and evening meals every day of the week, all bills and Wi-Fi. It also includes one bedding wash and one laundry wash per week. Our hosts are all native English speakers who come from a range of cultural backgrounds and live in residential areas out of the city centre. It takes between twenty minutes and one hour to travel to the College on the bus, train or tram. Self-catering Home Stay accommodation can sometimes be arranged, please contact us for details. Homestay, standard diet

£125 per week

Homestay, special diet (Halal, vegetarian, vegan)

£140 per week

Booking fee

£40

HOW TO APPLY & PAY If you would like to arrange Home Stay accommodation, simply fill in our application form on the website and send it to us by email. You will need to pay for the accommodation in full two weeks before your arrival date. Only once we have received the full payment can we make a booking. Bookings are normally for a minimum of two weeks but if you would like a shorter stay, speak to reception team and we will see what we can do. All bookings are subject to £100 deposit. HOW TO EXTEND OR CANCEL YOUR BOOKING If you would like to extend or cancel your accommodation, you need to tell the reception team two weeks in advance, with a week being Sunday to Saturday.

Flat Share Accommodation  Live

in the city centre

 Share  Stay

a flat with other international students

in your own room with en-suite bathroom

If you’re looking for self-catering accommodation in the city centre, the Excel College flat share is an excellent option. Only five minutes walk from Excel College and fifteen minutes from the city centre, Liberty Point student accommodation is very well placed for getting to class and exploring Manchester in your spare time. The flat has six single bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, and a shared kitchen and living area. There is a weekly cleaning service for communal areas but students are expected to wash dishes, take out the rubbish, clean their own bathroom and keep their bedroom tidy.

PRICE The price includes all bills, internet connection, a weekly cleaning service, all kitchen equipment and a bedding pack (duvet, pillows, duvet cover, pillow cases, sheets and mattress cover). There is a 24 hour security and maintenance team on site. The price doesn’t include food, cleaning products or towels. Single en-suite room Accommodation booking fee

£125.00 / week £40.00

HOW TO APPLY & PAY If you would like to arrange Flat Share accommodation, simply fill in our application form on the website and send it to us by email. You will need to pay for the accommodation in full two weeks before your arrival date. Only once we have received the full payment can we make a booking. Bookings are normally for a minimum of two weeks but if you would like a shorter stay, speak to reception team and we will see what we can do. All bookings are subject to £100 deposit. HOW TO EXTEND OR CANCEL YOUR BOOKING If you would like to extend or cancel your accommodation, you need to tell the reception team two weeks in advance, with a week being Sunday to Saturday.

Extra curricular activities At Excel College, we understand how important it is to have the chance to use your English outside of the classroom. We organise regular trips and activities in and around Manchester such as:  Walking tours– Art and Culture, Wonderful Waterways, Squares and Gardens  Trips to museums- MOSI, National Football Museum, Manchester Gallery  Ice Skating  Manchester Christmas Markets  Theatre trips  Quiz nights  Film club  International society club nights  Football  College parties  Wii tournaments  Ice Skating  Laser quest

As well as social activities, we also hold talks given by guest speakers on a wide range of topics, from charity work to poetry writing.

College activities are advertised on the notice board in the college and on Facebook and Twitter. All activities are also advertised on Meetup.com.

Every term we organise workshops led by industry specialists. These are open to everyone and focus on subjects such as IELTS, specific grammar points and pronunciation.

Volunteering Volunteering is a great way to practise your English outside the classroom, improve your CV and discover more about Manchester and the people who live here. Excel College is in contact with a variety of volunteer organisations in and around Manchester. All of these organisations have a range of ever-changing volunteer opportunities on offer, some lasting for a few months to a year, some just for a day. Simply speak to us about when you are available and we will tell you the opportunities that are available.

Volunteer opportunities include:  Teaching  Conservation work  Helping homeless people  Archaeological work  Painting and decorating  Working with children  Reception and administration work  Helping in hospitals  Working with blind people There are many more opportunities available and we will always do our best to find a volunteer placement suitable to your needs.

You can apply before you arrive or speak to us when you are here. For more information, please see our Volunteering page on our website or email us at: info@excel-college.com You can also contact us or visit our forum for more information.

How to Apply We are here to help you through the whole application process. If you have any questions at all, please email us and ask.

How it works: Email us:    

Application form Medical information form Homestay or Flatshare application form (if applicable) Copy of your passport or ID card

We will make sure we have all the information we need and then send you:  An offer letter  An invoice When we have received your full fees, we will send you:  A letter confirming your course. (This can be used for visa purposes).  Receipt for payment  A welcome letter including our Student Handbook and other important information If you have booked accommodation, we will also send you a booking confirmation letter with details of your family.

If you are applying through an agent, they will help you apply and make sure you have sent the correct documents and identification. They will send the documents to us and we will reply straight to them.

info@excel-college.com +44(0)161 236 5551 -

www.excel-college.com @excelcollegeman http://www.facebook.com/excelcollegemanchester Excel College, 2 Fairfield Street , Manchester M1 3GF

Excel College is part of Xinlung Group Ltd. Registration No: 3737101