Important info
Important information
This section of the site answers questions which students often ask before they come to the school.
Homestay
Arrival/departure
Students should arrive on Sunday and leave on Saturday or Sunday. Accommodation is paid for in units of one week. No reduction can be made for part of a week.
Payment
You can pay ESOE and we will pay your homestay or you can pay your family directly. Please complete the relevant section on the application form.
Staying with your family over Christmas
You may be able to stay with your family over the Christmas holiday. If you do, you will be asked to pay a supplement of one week's homestay fee for the week including Christmas Day.
What will my host family be like?
It is important to understand that a "homestay family" does not always consist of 2 parents with children. A couple or a widow(er) whose children have grown up and left home often make excellent "homestay families".
My room
You will be given your own room (unless you ask to share with a friend). Your room should contain a chair, table and lamp suitable for studying, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers or dressing table.
My first day
Please let your host family know approximately when you will be arriving, to ensure that they will be home to welcome you. Alternatively, you could tell us and we will pass this information on to your host family.
Meals
Your host family will give you breakfast and an evening meal every day of the week. If there is something you cannot eat because of your health or for religious reasons, please let us know at the time of booking to help us to find you a suitable host family. Breakfast will usually consist of tea or coffee with cereals or toast.
Will there be other students staying in the host family?
There may be other students staying in the family but you should be the only student guest from your country. If there are other students in the family they should not be from countries which speak the same language as you. This is a very strict rule made by ESOE, and we will find you other accommodation immediately if this rule is broken by the host family.
Getting to your host family from the airport.
You should make your own way to your host family. If you let them (or us) know your arrival time they will be waiting for you at home. We can advise you on the best way to get to your family from the airport or if you would like to use ESOE's airport transfer service, please let us know.
Courses
Test
On the first day of a course, students are tested and briefed as part of the programme and the normal complement of lessons will not be given.
Class level
Different courses have different minimum levels. After your test on General English, you will be placed in a class with other students at your level. We normally run classes at Beginner, Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced. If you arrive late for the course, we cannot guarantee a place at your level. ESOE reserves the right to refuse to accept any student or terminate any student's course.
How long are the lessons?
2011: On all courses, one lesson lasts 60 minutes.
2012: On all courses, one lesson lasts 45 minutes. Lessons are usually combined into longer periods to give continuity of learning.
Course books/Course materials
The specific course material, or course books, which are necessary for each course are provided as part of the course fees.
Transfers
How do I get to the school from the airport?
The nearest airport to Eastbourne is Gatwick Airport, about 55 minutes away. ESOE can arrange individual airport transfers on arrival and departure. Please refer to our Price list for current prices. Please mark the appropriate box on the application form to request an airport transfer booking form. You should return this form to ESOE once you know your flight details.
Alternative travel options are available on our Location page
Public Holidays
For all courses except Fifty Plus, the School is closed on all Public Holidays: 3 January, 22 April, 25 April, 2 May, 30 May and 29 August 2011.
The School is also closed on 4 November 2011. No refunds are made for these days.
Christmas and New Year Holiday: The school closes on Friday 16 December 2011 and re-opens on Tuesday 3 January 2012.
Insurance
You are strongly advised to take out insurance in your own country as protection against losing money through cancellation or unexpected termination of your course due to accident, illness or for personal reasons - see Course-U-Can. You should also insure yourself for payment of medical expenses for the period of your stay at ESOE. Personal insurance is obligatory for students booking English plus Rugby.
Private Lessons
Students studying at ESOE can choose to book additional One-to-One lessons. See our price list for fees. Please indicate on the application form the number of additional One-to-One lessons you require per week.
Visas
ESOE is licensed by the UKBA to sponsor students. We cannot accept any student without the correct visa. If you are not sure if you need a visa you should check the UK Visas website.
Who needs a visa?
For visa purposes, the world is divided into 3 areas:
1. EU/EEA/Switzerland
Citizens of one of these countries do not need a visa and can come and go as they please.
2. Visa nationals (VN)
A Visa National requires a visa to enter the UK for any reason and must get one before they leave their country.
Visa National countries include Colombia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey
3. Non-visa nationals (NVN)
A Non-Visa National needs a visa, but for stays up to 6 months does not need to apply for one before they leave their country. They can get a Student Visitor Visa (see below) for up to 6 months on arrival at a UK airport. A General Student Visa must be applied for and granted before departure.
Non Visa National countries of relevance to us include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Uruguay
Types of Visa
General Student Visa (GSV)
A GSV comes within Tier 4 of the Points Based System (PBS). Schools are responsible for students as ‘sponsors’ and students are tied to the sponsoring organisation. If they wish to change sponsor, they must apply for a new visa.
Typically GSVs are chosen by students wishing to study for 6 months or more, and will be granted for the length of the course plus 1 or 2 weeks extra.. A GSV student also has the rights to extend the visa in the UK.
GSV applications are assessed objectively. If you get enough points you get a visa. In order to get points, students need:
- acceptance from a school on the UKBA Register of Sponsors
- evidence that a student has enough money to pay for course fees and maintenance @£600/month up to a maximum of 9 months
- cash in an account in the student’s name for minimum 28 days prior to application
- sponsorship
- a secure English language test (SELT) for proof of level of English
- applicants for GSV must also provide biometrics.
Student Visitor Visa
An SVV is not within PBS. It is more like a visitor’s visa, than a student visa. It has no rights attached i.e. you cannot work, you cannot extend in the UK, you can only study max 6 months and you cannot bring dependants. It is assessed subjectively by an Entry Clearance Officer.
Non-Visa Nationals (eg Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, etc) can get an SVV on arrival at a UK airport. Visa Nationals must apply before departure.
Students can be at any level.
Extended Student Visitor Visa
An ESVV is not within PBS. It is more like a visitor’s visa, than a student visa. It has no rights attached i.e. you cannot work, you cannot extend in the UK, you can only study max 11 months and you cannot bring dependants. It is assessed subjectively by an Entry Clearance Officer. An ESVV is only valid for English language courses.
Non-Visa Nationals (eg Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, etc) can get an ESVV on arrival at a UK airport. Visa Nationals must apply before departure.
Students can be at any level.
Visitor Visa
You are not allowed to study if you have only a Visitor’s Visa. If your intention prior to arrival in the UK is to study, you must choose one of the two visas above.
Changes To Our Programme & Prices
Programme dates or prices change
ESOE reserves the right to make changes to our programme and to our prices.