Edinburgh College has hosted an English Language Summer School for more than 30 years, and this year was no different with 102 students from 16 countries spending their time in the capital with our International team.

During the 2019 Summer School, students from Panama, Italy, Spain, Japan, Kazakhstan and other countries from across the world, spent time in and out of the classroom improving their English skills and taking in the fantastic cultural experiences Scotland has to offer.

College lecturers ran varied and challenging English language courses for Summer School students, which covered general English language development over a 15-hour week, while students can opt to study an additional five hours per week to prepare for the IELTS (International English Language Teaching System) exam or to further develop their communication skills through a new add-on course, Integrated Skills.

Away from the classroom, students have been taking advantage of the Summer School social programme. This year’s groups have visited Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Zoo, Palace of Holyroodhouse, The National Museum of Scotland, Mary King’s Close, and the Jazz Festival show. At weekends, the students have gone further afield with trips to the new V&A Museum in Dundee, the Wallace Monument near Stirling, Scone Palace and Deep Sea World.

Summer School director Shona West said: “The aim of the Summer School is not only to improve students’ English language skills but also to offer them a real insight into Scottish culture. The enthusiasm shown by this year’s students has been fantastic, and we’re really proud of how much they have progressed in their time with us.” 

International business manager Sarah Gore said: “Summer School 2019 has been a great success. We welcomed more than 100 students from across the world to our capital city to benefit from the chance to develop their English language skills, and learn about Scottish history and culture. We are already looking forward to next year.”