ILAC Vancouver
THE DESTINATION | THE SCHOOL | MAP | RACHEL’S TAKE | WHY THIS SCHOOL? | FACILITIES | THE COURSES | FROM OUR CLIENTS | HOUSING | SOCIAL LIFE | INSURANCE AND PRICING | REQUEST AN ESTIMATE | OTHER PROGRAMS | SIMILAR PROGRAMS
With its many awards and accreditations and over 20 years of experience, the International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC) has been leading the English language teaching industry. ILAC Vancouver is located in a modern, state-of-the-art building in downtown Vancouver, one of the best cities to live in the world according to UNESCO. Its large selection of unique courses, superb accommodation and exciting activities make students stay at ILAC Vancouver an unforgettable learning experience.
Vancouver is a classic Pacific Northwest city: cosmopolitan, diverse, cultured, and surrounded by spectacular natural beauty. Its numerous public parks, mountains, and waters in and around the city make it an excellent location for outdoor enthusiasts. Meanwhile, its forward-thinking hotels, restaurants, and galleries have transformed this Northwest boomtown into an outdoorsy capital of cool.
ILAC VANCOUVER AT A GLANCE
- Year of foundation: 2004
- City: Vancouver
- Position in the city: Downtown
- Minimum age in adult school: 16
- Number of students in Vancouver school: 1350
- Main type of public transport: bus, Skytrain
- Approximate number of nationalities in the school each year: 75
ILAC Vancouver: 1199 West Pender St #100, Vancouver, BC V6E 2R1, Canada
“For an increasing request for study in Canada in the past few years, I added ILAC Vancouver to my offerings. I chose this school over the vast number of English language schools in Vancouver for primarily for two reasons—one, for the large assortment of courses it offers, in terms of the type of course, the number of lessons that a student may take, and the flexibility of course construction. A student who wants to prepare for the IELTS exam, for example, can choose the IELTS principal course, IELTS as a first elective, and IELTS again as a second elective for a thorough preparation, or IELTS as the principal course, and then other first and second electives if he or she wants to vary the study program. ILAC is also one of the few students that offers a super-intensive Power English course of 38 lessons per week for students who want to make the most of a relatively short time in Canada for studying English. The other main reason I chose ILAC is for the number of important awards it has won—it was one of the first schools to achieve Superstar status from the Study Travel Magazine awards, the “Oscars” of the language travel industry, which are voted on by agencies around the world. Soon after these awards were implemented in 2006, ILAC won the award for Best Language School in North America five times in a row, the most number of times that a school can win that award. In my own dealings with the school, I have found the personnel to be quick and responsive to inquiries and enrolments. The students I have sent there have been happy with their courses and accommodations. Students from Italy will also appreciate that there are not many other Italians on these courses. Students from all countries will enjoy the large number of nationalities in the school—very few schools can offer as many as 75 per year—as well as in Vancouver itself. The city is famous for being cosmopolitan, safe, liveable, and in a fantastic setting near the beach and mountains—the perfect place for a study abroad experience.”
ILAC Vancouver
Why study English at ILAC Vancouver?
There are many English language schools in Canada, one of the world’s top destinations for English language learning. International Language Academy of Canada distinguishes itself in the following ways:
- ILAC has been the industry leader in English language schools in Canada for 20 years.
- ILAC is one of the most awarded English language schools in the world, winning the Study Travel Magazine Star Awards for Best Language School in North America 5 times in a row, and the Top Choice Awards Top Language School 10 years in a row.
- ILAC’s location in Vancouver allows students to experience one of the world’s most vibrant and diverse cities.
- ILAC Vancouver is located in downtown Vancouver, close to restaurants, shops and scenic nature hikes.
- ILAC is able to offer a wide variety of programs and a variety of activities to ensure students make the most use of their English skills.
- ILAC Vancouver is able to offer excellent host families, many of which have hosted the school’s students for years. It can also offer student residences near the school.
- ILAC’s partnership with Oxford University Press helps ILAC develop a curriculum that meets students unique needs and objectives.
- ILAC Vancouver has an excellent nationality mix with students coming from over 75 countries.
- ILAC offers its own Teaching Method for learning to communicate effectively and with confidence in English and provides 17 different levels, so that there will be a suitable class for every student.
- ILAC has an award-winning University Pathway Program and has partnership agreements with over 70 top universities and colleges across Canada.
- ILAC’s team of student ambassadors speak over 40 languages and to make sure students have the best possible experience learning English in Canada.
- ILAC is an official IELTS testing center.
The facilities
ILAC VANCOUVER FACILITIES AT A GLANCE
- Downtown location
- State-of-the-art building
- 75 classrooms divided in 4 campuses.
- Student lounge with microwave ovens
- Free Wi-Fi
MORE ABOUT THE FACILITIES AND SERVICES
Personal Attention
ILAC gives careful attention to the needs of each and every student. Throughout the course, students’ progress will be evaluated according to the ILAC Grading Standards.
Airport Transfers
ILAC can arrange airport pick-up services from the airport at an extra cost. Students will be greeted by an ILAC representative and taken to their residence.
University and College Placement Services
ILAC’s University and College Placement Services team can work with students to find the perfect university or college program in Canada to reveal their full potential.
Student Welfare
Student welfare is of utmost importance to ILAC, and all staff and teachers are available to support students in a professional and confidential manner with any problems that might arise while they are away from home.
The courses
COURSES FOR ADULTS
ILAC offers 17 levels of English and 3 levels of intensity for their programs. The principal course is 26 lessons per week. Student may choose to take Intensive English with 30 lessons (26 principal + 4 elective lessons) or Power English with 38 lessons per week (26 principal + 8 lessons of power course). Elective courses include speaking, listening, pronunciation, grammar, writing, idioms, vocabulary, business English, TOEFL or IELTS preparation and more. Students can change their electives every week.
- Minimum age: 16
- Lesson length: 45 minutes
- Start dates: every second Monday
- Number of students in class: maximum 15
- Course Duration: minimum 2 weeks
- Number of lessons per week: 26, 30 (Intensive) or 38 (Power English)
- Timetable: (Summer schedules start at 8:30 April – October)
Principal course: 8:45 – 11:45 Monday to Friday + 12:15 – 13:45 Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Intensive English: Principal Course + 12:15 – 13:45 Tuesday and Thursday (Electives)
Power English: Principal Course + 14:00 – 15:30 Monday to Thursday (Power course)
GENERAL ENGLISH, EXAMINATION AND BUSINESS COURSES
General English
The General English curriculum follows Cambridge examination methodology. General English is for Beginner to High Intermediate levels and is required for students before they take more advanced courses.
- English levels: All
Cambridge English Exam Preparation Course
At ILAC, students at Pre-Advanced to High Advanced levels can prepare for the Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE) and the Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) exams
- Minimum English levels: Pre-advanced (FCE), High Advanced (CAE)
TOEFL Preparation Course
Students above a Pre-advanced level can take the TOEFL Preparation course or TOEFL Exam Preparation as an elective class.
- Minimum English levels: Pre-advanced
IELTS Preparation Course
Students above pre-advanced level can take the IELTS Preparation course or IELTS Exam Preparation as an elective class. ILAC is an official IELTS testing center and therefore students can take the exam after completing their course.
- Minimum English levels: Pre-advanced
Business English Course
The Business English Courses or Elective Class teach English fluency for use in professional business situations. Students also prepare for the Cambridge Business Examinations (BEC).
- Minimum English levels: Pre-advanced
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
University Pathway Program
The University Pathway Program is ideal for ambitious students of all levels and backgrounds who want to access world-leading education in Canada. The program allows the possibility for acceptance to most of ILAC’s 70+ Pathway partner colleges and universities without IELTS and TOEFL. The University Pathway program’s focuses on writing and researching. Additionally, students learn reading and note-taking strategies for academic lectures, sophisticated grammar, advanced vocabulary, and precise pronunciation techniques are emphasized to increase speaking skills. There is no minimum level of English proficiency required to enter the Pathway Program and the length of the program will depend on students’ English levels. Students may also choose the intensity of their course. University Pathway students must start on the main start dates (every 4 weeks). See dates and fees for start dates.
Gap Year Program
The Gap Year experience offers a unique combination of ILAC’s famous English program and Canadian College/University experience. Students study one semester of Power English at ILAC, and one semester at a Canadian College or University. Students may enter the Gap Year Program depending on their English levels at the following universities:
- Art Institute of Vancouver
- Niagara College
- Thompson Rivers University
- Seneca College
- Capilano University
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
COURSES FOR YOUNG ADULTS
ILAC offers young adults aged 16 – 18 program options of Intensive English, Power English or Intensive English with College Seminar Electives. The Intensive English with College Seminar Electives course option is only available during the months of June, July and August and combines 30 English lessons with 7 college seminar electives per week.
Teenage Platinum Packages
The Platinum Packages are an all-inclusive English education experience for teens. Modeled after the adult curriculum, the Platinum English packages offer young adults communicative English and academic English, TOEFL/IELTS preparation, and Cambridge Exam preparation course options. The program tuition includes English lessons, homestay accommodation with full board meal plan, health insurance, course materials, airport transfers, registration fee, accommodation placement fee and social activities.
- Number of lessons per week: 20 (summer package) or 30 (winter package)
- Course duration: 2, 3 or 4 weeks
- Start dates: see dates and fees
HOST FAMILY
One of the best ways to experience Canadian life and culture is to choose homestay accommodation. All homestays are carefully selected and visited regularly by the onsite Homestay Coordinator to ensure consistently high standards. Homestays are in fact the accommodation of choice for the majority of students. The school and Marshall Language Services recommend this form of accommodation the most for language learning. Family life is informal and the people are welcoming, friendly and talkative, so students will have plenty of opportunities to practice their English with native speakers. By booking homestay accommodation, students will also not have to worry about shopping for food and preparing meals every day. Mealtimes are often the occasions in which families converse most with the students.
Additional homestay provisions and information
- Homestay accommodation includes 3 meals a day.
- Single rooms or twin rooms are available upon request.
- All homestays offer wireless internet.
- Homestay families provide all bed linens and towels.
- Most ILAC homestays have shared bathrooms, but a few with private bathrooms are available.
- Most homestay accommodation is located at an average of 35-50 minutes by public transportation.
- Accommodation goes from Saturday to Saturday. It is possible to book extra nights at an additional cost upon availability.
STUDENT RESIDENCES
Gec Viva
Gec Viva student residence is located in downtown Vancouver, only 15 minutes’ walk from the school building. This deluxe residence has been selected as one of the top 10 residences in North America and Canada by the Most Luxurious Student Housing Community.
Gec Viva residence also offers:
- Private or shared bedrooms available
- Shared bathroom
- Fully equipped communal kitchen
- Bed linen are provided
- Free Wi-Fi and Netflix
- Laundry facilities
- Fitness center
- Weekly housekeeping for common areas
Gec Pearson
Gec Pearson student residence is located close to parks and shopping center just 30 minutes away to ILAC.
Gec Pearson residence also offers:
- v Fully furnished suites
- Semi-Private bathrooms
- Bed linen and towels are provided and changed weekly
- Free Wi-Fi & Basic Cable
- In-suite Laundry
- Fitness center
- Weekly housekeeping
Casa Vancouver
Casa Vancouver, located in downtown Vancouver, offers fully furnished rooms in shared accommodation. For students who want more privacy and comfort, Casa Vancouver Suites offer 1 or 2 bedroom apartments.
Casa Vancouver also offers:
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Weekly maid service
- Free gym at Casa Vancouver Suites
HOTELS
YWCA Hotel
Located right in Vancouver’s arts and entertainment district, the YWCA hotel provides easy access to restaurants, bars, theatres, sports venues, boutiques and shopping centers.
YWCA Hotel also offers:
- Single bedroom with shared or semi-private bathroom
- Double bedroom with private bathroom
- Bed linen and towels are provided
- Coffee bar
- Guest area kitchens
- TV
- Laundry facilities
Insurance
Insurance covering medical and travel assistance, personal liability and trip cancellation is not included in the price of the program. Marshall Language Services has a policy available through Guard.Me that covers these elements, as well as an additional policy through CareMed that covers cancellation under a wider range of circumstances, including the need to repeat school exams. A summary of these policies may be downloaded below.
Dates and Fees
Calculate your own approximate quote
The following tool will help you to get a good idea of the cost of a language course and accommodation, if requested, at this school. It may not include all the courses and accommodation options available or take into account promotional offers or costs associated with student visas, insurance, study materials or exam fees. For these reasons, the availability of any course, accommodation option (especially in the high season) and the final price of a package will always have to be verified with Marshall Language Services prior to enrolment.
Contact us for information about dates & prices
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ILAC TORONTO
ILAC Toronto, located in one of the most diverse, vibrant and safest cities in the world, offers General English, Examination and Business English courses, Academic Programs and Teenage Packages for students aged 16 and above.
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