Minimum Course Length
25 weeks tuition
+ 8 weeks holidays
The Study English Abroad Year course is an English immersion program aimed at students from outside the EEA area who want to improve their General English on a long stay course. All students on the Study English Abroad Year programme complete their course by taking an internationally recognised English exam such as Cambridge PET, FCE or CAE or IELTS.
25 weeks tuition
+ 8 weeks holidays
20 or 26 lessons per week
45 minutes per lesson
Beginner A1 to Advanced C2
AM €3,500
PM €2,600
Any Monday
(on bank holidays, courses start on Tuesdays)
12 in low season
14 in high season
18
Low Season: Mon - Fri: 09.00 - 12.30 / 15.00
High Season: Mon - Fri: 13.00 / 14.45 - 18.00
The Study English Abroad (SAY) programme is specifically designed for students from outside the EEA who wish to develop their skills and fluency in English with the option of working part-time in Galway. This is a great English immersion program where you'll enjoy a unique experience of living, working and studying on the West coast of Ireland.
You can study for 25 weeks either 20 or 26 lessons per week and have 8 weeks holidays. The work study abroad program is a great choice if you love to travel and would like to explore Ireland and other European capitals. It's the best study abroad program!
One great advantage of the SAY programme is that you will be here long enough to really enjoy your time - study, work part-time, and of course travel around Ireland or as many of our students do take short trips to other wonderful places around Europe.
Classes run in the mornings during the low season and in the afternoons during the high season which brings variety to your study year.
By far the biggest advantage of the SAY programme is that it is an extended course and you will be able to dedicate lots of time to really improving and enjoying life in a new city, Galway, and in a new country, Ireland.
If you decide to enroll on the Study Abroad programme, you can get a part-time job (20 hours per week) if you wish to work while you study or a full-time job (40 hours per week) during your holidays in the months of June, July, August and September. This means that you can experience Galway like a local and be involved in real life learning situations in the workplace.
When enrolling in this course, you will embark on a long-term learning journey and become completely immersed in the Irish and European way of life. The objectives of the English study abroad program are:
Students enrolled in the Study English Abroad courses will avail of our intensive course plans in order to gain a firm grounding in General English skills. During their stay, students have the option to change to one of our examination preparation courses such as Cambridge or IELTS, as non-EEA students are required to take one of the internationally recognised English language examinations.
GCI students take a review test every Friday morning to ensure you are making good progress and to see if you need more help in any particular areas. You receive regular feedback from your teachers who will discuss and analyse your study pathway with you.
We choose our coursebooks, materials and digital resources that are the best, and are based on the latest research into English language as it is used in the modern world as well as in everyday situations.
The classes in our Study English Abroad 26 lessons courses has lots of student interaction and varied lesson materials which help you build up useful vocabulary and grammar, all with a focus on real-life communication.
The Study Abroad courses will provide you with a balanced programme of skills work, vocabulary building, grammatical study lessons, maintaining a strong communication focus by using a combination of individual work, pair and group work. During the lessons, there is emphasis on debates, presentations, discussions, and developing writing skills. The classes really help to improve your fluency and confidence outside the classroom.
If you are looking for study abroad programs in Ireland, then our Study Abroad course is the best choice.Our Study Abroad Programme is available to students who are outside of the European Economic Area. If your home country is outside of the EEA, you have to apply for a visa while here. Getting a visa to Ireland shouldn't be difficult as it is an easy country to gain access to.
To get your visa successfully, and in advance of arrival you must:
To validate your visa after arrival in Ireland, you need to:
By enrolling on a Study English Abroad programme you are committing to following the rules and regulations of the visa policy which includes rules around attendance (minimum 85% of all classes) and taking an international English language examination during or at the end of your 25 week programme.
See visa process for more information on the visa process in Ireland!
Important Information
Study Abroad Year Programmes may be subject to change as a result of updates to the current Immigration Guidelines and Procedures.
From €120
Online General English Courses are delivered by expert GCI teachers and supported technologically by two cutting-edge platforms to support the learning of our students, Zoom and Moodle.
From €3150
The Study Abroad Year programme is aimed at students from outside the EEA area who need to improve their General English while taking an international English exam.
From €2600
With 30 lessons per week, this nine week IELTS preparation course will help you get the results you need to succeed at both work and university level.
Since 1989, Galway Cultural Institute has provided English language programmes to students from all over the world - in fact, we have welcomed people from more than 30 countries.
Explore more English courses