The Abbey College

The Abbey College, located in the beautiful English countryside at the very heart of England, has provided a magnificent setting for thousands of students over many years. We offer a variety of programmes, categorised as Academic Courses, English All Year, Foundation Courses (including our unique Medical Programme) and Summer School/Vacation courses, which we have been running for over 30 years. A range of options are also available, such as combining different courses, one-to-one tuition and executive programmes. With our stunning 70 acre campus we are able to offer a huge range of sporting and social activities on site, whilst maintaining a peaceful place in which to study. With Worcester and Cheltenham less than 30 minutes away, and places such as Birmingham, Oxford and Stratford close by, students are never too far from big-city attractions. On campus our private, spacious and safe setting provides the best possible opportunity for our international community of over 30 different nationalities to learn, interact and develop their personal skills. At The Abbey College we provide an all inclusive package. We care for students from the moment of arrival to the moment of departure. Our prices include all food and accommodation, airport transfers, outings, welfare, pastoral care and a full range of on-site activities. The average class size is 6 - 7, enabling our fully qualified teachers to understand the needs of each individual. Overseas students on academic programmes are initially given intensive English lessons by our specialised English department. As the student's English improves, academic subjects are gradually introduced so that students can make maximum use of their time with us.

The Abbey College is located on the slopes of the beautiful Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, England. The nearest town is Great Malvern (4km), a historic spa town which offers a theatre, cinema, swimming pool, leisure clubs and a variety of shops and restaurants. Worcester and Cheltenham are less than 30 minutes by car. Great Malvern train station is two and a half hours from London Paddington. However, the most convenient way to reach the school from London Heathrow airport is by car (journey time 2-3 hours). Malvern has been a centre for private residential education for over a century, and is a cultural centre in its own right. Malvern is nationally famous for it's hills and scenery, as well as it's natural mineral water, which is exported worldwide. Malvern's proximity to Birmingham, which now houses many National cultural facilities originally in London, is an added advantage. Listed below are some of the many places regularly visited by the College, dependent on the time of year: Oxford, Bath, London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Cardiff, Liverpool, Birmingham, Royal Forest of Dean, Blenheim Palace, Natural History Museum (London), Ironbridge Museum, Royal Shakespeare Theatre (Stratford), Hippodrome Theatre (Birmingham), NEC (Birmingham - for music concerts), Alton Towers (Amusement Park), Malvern Festival Theatre. Listed below are some links to Web sites about local places of interest and various aspects of British culture.

All course fees are inclusive of the following as specified: Tuition Fees, Academic courses: Up to 30 contact hours per week (number of hours depends on the number of subjects), accommodation, food/meals, airport transfer (meeting and collection), Welfare, Laundry/Ironing, Healthcare/Insurance, Excursions/Outings, Course Materials/Books, Guardianship (Long term Courses), Half-Term holiday accommodation (for Academic courses), Sports, Social Programme, Evening Lessons/Supervision (Academic Courses). Use of library, computers, internet and self access centre, certificates, identification cards, room keys. English Language Courses for Juniors and Adults During the past 30 years, The Abbey College has developed English Language courses to meet every requirement. These run alongside the main academic school which was established over 100 years ago. Our English Language courses are available to all age groups and run throughout the whole year for short or long term courses. Abbey College teachers are native speakers of English and experienced in teaching foreign students. Our teaching staff have a thorough knowledge of modern teaching methods and are fully qualified. All students take a placement test on the first day of their course. Depending on the results of this test and exact needs, students are be placed in a class which is best suited to their ability. Weekly teachers' meetings enable us to monitor students' progress and to decide whether a change of level is necessary. Although the number of classes is dependent on the number and ability of the students requesting them we run groups at the following levels: Beginner, elementary, ntermediate, upper intermediate and advanced. English for Specific Purposes (ESP) - Adults (18+) . Since the trend in education worldwide is towards career-orientated programmes. The Abbey has incorporated an increasing number of modular course units to supplement the core language programme. ESP group courses are only available if there are a minimum of 5 students in the class. Otherwise, students on English All Year courses will receive 4 hours of their chosen ESP option each week on a one-to-one basis at no extra charge. The options available are: Business Studies and Banking, Tourism and Hotel Management, Law, Architecture and Engineering, Medicine and Computing. Deluxe and Executive Courses - Adults (18+). Our Deluxe and Executive courses are individually tailored to meet each student's requirements. They combine one-to-one tuition with superior accommodation. Three different packages are available: Deluxe A = 20 individual 1 hour lessons each week, deluxe B = 25 individual 1 hour lessons each week, executive = 30 individual 1 hour lessons each week. On all packages, superior single bedrooms with private bathroom facilities are provided on our campus. In addition, a varied excursion and leisure programme is included. On the Executive course, one-to-one excursions are organised instead of group trips. One-to-one tuition is one of the best ways to learn English in a short time. The content of these intensive courses is guided by the student and depends on their level and ability. Most beginners would take General English whereas students of intermediate level or above could choose General English and/or ESP options which give students confidence to use their knowledge of the English language in a work environment.

Different grades of accommodation are available. Single room, shared bathroom, twin room, shared bathroom single room with private bathroom, twin room with private bathroom, host family accommodation, (close proximity to the College),during summer shool accommodation for juniors is sometimes in multi-bedded rooms. Appartment with 1-3 bedrooms for families (very limited). All bedrooms are single or twin in the academic year, with the option of shared or private bathroom facilities. Students may be placed in larger multi-bedded rooms during summer School. There are eight residential houses, divided by age and sex. Students over 18 years old are always guaranteed single bedrooms. Each house has its own common room/TV area (in addition to the general one). Every house with under 18 year old students has at least one member of staff who lives in the building and who looks after the students and the house in general. This includes checking the students are in and ready for bed in the evenings and ensuring they are out of their rooms and ready for classes in the mornings. The Abbey College combines education with residence. It does so for two reasons:a) We believe in the intrinsic value of boarding education where students can mix with each other seven days per week in the international community that makes up the college. We also believe that this mixing of students and staff produces cultural, social and educational enrichment, b.) Since many of our students come from overseas, it is essential that they are provided with a safe and secure environment in which to study. We believe that our campus provides such a situation. The College can also arrange for students to stay with local families, but host family accommodation may be subject to an additional charge - please see the fees list. However, we do feel that students benefit most from their stay at the Abbey College if they live on campus, mix with other international students and take part in the wide variety of social and sporting activities on offer.

Our facilities are designed to help students reach their full potential. There is an active Student Council which coordinates the clubs, societies and other sporting and social activities, all under the supervision of residential staff who make sure a balance is struck between work and play. Students should be aware that education, in our view, is a two-way process. Students who wish to gain from their time at the College should also be prepared to make a meaningful contribution to our College family. As many of our students come from overseas and they are away from their home for the first time we have experienced and caring staff to look after them. We believe this is essential for the students to develop a mature attitude to study both at the College and later in life.