Galway Cultural Institute

Galway Cultural Institute, one of the leading English schools in Ireland is located on the seafront overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Galway Bay. Students are only 10 minutes walk from the city center and the school is on all the bus routes. Our state of the art building has been designed to combine high-tech specifications with a comfortable learning environment. The latest facilities include classrooms with seaviews, modern open foyer and large seminar rooms for workshops and student meetings, IT room and Wireless internet access and fully stocked library and a café, serving delicious coffee and light meals. GCI is well known for the high quality of its host families, residential accommodation and activity programme.

Galway is Europe\'s fastest growing city and one of Ireland\'s Cultural Capitals, reflecting the attractiveness of Galway as a quality location in which to work, live and study. Galway\'s History and its status as an artistic and University City, has given its citizens and easy manner and openness to visitors which escapes many large industrial cities in the English-speaking world. The City of Galway lies on the Atlantic west coast of Ireland. It is the gateway to the unique ecology and scenic beauty of the Burren, Connemara and the Aran Islands. Our city is like its people - warm, friendly, welcoming - people with a sense of Ireland\'s past and a sharp eye on Ireland\'s future. We can share with you our clean environment, a thriving artistic and dramatic culture, traditional pubs with music to suit all tastes, top quality restaurants and a full calendar of festivals: poetry, arts, music, horse-racing, oyster, show-jumping. Galway is an ideal location for the sport enthusiast: golf, fishing, horse-riding, tennis and badminton are all easily accessible. It is an ancient city and had important trade links with Europe in the sixteenth century – Christopher Columbus was one of its most famous tourists. Few nations have done more to enrich the English language than Ireland. Many of the great names of English Literature were and are Irish – Yeats, Joyce, Shaw, O’Casey, Swift Beckett, Heaney, Durcan and many of them were inspired by the west of Ireland landscape.

Our comprehensive programmes focus on the development of a wide range of skill, with a particular emphasis on oral communications skills. In a motivating and supportive learning environment , you will find English language learning an enjoyable experience. Our teachers will provide motivating context and innovative and effective techniques to ensure that your language learning is productive and fun. The syllabus forms an integral part of all weekly teacher meetings to ensure that course context matches the individual linguistic needs of each participant.

You can choose form the following accomodation options: Residential apartments ( all year round) You have a choice of 2, 3 or 4 bedroomed apartments or house with shared living and kitchen areas. All are stylishly furnished new and modern and within walking distance or a short bus ride from the school. Host family ( standard and Executive) GCI is well known for the high quality of its host family accomodation, As part of our ISO9001:2000 procedures, host families are all regularly checked and visited by us. Staying with a family maximises opportunities for language practice and facilitates a greater understanding of Irish Culture. You are always welcome at a GCI family. Hotel and Bed & Breakfasts: We select and recommend Hotels and B&Bs on the basis of quality and convenience. All our accommodation is inspecited regularly. Booking early is essential for all accommodation types, especially in the summer, so that you can have your preferred option.

We organise a varied activity programnme. The focus of the programme is on introducing students to each otherand to Irish cutlure and scoial lefe and takes advantage fo the buzz of the streets of Galway as well as the beauty and peace of Connemara. Visits to the Theatre, festivals, music events, cinema and toher cultural outings are some of the numerous options for extra-curricular activities in Galway.