The First Step to Canada. Experience with Online Studying at a Canadian Language School

Here's an honest review from a student at ILAC language school.

Many dream of immigrating to Canada, but poor English skills can be a major obstacle. That's why we'd like to introduce you to George, who decided to take matters into his own hands and studied online at the Canadian language school ILAC.

George is 21 years old and is finishing his bachelor's degree in management; he's currently doing his pre-graduation internship. At the same time, he works full-time in his field.

"I want to move to Canada primarily for career development," George shares. "I'm also interested in living in this country because of the better environment, architecture... these are probably the key factors for me."

He particularly likes Vancouver, that's where George dreams of moving.

George's English level was almost zero, as he studied German in school. Before enrolling in ILAC, he spent 6 months studying independently on Duolingo to learn the basics. This helped him improve his language skills slightly and start his studies at the Pre-Intermediate level, which is the second stage.

From his own experience, George recommends that anyone planning to start learning a language with native speakers should study at least the most basic level of English in advance. Although ILAC teachers explain everything in great detail and try to convey information to students as best as possible, knowing the basics will significantly simplify the learning process.

Why choose the Canadian language school ILAC

ILAC partners with dozens of educational institutions across Canada. Students who successfully complete their studies can enroll in colleges without taking a language test, providing only a certificate of their ILAC training and internal test results. This eliminates unnecessary stress before admission and saves money on exam fees.

For George, this is one of the main reasons for choosing ILAC, as he plans to further his education in Canada.

"This path is the most optimal," George believes.

Additionally, studying at ILAC provides valuable experience in communicating with native English speakers (teachers) and people of other nationalities. The school has students from all over the world.

Another significant advantage of ILAC is the cost. Online classes cost about $5 USD per hour, which is very affordable for this level of teaching and even significantly cheaper than most tutoring sessions.

How online classes are organized at ILAC

On average, there are 12 people in a group. Classes are held for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. George feels quite comfortable in ILAC's group classes.

As he notes, at the Pre-Intermediate level, there wasn't much interaction between students, mostly limited to checking homework together. After moving to the next level, there was much more communication and independent work.

Due to time zone differences, ILAC offers students a choice of different time slots for learning. George chose 9 PM to midnight in his time zone. He used to watch YouTube and Netflix during this time, so language school didn't affect his work or studies.

Training at one level at ILAC lasts an average of 4 weeks. Given the intensity of classes, this is sufficient. Internal tests are conducted every 2 weeks to check progress. Thus, during 4 weeks of study at one level, a student will have 2 tests. To move to a higher level, you need to pass at least one of them successfully. Otherwise, the student will continue studying at the same level. Test results are available the next day.

Both classes and tests are conducted in a relaxed atmosphere, but it's important to understand that progress still requires considerable effort from the student.

Group interaction

At the Intermediate level, 1 hour out of 3 is devoted to individual student work — students are divided into groups or pairs, and they complete tasks and have dialogues on given topics together. The topics at this level are not difficult, and sometimes the teacher joins the group to monitor the process.

When the task is completed and there's time left, you can chat with classmates and exchange experiences. Friendships can even develop between students. For example, George would like to meet with the people he studied with at ILAC in the future.

"This experience is also quite interesting because everyone has a different accent," George shared. "Well, sometimes we don't understand each other, of course, but generally there is some communication."

ILAC teachers are also of different nationalities but have lived in Canada for a long time. For example, George particularly enjoyed lessons with a teacher from Pakistan who had lived in the US since childhood and then moved to Canada.

Cost of courses

At the time of the interview, the cost of training was $100 CAD ($73 USD) per week for a course of 8 weeks or more. Additionally, George paid a $100 CAD registration fee and for textbooks. All study materials are provided electronically.

The cost of studying at ILAC may change, and the school often launches promotional offers that can save you money. Check the current prices here.

Tips for learning English

Based on his experience, George can already give some advice to those who want to learn English at ILAC.

It's worth starting to learn in your own country: this can be self-study, as George did, courses, or lessons with a tutor. This will be the foundation for further learning. When the basics are learned, it's time to think about enrolling in a Canadian school.

"First of all, you need to not be shy, work actively in class, do your homework," George considers this the main secret of success in English. "You have a unique opportunity to talk for 3 hours a day with someone who lives in Canada, speaks English perfectly, and you need to make the most of this moment."

Our team completely agrees with George! We wish him success and believe that we will meet again in Canada!