About the course …

About the accommodation …

About Mayflower College and Plymouth Where is Mayflower College located? The Mayflower College is located in the city of Plymouth on the South West Coast of England. The Mayflower College is just 100 metres from the seafront and 5-10 minutes walk from Plymouth’s city centre. What is there to do in Plymouth? Plymouth is a modern city of 275,000 inhabitants offering a wide range of shops, pubs, restaurants, theatres, sports facilities, etc. The surrounding countryside of Dartmoor and Cornwall is some of the most spectacular and naturally beautiful in Britain. Things to do: • Walking on Dartmoor or the South West Coastal Path • Horseriding • Surfing on the beaches of Devon and Cornwall • Cycling along the many cycle paths • Visiting the film locations of Saltram House and Lanhydrock • Boat trips across the harbour • Join an evening class: Salsa, Aromatherapy etc • Shopping in the city centre • Visiting the Theatre Royal and Barbican Theatre • Socialising in the many pubs and clubs • Watersports (sailing, canoeing, rowing, jet-skiing) • Skiing and Tobogganing at Plymouth Alpine Ski Lodge For up to date events in Plymouth visit here. What is the weather like in Plymouth? Click here for up-to-date information on the weather in Plymouth. When is Mayflower College closed? In 2018 there will be no lessons on the following public holidays but an excursion will be provided instead: Friday 30 March - Good Friday Monday 02 April - Easter Monday Monday 07 May - Early May bank holiday Monday 29 May - Spring bank holiday Monday 27 August - Summer bank holiday Christmas Holidays 2018/9: Mayflower College will close on Friday 21 December 2018 and will re-open again on Monday 7 January 2019. How much money do I need to live in Plymouth per week? If you choose to stay with a host family, the only money you will need is for lunch during the week. You can eat in our cafe / restaurant - most snacks or lunches cost between GBP3 and GBP5. You may also need to buy a bus pass; this costs approx. GBP10 - GBP16 per week. Look in our Student Handbook for information about local prices to give you an idea of the cost of basic commodities. If you need any information about costs of particular items/services, email us on english@maycoll.co.uk How do I get to Plymouth? By bus, train or airplane from the London airports. Visit our website https://www.maycoll.co.uk/english/travel.htm. We can assist with booking transport (there is no charge for this service) just send us an email. When should I arrive in Plymouth? Students normally arrive and depart on Sundays. Your host family will meet you upon arrival in Plymouth (please arrive between 07:00h am and 22:30h, otherwise you will need to take pay for a taxi transfer to your host family). If you are delayed for your arrival you should telephone your host family. Please let us know before your arrival if you do not have your host family address or phone number. What facilities does Mayflower College have? Mayflower College has 20 classrooms, our own licensed restaurant/cafe, office (selling bus passes, international telephone cards, etc), self study computer suite (free access to the internet for all students), executive suite and roof gardens with sea views. How many students does Mayflower have? During the peak summer months (June, July and August) we have ~150 students and during the winter months ~75 students. How old are the students at Mayflower? The minimum age to study on our adult courses is 16 years, but most students are between 25-45 years of age. For our junior courses (which run during June, July and August) students are 13-17 years old. Which countries do the students at Mayflower come from? We have a wide variety of nationalities - last year we had students from over 52 different countries! Can I have access to the Internet in Mayflower College? Yes, we have access to the Internet in the College and it's absolutely free! So you can send e-mails to your friends and keep in touch with friends and family! Do you have a Social Programme? The Mayflower College has its own licensed café/restaurant for the students of Mayflower College. We organise International Food evenings, arts and crafts, pub quizzes and special events to celebrate events, for example Pancake day, Halloween, the countdown to Christmas etc. We can also organise Saturday excursions to visit towns and cities in and around Devon and Cornwall for a small supplement. Is there a Student Handbook? Yes - this contains a lot of useful information. You can download it here. About the course Are your courses accredited by any official organisations? Our courses are "Accredited by the British Council" and ISI “Independent Schools Inspectorate” and we are members of English UK. Our services to students and courses are regularly inspected to ensure that we are providing a quality service to our students, you can read more here. What courses are available? We offer courses for adults, juniors, groups, executives, pilots and controllers, teachers of English and IELTS preparation courses. Visit our website for details of all the courses we offer. When can I start my course? For many of our courses you can usually begin your English course on any Monday and study for as many weeks as you wish. What is the minimum age? Adult courses: students must be at least 16 years old. Junior courses: students must be between 13 and 17 years old. Which levels do you teach? Elementary to Advanced. How many students are there in each class? Adult class: average 6 students (max. class size is 10) Junior class: average 8 students (max. class size is 15) How much can I expect to learn after a 2-week course? A 4-week course? A 12-week course? Mayflower College teaches languages from Elementary to Advanced. On average students advance one level each month. Through pre-testing and weekly class tests students at Mayflower College are advised on the length of study necessary to reach their intended goal. This is constantly monitored and revised during the course. However the amount of progress that the students make depend on a number of factors, such as their motivation, study habits, and even how close their mother tongue is to the target language. Your talent and motivation will certainly speed the rate of progress, but it's hard to overemphasize the value of skilful teachers and well-equipped colleges. You can read more about progression here. Will I get a certificate? Yes, all students receive a certificate at the end of their studies in Plymouth. The certificate is prepared by the teachers and will detail your level, what you have studied, a personal comment and recommendations for future studies. How do I get a replacement certificate? Email your request to english@maycoll.co.uk - there may be a small charge to cover the postage costs. What happens if I am absent? Mayflower College's policy on absenteeism can be found here. What if I need to cancel my course? Our cancellation policy can be found on the front of our enrolment form. Cancelling before your course begins: The deposit of £150 is non-refundable. If you decide to cancel your course the remainder of the fees are refunded as follows: 30 days before start date - 100% 15-29 days before start date - 85% 7-14 days before start date - 70% 1-6 days before start date - 50% Cancelling during your course: If a student does not attend the course or is absent due to illness, there is no refund. If a student wishes to take a holiday, shorten their course or reduce the number of hours tuition, they will receive 75% cash refund or 100% credits for a future course IF THE SCHOOL IS INFORMED AT LEAST 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE CHANGE IS DUE TO BE MADE. If a student informs the college of a change less than 3 weeks before the change is due to be made, s/he will not receive any cash or credits. Will Mayflower College prepare me to take any official exams? Mayflower is a registered IELTS (International English Language Testing System) centre. We offer IELTS exam preparation courses and the examination is held regularly (see here for details). We also offer an Aviation English exam (TEA), a business English exam (BULATS) and a Martitme English exam (IMETS). Do I need a Visa to study at your school? Some students require a visa. Please check with your British Embassy for advice on visa and immigration policies. You can read more information here. What happens on a Bank Holiday? On Bank holidays (and all public holidays) there are no lessons, but we provide a full-day excursion instead - please note, there is no charge for this excursion. How do I book a course? Complete our enrolment form, entrance test and send a deposit of GBP150 to secure your place. Do I need to pay a registration fee? No,we do not charge a registration fee. Do I need to pay a deposit? Yes - a deposit of GBP150 will reserve your place and we can then send a confirmation letter to assist with immigration procedures. How do I pay? You need to pay a deposit of £150 to secure your enrolment. The balance of the fees must be made in full at least 4 weeks before arrival. Payment may be made either: • by Sterling cheque drawn on a bank in the UK. (Cheques should be made payable to "Mayflower College") • by Bank-to-Bank transfer: Name of Account: Mayflower College Account Number: 01578070 Bank: Lloyds, 8 Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 1HB, England Bank sort code: 30-96-68 SWIFT / BIC code: LOYDGB21082 IBAN: GB 71 LOYD 3096 68 015780 70 • by Credit Card: see here for more information. Accommodation and Welfare What type of accommodation do you offer? Most of our students choose homestay accommodation. Staying with a local family helps you practise your English and learn more about our way of life. It is also quite economical. During the summer months, we can also offer accommodation in the University of Plymouth (self-catering). If you prefer to arrange your own accommodation, please tell us. What can I expect from my homestay accommodation? Your host family will treat you as a member of the family, meeting you upon arrival in Plymouth and taking you to your departure point when you leave Plymouth. Your host family will also escort you to and from college on your first day of lessons. Adults can expect: • a single room • breakfast and evening meal (Monday to Friday) • breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal at the weekends Juniors can expect: • a single room (unless they request to share a room) • breakfast, packed lunch and an evening meal. Homestay accommodation is the most popular choice because: • Gives you the opportunity to speak English for most of your time outside school; • Not as expensive as self-catering accommodation; • Your family will help you with English and everyday life; • Breakfast and evening meal are provided • Companionship in evenings and at weekends. The host family often becomes the basis of a student's social life • Can often lead you to meet other English speaking people - family friends and relatives and often leads to a relationship which continues after the course • Gives you real experience of the culture and way of life. How far are homestay families from the Mayflower College? Most of our host families are 5-15 minutes bus ride from the city centre. From the city centre you can walk or take a bus to the Mayflower College (there is a bus stop right outside the Mayflower College). You can buy a discounted bus pass from the Mayflower College. Your host family will be able to tell you which bus to take and where to get on and off the bus. Can I make a special request for my homestay? As long as we are informed at the time of enrolment, we will do our best to meet any special requests. These requests are usually due to pet or food allergies or you may prefer accommodation with or without young children. There is a special section on the enrolment form where you can indicate your preferences. Please ensure that you tell us if you have any illnesses or allergies or if you have any special dietary needs on the enrolment form. We always do our best to find a family to match your preferences but the more flexible you can be then the more families we will be able to choose from for you. Will I have access to the Internet in my host family accommodation? Host families are not required to offer Internet access. On your first day at Mayflower College you will be given your own password and have unlimited free access to the Internet on the college’s computers. We have 2 computer rooms open from 08:30 to 17:30 between Monday and Friday. Some host families do have Internet access and may make a small charge to students who wish to use it. Will I be able to smoke in my host family accommodation? Many host families prefer non-smokers but we do have some host families who smoke themselves. There is a special section on the enrolment form where you can tell us if you are a smoker and we will do our best to find accommodation where you can smoke. Most host families are happy for you to smoke outside the house (or in even in certain rooms) even if they don’t smoke themselves. You should never smoke in your bedroom, even if your host family smokes. What happens if I don’t like my accommodation? A great deal of time and care is taken to recruit host families. Students are placed with the most suitable family possible. It normally takes a few days at least to settle in with a host family. Talk to the Accommodation Office or your teacher if you are unhappy and we will do everything we can to try to resolve the problem and if necessary may change your accommodation. What should I do if I become ill? If you feel ill, tell your host family. Your host family can take you to their doctor if necessary. There is also a doctor’s surgery next to the Mayflower College for emergencies. Tell us if you are ill as soon as possible or ask your host family to tell us.

About Mayflower College / Plymouth …