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: • Visit the film locations of Anthony House, Saltram House and Lanhydrock • Visit the Theatre Royal and Barbican Theatre or Royal William Yard • Visit the award-winning museum The Box • Walk on Dartmoor (or the South West Coastal Path) • Sea swimming (or surfing) on the beaches of Devon and Cornwall • Boat trips across the harbour • Cycling along the many cycle paths • Join an evening class: Salsa, Aromatherapy, etc • Shopping in the city centre • 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 2023 Mayflower College will be closed on the following days: 7 April Friday Good Friday 10 April Monday Easter Monday 1 May Monday May Day 29 May Monday Late May Bank Holiday 28 August Monday August Bank Holiday How much money do I need to live in Plymouth per week? If you choose to stay with a host family, you will only need to buy lunches during the week. Most snacks or lunches cost between GBP5 and GBP10. A bus pass for travel on local buses is GBP15 – GBP25 per week. How do I get to Plymouth? By bus, train or airplane from the London airports. Visit our website here. 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 08:30h am and 21:30h, otherwise should take a taxi to your host family, the cost will be between £10 and £15 per journey). If you are delayed for your arrival you should telephone your host family. Please let us know before you arrive if you do not have your host family contact details! What facilities does Mayflower College have? Mayflower College has 15 classrooms, a cafe, office (selling bus passes, international telephone cards, etc), self study computer suite (free access to the internet for all students) and roof gardens with sea views. How many students does Mayflower have? During the peak summer months (June, July and August) we have ~75 students and during the winter months ~35 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, free wi -fi is available in the college! Do you have a Social Programme? We only offer a social programme of activities and excursions during the peak summer months. We are happy to help you to organise Saturday excursions to visit towns and cities in and around Devon and Cornwall. 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? Accreditation UK is a quality assurance scheme for UK providers of courses in English as a foreign language (EFL) which the British Council runs in partnership with English UK. Mayflower College is inspected by Accreditation UK to ensure that we are providing a quality service to our students - you can read more here. What courses are available? Our adult General English courses are available to begin on any Monday, and you can study for as many weeks as you wish. 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? During March to September, we normally have levels from A2 to B2/C1. 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? 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. 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 the Aviation English exam Test of English for Aviation (TEA), 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, so we offer a reduction in fees. We may also offer an excursion (depending on the number of students). 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. Please 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: • It gives you the opportunity to speak English for most of your time outside school; • Your family will help you with English and everyday life; • 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. • Not as expensive as self-catering accommodation; • Breakfast and evening meals are provided How far are homestay families from the Mayflower College? Most of our host families are 5-20 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. 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, please note there is a charge for catering for special dietary requirements. We always do our best to find a family to match your preferences! Will I have access to the Internet in my host family accommodation? Host families are not required to offer free internet access, although the majority do have free wi-fi. Free wi-fi is available at Mayflower College. 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 outside. 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.