| Accreditations |
- By whom is ILAC accredited?
- What is the difference between an accredited school and a non-accredited school?
- How does the fact that ILAC is accredited benefit me?
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| Campuses |
- Where is ILAC located?
- How good are ILAC’s facilities?
- How are the classrooms?
- How many classrooms does ILAC have?
- Which facilities does ILAC offer in its installations?
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| The Staff |
- Does anybody at ILAC speak my language?
- How many employees does ILAC have?
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| About ILAC |
- How long has ILAC been operating?
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| The Students |
- Is there a limit for nationalities in ILAC?
- How many different nationalities of students does ILAC have?
- What are the predominant student nationalities in ILAC?
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| The Classes |
- What is the class structure? Will the teacher be the same all day?
- How many students are there per class?
- What is the class schedule?
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| ILAC accommodation |
- Which accommodation does ILAC offer?
- Does ILAC offer unpaid work internships?
- How much will my English improve with the program I choose?
- How many English levels does ILAC have?
- How long does each level last?
- Can I extend my program once I am at ILAC?
- Are grammar and conversation separated in class?
- How much do you focus on conversation?
- Does ILAC offer a conversation club?
- Can ILAC help me to find volunteer jobs where I can practice my English?
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| Social Activities |
- What kind of activities does ILAC offer?
- Are these activities supervised by ILAC?
- Can I join all the special activities?
- Are these activities included in the price I pay for my program?
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| Accommodation |
- How do you choose the families the students will live with?
- What kind of families are those?
- Are there any rules in the homestays?
- Does ILAC have a written guide for these rules?
- How far away are the homestay families from ILAC?
- Can I change my homestay if I don’t feel comfortable where I am?
- Are there any costs related to this change?
- Does ILAC offer residence accommodation?
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| ANSWERS |
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| Preliminary Information |
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| 1. Do I need a visa to go to Canada? |
Most foreign students will need a Study Permit to study in Canada. However If you wish to study a short-term course or program with a duration of six months or less you do not need a Study Permit. You must complete the course or program within the period authorized for your stay in Canada.
Students from some countries will require a Temporary Resident Visa to enter Canada. Click here to see the countries list. The Temporary Resident Visa is an official document issued by a visa office abroad. It is placed in your passport to show that you have met the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident.
To apply for a visa please refer to the nearest Canadian Consulate. Many visa offices have specific local instructions concerning the documentation to be submitted with applications. Click here for a complete list of Canadian Consulates.
Other useful links:
Study permits application: www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp
Temporary Resident Visa Application: www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/visa.asp
Immigration Canada Website: www.cic.gc.ca |
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| 2. What documents do I need to present upon arrival in Canada? |
- Valid Passport
- Student or Temporary Resident Visa (if required for your country)
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Return airline ticket
- Letter of Acceptance from school
- Accommodation confirmation (Homestay letter if you have requested one)
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| 3. Is Canada a safe country? |
| Yes, Canada has been designated by UNESCO as one of the best countries in the world to live in, and one of the safest. |
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| 4. What is the average temperature in Toronto? |
- Spring: 14 degrees Celsius
- Summer: 25 degrees Celsius
- Autumn: 15 degrees Celsius
- Winter: -2 degrees Celsius
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| 5. What is the average temperature in Vancouver? |
- Spring: 16 degrees Celsius
- Summer: 22 degrees Celsius
- Autumn: 14 degrees Celsius
- Winter: 5 degrees Celsius
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| 6. What is Toronto’s population? |
| Approximately, 3 million people. It is Canada’s largest city. |
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| 7. What is Vancouver’s population? |
| Approximately, 2 million people. It is Canada’s third largest city. |
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| 8. How good is the public transportation system in Toronto? |
| Toronto has an excellent public transportation system. It includes a Subway, Streetcars and Buses. We always recommend to buy a TTC Monthly Pass, that allows its holder to do unlimited travels within the system for a whole month. The TTC Monthly Pass costs approximately C$110 and can be purchased during the first five days of each month. |
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| 9. How good is the public transportation system in Vancouver? |
| Vancouver has an excellent public transportation system. It includes a Skytrain, Ferry and Buses. We always recommend to buy a “Metro-pass”, that allows its holder to do unlimited travels within the system for a whole month. The Pass costs approximately C$100 and can be purchased during the first five days of each month. |
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| 10. What is Age of Majority in Canada? |
| The Age of Majority varies from one Province to another. In Ontario and British Columbia, the Age of Majority is 19 years. |
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| 11. How much money should I bring with me? |
| This depends on the length of your course. You should consider your expenses for public transportation (C$110 per month) plus other personal expenses, which could total around C$300 per month. Remember that if you join the Homestay program, this will include three daily meals. |
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| 12. How far in advance should I book my course? |
| You should book your course at least 15 to 75 days before the starting date, depending on the country you are coming from. Students coming from certain countries need a visa to be able to come to Canada. When a course lasts longer than 6 months, a Student Visa is required for every student. |
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| 13. How long before my course starts should I come to Canada? |
| In most cases, one or two days before is enough. As your course will begin on a Monday, you can arrive to Toronto the Saturday or Sunday before. |
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| 14. Can I open a bank account in Toronto? |
| Yes, but only when your course lasts more than 3 months. ILAC has an agreement with the TD Canada Trust Bank for these cases. |
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| 15. Can I get a job in Canada? |
| Unfortunately, no. Foreign students must have a valid work authorization if they wish to work in Canada. |
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| Accreditations |
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| 1. By whom is ILAC accredited? |
- CLC (Canada Language Council)
- CAPLS (Canadian Association of Private Language School)
- CEC (Canadian Education Centre Network)
- AILIA (Association of Language Industry)
- FIYTO (Federation of International Youth Travel Organizations)
- ALTO (Association of Language Travel Organizations)
- Industry Canada
- TESL Canada
- ETS Authorized TOEFL iBT Centre
A few schools in Canada have these same accreditations. |
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| 2. What is the difference between an accredited school and a non-accredited school? |
| Accredited schools like ILAC offer better accommodation and also give a bigger guarantee to the student. In order to receive these accreditations, ILAC has passed several inspections and evaluations to confirm that not only are ILAC’s academic accommodation good, but also that ILAC’s facilities and student services are of high quality as well. |
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| 3. How does the fact that ILAC is accredited benefit me? |
| ILAC’s accreditations means that you receive the best education and service you will find in Canadian language schools. |
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| Campuses |
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| 1. Where is ILAC located? |
ILAC Campus in Toronto is located in downtown. It is just steps away from the principal intersection of Toronto’s Subway (Bloor & Yonge), and right next door to the Metro Reference Library - the largest public library in Canada. Also close by are many of the most popular destinations for tourists.
ILAC Campus in Vancouver is located downtown at the waterfront right by the SkyTrain and the Seabus. Also close by are many of the most popular destinations for tourists. |
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| 2. How good are ILAC’s facilities? |
ILAC Campus in Toronto has two locations in downtown. The first is on the 3rd and 4th floor of 920 Yonge Street - a 20 storey building. The second one is the Advanced Building, just a block and a half away from the other one, in a 3 storey building where ILAC occupies the 2nd and 3rd floors.
ILAC Campus in Vancouver has only one location in downtown. Located in the beautiful Birks building on the 3rd Floor at 668 West Hasting St. |
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| 3. How are the classrooms? |
| The classrooms are comfortable and are designed to seat up to 14 students. Some classes, like the TOEFL training class, seat up to 18 students. |
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| 4. How many classrooms does ILAC have? |
ILAC Campus in Toronto:
- 50 classrooms and modern facilities.
ILAC Campus in Vancouver:
- 30 classrooms and modern facilities.
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| 5. Which facilities does ILAC offer in its Campuses? |
ILAC Campus in Toronto:
- 50 classrooms and modern facilities.
- Student cafeteria & lounge.
- 100 computers with free access to high speed internet.
- FREE wireless Internet available for students.
- Language lab including TOEFL preparation software.
- ETS authorized TOEFL iBT center.
ILAC Campus in Vancouver:
- 30 classrooms and modern facilities.
- Student cafeteria & lounge.
- 60 computers with free access to high speed internet.
- FREE wireless Internet available for students.
- Language lab including TOEFL preparation software.
- ETS authorized TOEFL iBT center.
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| The Staff |
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| 1. Does anybody at ILAC speak my language? |
| ILAC holds a team of counselors who speaks more than 11 languages |
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| 2. How many employees does ILAC have? |
| In total, ILAC’s staff and teachers number is over 100. |
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| About ILAC |
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| 1. Does anybody at ILAC speak my language? |
| ILAC holds a team of counselors who speaks more than 11 languages |
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| The Students |
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| 1. Is there a limit for nationalities in ILAC? |
| Yes, ILAC is very strict with the nationalities’ limits. A maximum of 25% of students with the same nationality is allowed. |
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| 2. How many different nationalities of students does ILAC have? |
| ILAC has students from more than 50 countries. Depending on the season, one can find an even larger number of nationalities in the school. |
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| 3. What are the predominant student nationalities in ILAC? |
| Korea, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Colombia, Turky, Russia, Spain, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, China, Poland and France are the countries where most of our students come from. |
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| The Classes |
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| 1. What is the class structure? Will the teacher be the same all day? |
ILAC’s classes vary according to the program:
- Junior English Program – 3 hours/day. Each class is 45 minutes.
- Intensive English Program – 4.5 hours/day. Each class is 45 minutes.
- Super Intensive English Program – 6 hours/day. Each class is 45 minutes.
You will have a different teacher in each class. |
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| 2. How many students are there per class? |
| Classes are small; on average 10-12 students per class. This limit is strictly observed.
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| 3. What is the class schedule? |
The class schedule varies according to the program:
- Junior English Program – 1:45pm to 4:45pm.
- Intensive English Program – 8:45am to 1:45pm.
- Super Intensive English Program – 8:45am to 3:45pm.
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| ILAC accommodation |
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| 1. Which accommodation does ILAC offer? |
- Junior English Program
- Intensive English Program
- Super Intensive English Program
- Summer English Camps
- Winter English Packages
- TOEFL Preparation
- TESOL Diploma/Certificate
- University Pathway accommodation
- Scholarship for Academic Achievement
- English for University Purposes Program
- High School Year Program
- Early Start University Program
- Internship accommodation
- Professional Internship Program
- English Co-op Program
- Business English
- English for Executives
- Online Academy
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| 2. Does ILAC offer unpaid work internships? |
Yes. Through ILAC you can have unpaid internships at a professional level with several top-level companies in the areas of Finance, International Commerce, International Relations, Marketing, Advertising, Auditory, Bookkeeping, Engineering, Production, Hotel and Tourism and Mass Media.
You must have an advanced English level and up to 12 weeks of internship can be done. |
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| 3. How much will my English improve with the program I choose? |
This depends on different elements, especially on how dedicated you are while you study English. In general, if you attend class every day and do all your homework, you will be able to advance one level every 4 weeks.
If you want to learn English properly and your present level is low, then it will take you approximately 9 months to reach an advanced level of English.
If your present level is intermediate, then about 6 months will bring your English to an advanced level.
The shorter your program the higher the program intensity we recommend. |
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| 4. How many English levels does ILAC have? |
| 18 levels. From the introductory level for those who don’t know a word of English, to high-advanced III, which is roughly equivalent to a score of 600 on the TOEFL. |
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| 5. How long does each level last? |
| 4 weeks. You must pass 2 exams (70%+ on each) per level in order to advance. |
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| 6. Can I extend my program once I am at ILAC? |
| Yes. After you have started your program, if you feel you need to study for a longer period of time, you can extend it for as long as you need to. ILAC will help you in the case that you need to extend your visitor or student visa. |
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| 7. Are grammar and conversation separated in class? |
| ILAC Works with a system that allows you to develop the four skills of the language, beginning with listening and then following with speaking, reading and writing. |
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| 8. How much will I focus on conversation? |
| You will practice some conversation in your main class, but if that is the area where you want to improve the most, then you could complement your program with an elective subject focusing on conversation. |
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| 9. Does ILAC offer a conversation club? |
| Not as a club, but it does offer conversation as an elective subject. |
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| 10. Can ILAC help me to find volunteer jobs where I can practice my English? |
| Yes. ILAC has available a list of more than 30 non-for-profit organizations that offer volunteer social jobs and ILAC can also help you to contact them according to your interests. |
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| Social Activities |
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| 1. What kind of activities does ILAC offer? |
| ILAC offers social, tourist and sporting activities through its special Activities Department. |
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| 2. Are these activities supervised by ILAC? |
| Yes. Whenever you do a special activity coordinated by ILAC, a representative of the school will be always with you. |
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| 3. Can I join all special activities? |
| Yes. All you need to do is to book the activities with enough notice and pay the corresponding fees, where applicable. |
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| 4. Are these activities included in the price I pay for my program? |
| Some of them are already included. Make sure you talk to the special Activities Coordinator on your first day of class, so you know which are included and which you are required to pay for. |
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| Accommodation |
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| 1. How does ILAC choose the Homestay families? |
| ILAC has a Homestay Department to take care of that. Its work is to carefully choose the families who are going to receive our students. The selection process is very strict and the families must fulfill specific requirements in order to be selected. |
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| 2. What kind of Homestay families are those? |
| Usually, they are typical middle class families who live in safe neighborhoods and are as close to ILAC as possible. Also, homestay families speak English only in the home. |
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| 3. Are there any rules in the Homestays? |
| Yes. As in any normal house, each family has its own rules and they must be observed. The rules are simple, for example: “dinner is served at 7pm, if you can’t make it please call and let them know”; “don’t make any phone calls after 10:30 pm”, etc. |
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| 4. Does ILAC have a written guide for these rules? |
| Yes. On your first day of class ILAC will give you an instruction manual where you will find useful information about the school, your program and your homestay. If you have any questions, you can ask an ILAC counselor anytime while you are at school. |
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| 5. How far away are the Homestays from ILAC? |
| The average distance is 30 minutes, using public transportation. Remember that the public transportation system in Toronto is punctual. |
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| 6. Can I change my Homestay if I don’t feel comfortable where I am? |
| Yes. You only need to talk to the Homestay Coordinator and explain your situation. If it is an emergency, the change will be done immediately. Otherwise, you will have to wait around two weeks until we find a new family for you to live with. |
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| 7. Are there any costs related to a Homestay change? |
| No. As long as you do it within the required time and following the regular procedures. |
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| 8. Does ILAC offer Residence Accommodation? |
| Yes. But you need to make your reservation with enough advance notice, so that we can have the time to find something for you. Remember that living in a residence does not include your daily meals. |
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