Courses on offer
• General English courses for adults (September-June)
• Summer English courses for adults (June-August)
• English in Context subjects
• English Combination Courses - new for 2006 (June-August)
• One-to-One Tuition
• IELTS Bridge to University
• IELTS Sprint
• University Foundation Course
• Advanced Studies Programme
• English for Business
• Examination courses

General English Courses – for a year, for a term or for a few weeks
General English Courses at St. Clare’s are available throughout the year. Whether you are studying English for an examination, English for career development or simply English for pleasure – there is a programme at St. Clare’s to suit you.

• All programmes introduce and practise the basic language learning skills: the productive skills of speaking and writing, and the receptive skills of listening and reading.
• All develop a greater understanding of the building blocks of the language – tenses, modals, prepositions, sentence structure as well as strategies for increasing the range of vocabulary and idioms.
• Our flexible programmes boost your confidence in using and responding to language for examinations and in everyday life.
• We have a strong academic reputation and high expectations of our students. Regular homework assignments are set and your progress is monitored throughout your stay.
• You are strongly recommended to take an externally-validated examination during the course.
• Study visits, which link the classroom to the outside world, are included in your course fees.
• A Certificate of Attendance and a Report of Work and Progress are issued when you complete your course successfully.
• A programme of social activities and excursions extends your language learning beyond the classroom.

General English Language Courses
Courses are flexible. You can choose how long you wish to stay, from as little as two weeks up to a full academic year or even longer. Classes (with a maximum of 12 students) are available at all levels from elementary to advanced and you can choose from one of the following programmes:

General English language programmes:

15 hours per week 15 hours: Classes cover all language skills (speaking, writing, listening, reading)

21 hours per week 15 hours: Classes cover all language skills (speaking, writing, listening, reading) plus 6 hours: 2 English in Context subjects or IELTS preparation

26 hours per week 15 hours: Classes cover all language skills (speaking, writing, listening, reading) plus 6 hours: 2 English in Context subjects or IELTS preparation plus 3 hours: 1 extra English in Context subject or monitored project work plus 2 hours: Teacher-directed self-study Link here to view a Sample Academic Year Timetable for the 26 hours Course.

English in Context Subjects
Students on the 21 hour and 26 hour programmes combine their language skills study with two or more English in Context subjects.
These classes take place in the afternoon. There are 3 one-hour lessons per week for each subject. This is an interesting way of developing your language and vocabulary and there is a wide range of subjects to choose from.

Here are some samples
IELTS Preparation (6 hours per week)	In the News
Popular Music & Film	Understanding Global Issues
Grammar & Language Games	Vocabulary & Idiom
Teacher-directed Self-Access	Business English
Round Table Discussion	English Out & About in Oxford
Speaking and Pronunciation Practice	Extra Grammar & Vocabulary

One-to-One Tuition
Individual (one-to-one) lessons are, without doubt, the best way to build confidence in the language in the shortest possible time.
To sit with your teacher and to focus exclusively on your needs and interests is an opportunity you should not miss. You can focus on :

• Improving your own specific weaknesses – perhaps your pronunciation or your listening skills need attention
• Building your confidence in private as preparation for facing the ‘real' world
• Extending your vocabulary for your career development – English for legal, medical, engineering, academic and other career paths
• Preparing for the specific demands of your chosen examination (TOEFL, TOEIC, CEBIT etc.)
• Practising presentation or negotiating skills for your business
• Developing learner strategies for continuing your language acquisition on your return home

There are two programmes available throughout the year:
a) Fully Individual - 25 Individual lessons per week as a separate programme
b) Combination - 5 or 10 individual lessons per week as part of a Combination programme (15 Group lessons plus 5 or 10 Individual lessons per week)  

Examination courses
Most students at St. Clare's take one or more examinations and we offer a wide range of well known and recognised qualifications. The following programmes lead to an examination:
•  General English and English plus Academic Studies
Each of these programmes can lead either to a Cambridge examination at the appropriate level two or three times per year or an IELTS examination at frequent intervals throughout the year. Follow this link to learn more about our English plus Academic Studies courses.
•  IELTS Bridge to University
The IELTS Bridge to University course enables students to prepare for the IELTS test that is required for many universities.
•  IELTS Sprint
This is a special, short, sharply-focused programme to enable students to prepare for the IELTS test.

• Afternoon classes focus on the skills specifically required for the IELTS examination.
• Our teachers are experienced in improving your examination skills through practice tests and exercises.
• Students need an Upper Intermediate level of English to benefit fully from the course.
• Most universities in the UK regard a score of 6.5 on the IELTS scale as the minimum for undertaking an undergraduate or graduate programme.
• You receive information and advice about entry to a British university from the St. Clare's Careers & Higher Education Adviser

Link to this table for a useful guide to help you see which examination(s) are appropriate for your level of English.

Examination Dates
Cambridge Examinations	Preliminary English Test (PET)	Lower Intermediate to Intermediate	March, May, November
	First Certificate in English (FCE)	Upper Intermediate	March, June, December
	Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)	Advanced	March, June, December
	Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)	Very Advanced	June, December
IELTS	International English Language Testing System (IELTS)	No specific level, but candidates need to be at least Upper Intermediate	Every month (but no repeat tests within 3 months)
Other examinations are available on request: TOEIC, TOEFL, BEC