Ideal for students looking for an intimate school right by the river.
Not ideal for students looking for an extensive range of courses.
The good
- Modern classrooms with large windows.
- Friendly, warm and welcoming staff members.
The bad
- The school is quite small and there is no real communal area on site.
- A limited social programme.
My overall take
Babel Academy of English (Babel) is one of Dublin’s smaller language schools, located in a great location by the river. It’s a 2-minute walk to the O’Connell Monument, several theatres and a 15-minute walk to the National Wax Museum. The trams and buses are also within a 3-minute walk of the school, leading to other central parts of Dublin and directly to their primary student residence “Host Point.”
The main thing that stood out to me at Babel was their dedication to cater to every need; they know the students personally. Students said they felt at home and very comfortable because of the level of care shown to them by the staff at Babel. Regarding teaching, they have a very interactive approach to education, which is very important. Teachers arrange for students to go to a free museum every few weeks, e.g., the National Gallery or National Library, and the teacher will prepare a quiz or something educational to relate to the place they visit.
There is only one communal area but it is very small, there is a microwave that students can use to warm up their food. But for the most part, students stay inside the classrooms during break time or leave the building to visit the cafes and shops in the surrounding area.
I would recommend this school to students who are just out of university and who want to go to Ireland to study before finding their career path (this is the main demographic of students at Babel). The people at the school are open and social, and the staff are warm, friendly and eager to help with all the needs of the students.
Book Babel Academy of English Dublin with exclusive discount
Babel Academy of English Dublin at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.5 (29 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 15 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Diversity No nationality more than 24% Top nationality: Brazilian |
| Learning intensity | No homework is set, but students are encouraged to do self study |
| Number of students | 200 adults in July 200 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 11 years for junior summer school, 16 for adults |
| Accreditations | Bildungsurlaub, TIE, IELTS, MEI, ALTO, Trinity Exam Accredited, Enterprise IRL Sponsorship, Erasmus Plus, ILEP, Cambridge, ELT ILR |
| Course range | General English, Junior programme, Conversation and Fluency, General English + Internship, English for Business, Teacher Training Course, IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Student Residence |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 15 lessons/week: 60min/lesson | 1 week: €195 3 weeks: €585 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: €50 Course material fee: €45 |
| Price level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | €15.10 per 60min tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Student voices
Unfiltered comments from random students I met at the school and asked about their experience.
“The teachers are very very good, it is easy to learn English. When I came here I couldn’t talk in English but now I feel comfortable.“
Hafeez
28 years from Algeria
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Aisling McCann, Student Liason Officer of Babel Academy of English Dublin.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Aisling McCann: “We pride ourselves on being able to do everything for our students. We have an emergency phone so there is always Babel staff available for students if they need us.”
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Aisling McCann: “Students who are very social and open to getting to know other people. They are usually young adults between the ages of 22-35 and come shortly after university to perfect their English before going to work.“
School inspection report
Classrooms
Although the school is small, the classrooms are enormous, with large windows, well furnished with a TV screen.
Facilities
There are not many noteworthy facilities, and there is no actual communal area, but there is a high seat and long table where students can study after class or bring their lunch to sit and eat.
Surrounding area
Babel is located in a great location by the river. It’s a 2-minute walk to the O’Connell Monument, several theatres and a 15-minute walk to the National Wax Museum. The trams and buses are also within a 3 minute of the school, their transport routes leading to other central parts of Dublin and directly to their primary student residence “Host Point.”
Social activities
The social activities are limited in comparison to many other schools in Dublin. Per week they offer at least one free activity, whereas many other schools offer at least one activity every day (or even twice a day like EC Dublin).
Residence
Babel Dublin has dedicated floors at the student residence “Host Point”; they also have homestay options. The student residence is located in the business district of Dublin so is less busy than the location of other student residences. It is less than two minutes away from the tram to the main city centre. There is also a large shopping centre 2 minutes walk from the accommodation.
The accommodation is very high-end. The bedrooms are well furnished and modern, with hotel-standard bathrooms and modern shared kitchens. The facilities include a rooftop terrace, a club lounge, silent study pods, a gym/fitness studio, a cinema room, a games room, and a laundry room.
Trusted student ratings of Babel Academy of English Dublin on the web
| Total | 4.5 (29 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.5 (29 reviews) |
Ratings as of June 20, 2024
Why no Google or Facebook ratings? Schools may have requested Facebook, Google or Trustpilot reviews only from those students that previously gave positive after-course evaluations. I only trust ratings from independent booking platforms/agencies, that allow exclusively clients who booked via their platform to rate the schools. I have checked each of these sites above and they have no disproportional number of positive vs negative reviews.
