Ideal for students looking for an upscale school in a safe neighbourhood.
Not ideal for students who want an intimate community-focused school, the school is large.
The good
- Located in a residential affluent area, meaning it is generally a very safe area in Dublin.
- The school is large, with excellent facilities, including a huge outdoor area.
- Their social programme is one of the best in Dublin; they have several creative activities for free at the school and off-site.
The bad
- By far one of the most expensive language schools in Dublin.
- There is not an extensive range of courses.
Date of my inspection visit at EF International Language Centre Dublin: May 3, 2024
My overall take
EF International Language Center Dublin(EF) is a great school for students who are generally younger and seeking an energetic youthful environment to learn English whilst exploring Dublin. It is of note that, although the school is located in a safe residential area, there are not many cafes or restaurants within the immediate area, thus students either have to bring food from home or purchase food from the cafeteria on site.
There is a large communal area where the social activities coordinators are based. This area has ample seating, a pool table, guitar, piano and different board games to keep students entertained between classes. Additionally, the school has a cafeteria in the basement where hot breakfast/snacks and lunch are served. Last, but by far the most impressive, there is a large courtyard/pavilion where the school hosts summer BBQs and parties for all the students.
The classrooms are large and modern, mostly with full-sized tables, comfortable chairs and plenty of natural light; but with a maximum capacity of 17 students, this could still be an issue with students who want more attention from their teachers.
An undeniable positive that at this school is the available social activities. EF Dublin has a dedicated and active social activities team. They have a great range of activities from night outs to museum tours and also in-house artsy activities e.g. wine painting. It is obvious that a lot of time and effort goes into planning the activities.
Regarding the teaching, the teachers really tailor the lessons to the level of English the students are at. There is a lot of interactive learning through the use of online resources such as Kahoot (a game-based learning platform), presentations, and role-plays to keep the lessons interesting.
This school is a lot more expensive than other schools within Dublin, so I would definitely recommend this school to younger students who are looking for a full package immersion experience and who do not mind paying the high cost.
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EF International Language Centre Dublin at a glance
| Rating of former students | Insufficient number of student ratings |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Very Large Max. 17 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Below Average Diversity No nationality more than 30% |
| Learning intensity | 20-30 mins of homework per week |
| Number of students | 600 adults in July 270-280 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 16 years for group courses |
| Accreditations | ACELS |
| Course range | General English course, Intensive English course, IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Private Student Residence, Student Residence |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 26 lessons/week: 40min/lesson | 1 week: €705 3 weeks: €2115 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: €150 Course material fee: €55 |
| Price level – Standard Group Course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | €44.60 per 60min tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Student voices
Unfortunately, no students were willing to provide a video or quotes regarding their experience at this school
Questions to school director
Excerpts above from my conversation with Aiden Chester, school director of EF International Language Centre Dublin.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Aiden Chester: “The cultural experience here in Ireland is one of the best EF schools because not only do you get to learn and improve your English skills, but you also get to experience the world famous Irish culture. The friendly spirit, the social scene, there is so much to explore and see here in Ireland“
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Aiden Chester: “We have students of all ages, anything from 16 up. There is no one size fits all. Most of our students are obviously here to improve their English, but they are also very keen to explore the Irish culture.“
School inspection report
Classrooms
The classrooms are large, and modern, mostly with full-sized tables, comfortable chairs and plenty of natural light. The school is set in a converted Georgian building so there are no lifts, this school would not be suitable for those with mobility issues.
Facilities
There is a large communal area where the social activities coordinators are based. This area has ample seating, a pool table, guitar, piano and different board games to keep students entertained between classes. The facilities are well maintained, modern and plentiful to be shared amongst the students.
Surrounding area
The school is located in a safe affluent residential area, there are not many cafes, restaurants or even shops in the immediate area. There are however buses a few minutes walk from the school that take students into the city centre.
Social activities
EF Dublin has a dedicated and active social activities team, one of the best among the Dublin language schools. They have a great range of activities from karaoke to countryside hikes and also in-house creative activities e.g. wine painting.
Residence
EF Brighton has dedicated floors at the student residence “From Here”, they also have homestay options and other student residence options. From Here is located in a great location, less than a minute from several buses into the main city centre. There is also a large supermarket 5 minutes walk from the accommodation, as well as a cafe attached to the bottom of the building.
In my opinion, this student accommodation is very high-end. The bedrooms are well furnished and modern, with hotel-standard bathrooms and tasteful shared kitchens.
The facilities include a large outdoor area with ping pong tables, a gym, a laundry room, a study room, meeting rooms, communal living spaces, a cinema room, and a large private dining room. They also have a really cool thrifting concept where student can leave their unwanted garments for other students to take. There is definitely a collective community feel at this accommodation.
Trusted student ratings of EF International Language Centre Dublin on the web
| Total | (Insufficient number of student ratings) |
|---|
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.
Location of EF International Language Centre Dublin
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