Ideal for students who are coming within a group and want the convenience of studying and residing in the same location.
Not ideal for students who want to be surrounded by a diverse mix of students (age and nationality).
The good
- The convenience of having a school and residence on the same site.
- Spacious classrooms and great facilities (courtyard, lounges and kitchen).
- It is one of the more affordable schools in Brighton, and it offers fantastic value for money for learning English.
The bad
- Further out from the city centre, on a quiet road lacking many restaurant/food options.
- A relatively basic social programme.
- Not a very diverse mix of student ages and nationalities.
My overall take
Language Studies International (LSI) Brighton is located in Hove, 20 minutes via public transport to the city centre. In the immediate surroundings, there aren’t many shops but there is a small supermarket seconds walk from the school itself and a handful of cafes within walking distance.
One of the things that is great about this school is the number of amazing communal spaces available to the students; with a large cafeteria seating area on the first floor, as well as a lounge, kitchen and courtyard on the ground floor, there are numerous areas for students to bond and connect outside of classes.
On the other hand, their social programme is definitely limited. Unlike some other schools, they do not offer an extravagant social programme. On the other hand, as a large majority of the students arrive in groups, there are often activities organised for these groups. They also provide sightseeing options that students can arrange to visit by themselves.
This school has a strong community and a very young identity, with most students in their teens to early 20s. They also have a good range of courses for younger students, including 6-11 young learners and 12-17 juniors courses. Therefore, this is the place to be if you’re looking for vibrancy and youth at an average tuition cost.
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Language Studies International Brighton at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.1 (57 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 15 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Below average diversity No nationality more than 40% Top nationality: Austrian (Groups) |
| Learning Intensity | 2.5 hours of homework per week |
| Number of students | 70 adults and 60 juniors in July 50 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 6 years for specific junior courses 16 years for General English |
| Accreditations | British Council, English UK |
| Course range | General English, Intensive English, Junior courses, 40+ Club, Business English, Compact courses (92 lessons per week), English for Teaching, TOEFL, CAE, FCE IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Residence, Student House |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 50min/lesson | 1 week: £330 3 weeks: £990 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: £90 Course material fee: none |
| Price Level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | £21.60 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Questions to school director
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
School: “We have a very unique atmosphere, a very supportive community which is helped by the fact that we have a residence joined onto our school.“
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
School: “A very motivated young professional. We have many students who are coming to learn English to further their career prospects.”
Excerpts above from my conversation with Ewan Graham, school director of Language Studies International Brighton.
School inspection report
Classrooms
Classrooms are very large. Each classroom has a large table for ample working space. There are also multiple windows per classroom, allowing a lot of natural light. Lastly, every classroom is fitted with a TV for interactive teaching purposes.
Facilities
Three main communal spaces are available to the students: a large cafeteria seating area on the first floor, a lounge and a courtyard on the ground floor. The courtyard is a great size and has a BBQ for events in the summer months.
Surrounding area
LSI Brighton is located in Hove, 20 minutes via public transport to the city centre on a quiet, primarily residential road. There is a small supermarket seconds walk from the school itself where most students buy their lunch, and they also have a handful of cafes and quaint shops within a 10-minute walking distance of the school building.
Social activities
Unlike some other schools, LSI Brighton does not have a very organised or detailed social programme, but they do have a study club for students to better their English outside of lessons. There are also occasional excursions around the city of Brighton and beyond.
Residence
A unique addition to this school is that there is a residence on site. The standard-sized bedroom has a desk, wardrobe, and an en-suite bathroom. There is a well-equipped kitchen on the ground floor that is accessible to all students, including the students who don’t live on-site. The bedrooms were very well furnished and are similar to any standard student residence; they are comfortable and well-suited for long-term students looking for convenience.
Trusted student ratings of Language Studies International Brighton on the web
| Total | 4.1 (57 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.1 (57 reviews) |
Ratings as of June 14, 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.
