English courses in San Francisco

San Francisco, the legendary city at the tip of California’s Northern Peninsula, is one of the best destinations for developing your English in an exceptional setting. Bordered by the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, and considered by many to be the most beautiful city in the United States, this dynamic and lively city is famous for its steep hills, views over the bay, distinctive architecture, cable cars, Alcatraz Island, Chinatown, Golden Gate Park, Nob Hill, etc.

Highlights :

  • School located in a contemporary space, in the heart of the city centre, a few streets from Market Street and a few steps from Union Square
  • Large sunny lounge area
  • Learn English in an international environment, with people of all nationalities

Our partner school EC is located in the heart of San Francisco in the financial district on California Street, on the same street as the famous tram line, a stone’s throw from Union Square and the Pier 39 docks. This 100+ year old building is close to the city’s many restaurants, cafes, shops and attractions and close to many of San Francisco’s public transport network (MUNI) lines.

Accreditations: ACCET, English USA

The school offers you

  • 7 spacious and bright classrooms
  • Interactive whiteboards in every classroom
  • A café on the ground floor
  • A computer room
  • Free Wi-Fi connection
  • Library provided
  • Study room The school is accessible to people with reduced mobility.

VIP service – The Orange Carpet Experience

EC rolls out the orange carpet to welcome you

  • Even before your arrival: a connection to the EC-Online platform to prepare all aspects of your stay
  • A warm welcome on arrival at the airport or station
  • A warm welcome at your residence (an EC manager on site) or with your host family
  • A welcome activity on Sunday to start getting to know the other students
  • On the 1st day of the course: a VIP reception at the school
  • Introduction of all team members and welcome drink

You’re now ready to learn!

English course: general information

  • Length of lesson: 45 minutes
  • Number of students per class: maximum 15 (average 12)
  • Timetable: lessons take place in the morning and/or afternoon.
  • Level test: on the first day of the course
  • Certificate of attendance at the end of the course
  • Free access to the EC-Online platform up to 12 weeks after the end of the course
  • Regular progress assessment (oral test every week, written test every 6 weeks)
  • Teachers are qualified to teach their mother tongue to foreigners

EC methodology

The school has developed teaching methods based on the practice of English used and spoken in everyday life. The four skills of speaking, writing, reading and listening are covered, and particular attention is paid to conversation, grammar, vocabulary, idiomatic forms and pronunciation.

The aim is to teach you the English language of today so that you can communicate and be understood by everyone at the end of your language course. Each lesson is based on a specific theme or subject.

The teaching resources used are specially designed by EC, supplemented by other materials such as press reviews, videos or other audio documents.

The teachers provide advice and encouragement throughout the stay, while ensuring that learning goes hand in hand with good humour. It is important to establish a pleasant atmosphere and mutual trust in the classroom. As practising the language is the best way to make progress, you will be asked to do a lot during the lessons.

Standard course

——
20 lessons of general English per week

4 lessons per day during which you will improve the 4 fundamental skills of written and oral expression, listening comprehension and reading. You will also develop your ability to use practical English in everyday life.

Levels offered: beginner to advanced

Intensive course

——
30 lessons of general English per week

The ideal programme for making rapid progress. Courses include thestandard General English moduleof 20 lessons per week 10 lessons of a module to be chosen from the following options:
– Writing
– Media Studies
– Language of music
– Film analysis
– Debates on globalisation
– Comparative study of cultural differences and communication
– Contemporary writing
– Academic English (note-taking, essay writing, presentations, etc.)
– Oral expression, etc.

Levels offered: beginner to advanced

Semi-intensive course

——
24 lessons of general English per week

The ideal programme for rapid progress. Courses include thestandard General English moduleof 20 lessons 4 additional lessons of General English per week

You will improve the 4 fundamental skills of written and oral expression, listening comprehension and reading. You will also develop your ability to use practical English in everyday life.

Levels offered: beginner to advanced

English FOR work

——
24 lessons of English per week, i.e. 20 lessons of general English + 4 lessons of English of Work per week

You will develop your general English skills, then focus on English for the world of work. You will learn to communicate precisely, clearly and fluently, which will enable you to make a presentation or lead a conference call without difficulty in your professional life.

The areas studied are :
– Leading and managing meetings and conference calls
– Presentations
– Project planning
– Small talk
– Goal-setting
– Applying for a job
– Interviews

Minimum level of English : B1 (intermediate)
Duration: 2 to 12 weeks

Activities / Leisure during your stay

Every week, the school organises cultural activities in the afternoons and evenings, in which you are free to participate or not. These activities may be free or offered at a cost, and their frequency varies according to the time of year. The schedule is available on the EC-Online platform.

Example of possible activities:

  • Welcome Activity
  • Discovering the different districts of San Francisco
  • Visits to museums
  • Outings to restaurants, cinemas, etc.
  • Yoga classes
  • Excursions

Single room, shared bathroom and breakfast

San Francisco is a dynamic and diverse city with a population of 800,000. People of many different ethnicities live in the Bay Area and our host families reflect this diversity. Host families can include singles, couples, single-parent families and families where several generations live under the same roof. Many of our host families are of Filipino origin and their family culture means that they treat the students they host as members of their own family. All host families speak English and are keen to share the diversity of San Francisco with international visitors.

Host families are located either in the city of San Francisco or in the adjacent towns of Daly City and South San Francisco. The neighbourhoods where the host families live are as follows: Bernal Heights, Glen Park, Inner and Outer Richmond, Inner and Outer Sunset, St. Francis Wood, Excelsior, Castro and Mission.

Shared rooms with a family are available for people travelling in pairs.

Journey time to school: between 45 and 65 minutes by public transport. San Francisco’s public transport network is one of the most developed in the world.

Practical information :

  • Bed linen and towels provided
  • In San Francisco, families don’t always have a washing machine and do their laundry at the laundromat. If they do, they will usually put it at your disposal.

Option at extra cost :

  • Half-board

Single room, shared bathroom, no meals

A recently renovated residence, very close to the EC school. Here you can mix with young people from all over the world, as well as young American students.

Duration: minimum 4 weeks

Features :

  • Single room
  • Shared bathroom (1 for 4 rooms)
  • No meals
  • Travel time to school: 10 minutes on foot
  • Location: Located in historic Jackson Square, close to North Beach, Chinatown, the Ferry Building, the Financial District and Fisherman’s Wharf

Facilities and services available:

  • Bed linen provided on arrival (bring your own towels)
  • Microwave on each floor
  • Mini-fridge in each room
  • Desk, chest of drawers, lamp and wardrobe in each room
  • WI-FI connection available free of charge
  • TV
  • Heating system
  • Fully equipped communal kitchen
  • Communal lounge
  • Vending machines
  • Laundry facilities (chargeable)
  • 24-hour security
  • Common areas, including shared bathrooms, are cleaned once a day
  • Rooms are cleaned once a week. The rest of the time, you are responsible for cleaning your own room

A classic Victorian building dating from the 1880s, in typical San Francisco style, The Kenmore has been modernised with state-of-the-art comfort and security systems.

Duration: minimum 2 weeks

Rates: contact us

Features:

  • 3 room types: a twin room with shared bathroom*, a private studio with shared bathroom and a private room with private bathroom
  • half board (morning and evening) from Monday to Saturday – half board (morning and lunch) on Sundays
  • Journey time to school: 20 minutes by public transport
  • Location: Situated in the picturesque area of Pacific Heights, the friendly Kenmore Aparthotel is just minutes from breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz.

Facilities and services available:

  • Bed linen and towels provided on arrival
  • Desk, chest of drawers, lamp, wardrobe and television in each room
  • Hairdryer, iron, telephone
  • Heating system
  • WI-FI connection available free of charge
  • Laundry facilities (chargeable)
  • 24-hour security and 24-hour reception staff
  • Cleaning service provided. Change of bed linen twice a week, dusting, sweeping and emptying of bins every day.
  • Communal areas cleaned daily.

*For 16-17 year olds: only available if two students are travelling together.

Travel

Day of arrival: Saturday
Day of departure: Saturday

If accommodation in residence :

  • Columbus Residence: Check-in: 15:00; Check-out: 8:00 – 11:00
  • The Kenmore: Check-in: 12.00 pm; Check-out: 8.00 am – 10.00 am

Arrival airport:

  • San Francisco International, SFO

Transfer available on request (chargeable, see price table)

Note: do not book your ticket until we have confirmed your stay.

Visa information

Do you need a visa to follow this programme? For more information, please consult our Visa Information page.

Note for European Union nationals: standard courses lasting less than 90 days do not require a student visa. However, an ESTA is still required.

Please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail or telephone if you would like more information on this subject.

Dates & Prices 2025

Dates 2025

Start dates : The majority of courses start on Mondays throughout the year, unless otherwise stated below. If Monday is a public holiday, the session starts on Tuesday.

Public holidays and school closure dates (no lessons will be given on these dates, nor will they be made up later; no compensation will be granted): 1/01, 20/01, 17/02, 31/03, 26/05, 19/06, 4/07, 1/09, 13/10, 11/11, 27/11, 28/11, 25/12

English for Work course start: every Monday for a maximum of 12 weeks.

Prices 2025

WPCS 42.0.3
Courses & Homestay accommodation, single room, breakfast
Duration20L24L or Business30L
2 weeks€ 1.780€ 1.885€ 2.000
3 weeks€ 2.520€ 2.680€ 2.850
4 weeks€ 3.260€ 3.475€ 3.705
6 weeks€ 4.745€ 5.060€ 5.405
8 weeks€ 6.225€ 6.650€ 7.110
12 weeks€ 8.955€ 9.245€ 9.995
16 weeks€ 11.805€ 12.190€ 13.190
18 weeks€ 13.230€ 13.660€ 14.785
20 weeks€ 14.650€ 15.135€ 16.385
24 weeks-€ 17.290€ 17.980
32 weeks-€ 22.905€ 23.830
36 weeks-€ 25.715€ 26.755
Additional week-€ 705€ 735
High season supplement course (30/06 - 29/08) - per week
From 1 to 12 week (s) only€ 25
Accommodation supplements - per weekLow seasonHigh season (28/06-30/08)
Host family, single room, breakfast-€ 35
Host family, single room, half board€ 65€ 100
Colombus Residence, single room, no meals€ 190€ 225
Special diet (homestay)€ 45-
Students under 18 years of age (homestay)€ 25-
Homestay at Christmas (20/21 and 27/28 December) - per weekend€ 40-
Other supplements
Express shipment Visa I-20 document€ 75
From San Francisco Airport (SFO)€ 145
* Round trip compulsory for children under 18.

The above prices include:

  • The chosen course programme
  • Accommodation in a homestay in a single room with breakfast
  • Teaching materials and books
  • Unlimited Internet access
  • Free access to Microsoft Office for the duration of your stay
  • Language activities and workshops
  • Welcome activity
  • Social and cultural programme
  • All taxes and school administration costs

Not included:

  • Travel and transfers
  • Optional exam fees, if desired
  • Visa fees
  • Optional insurance

Note: medical and assistance insurance is compulsory to enter the United States. All the information on the insurance offered by Langues Vivantes can be found here.

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