Cebu

With over 7,000 islands and a population of 90 million, the Philippines is a land apart from mainland Southeast Asia – not only geographically but also spiritually and culturally. The country’s overwhelming Catholicism, the result of 350 years of Spanish rule, meets local culture and the vestiges of American protectionism to create a unique flavour all its own. This is mirrored in everything from the exuberant fiestas (festivals), English-speaking education and the island nation’s fabulous cuisine – a flavoursome fusion of Chinese, Malaysian and Spanish influences.

Cebu City is located on the island of Cebu, in the beautiful Visaya Islands in the heart of the Philippines. It boasts a tropical climate year-round, with an average temperature of 26°C. Cebu’s friendly energy, blue skies and plentiful nearby beaches are sure to keep you entertained – as will the full range of activities organized by the school. Cebu Island is famous for its history and nature, and is also an easy starting point for exploring the rest of the Philippines.

The rainy season lasts from June to November. The best time of year to visit Cebu is from December to May but its climate is mild all over the year.

The Philippines is the only truly bilingual country in Asia. English is spoken all over the archipelago alongside the Filipino language, and is used in education from pre-school to university. In doing so, the people have acquired a near native level of English. Foreign travelers find it easy to communicate and interact with local residents.

Our partner school is located near the city centre, just a few minutes away from a wide range of shopping, dining and entertainment options including the SM Mall and the Ayala Centre (not to mention several beach resorts!) The school building itself is a converted hotel that doubles as on-site residence, so you will be perfectly taken care of during your stay.

CPILS is officially registered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Cebu. Programmes at CPILS meet the highest standard of excellence. CPILS also holds an official Accept Foreign Students (AAFS) Study Permit.

With over 260 classrooms and about 200 dormitory single, double, triple or quadruple rooms, CPILS is one of the largest ESL schools in the Philippines.

School facilities include:

  • Swimming pool
  • Fitness gym
  • Ping-pong tables
  • Snooker hall
  • TV room
  • Cafeteria
  • Student restaurant (serving local and Korean cuisine)
  • Gardens
  • Laundry service
  • Sports equipment lending service
  • Infirmary
  • IT suite with 30 Internet connected computers
  • Free WiFi access

School staff pride themselves on the special care they take of students. Staff are available on-site to help you with any requests you may have, be it changing money or extending your visa.

Remarks

The student body is young (16-35yrs) and mostly Asian (Korean, Japanese, Indonesian) with some Russian, South American and European students.

The school operates a strict curfew policy applicable to all students staying in on-site residence accommodation.

Curfew times:

  • Monday to Thursday: no evening outings.
  • Fridays and Saturdays: no later than Midnight (00.00)
  • Sundays: no later than 21.00

This programme is therefore aimed primarily at young people and students. Older participants are of course completely welcome, provided they are aware that they will find themselves amongst a younger student body and subject to a curfew. It is also possible to choose to stay in the residence during the first month and then arrange your own accommodation by yourself. Please contact us for course prices without accommodation. During the first month, accommodation in the school is compulsory.

Courses

The course programme includes the ideal mixture of one-on-one lessons and small interactive group lessons. The focus is practical understanding and active use of the English language, with extra conversation and pronunciation workshops.

Staff are native English-speaking, qualified teachers from Australia, Canada and the USA, as well as qualified and experienced Filipino teachers. All are fully qualified to teach English as a foreign language. Class sizes are an average of 4 to a maximum of 8 students. Students are kindly asked to only speak English on the school premises.

The school offers programmes tailored to suit every students’ individual needs. The classes are open to students of all levels, from beginner to advanced students. Lessons are held from Monday to Friday and are each 50 minutes long.

35 lessons per week (3+2+2)

7 lessons (50 minutes) per day:

  • 3 one-on-one lessons with a Filipino teacher
  • 2 mini-group lessons (4 students) with a Filipino teacher
  • 2 small-group lessons(8 students) with a native English teacher (British, Canadian, American, Australian)

48 lessons per week (5+3+2) + 2 homework sessions (Monday to Thursday)

On Friday students have 8 lessons instead of 10.

10 lessons (50 minutes) per day + 2 homework sessions, (except on Friday):

  • 5 one-on-one lessons with a Filipino teacher
  • 3 mini-group lessons (4 students) with a Filipino teacher (only 1 lesson on Fridays)
  • 2 small-group lessons (8 students), with a native English teacher
  • 2 optional homework sessions (Monday to Thursday).

On Friday afternoons, students participate in a range of events and activities instead of lessons. All these activities are in English and give students an opportunity to use their language skills in a practical situation.

Aside from the wide range of opportunities offered by the island and city, the school organises a varied calendar of activities for students at a very affordable price: scuba diving, golf, dancing, climbing, kayaking, island tours, horse riding, waterfall tours, jet skiing and many more!

Residence

The school’s residence is on-site, meaning students can access school facilities outside of school hours.

A total of 180 dormitory rooms are available. Rooms are designed for single and shared occupancy and your preferences will be taken into account.

All rooms are air-conditioned and are equipped with a bathroom and TV, apart from the usual furniture.

Accommodation is on a full-board basis, with meals taken at the school restaurant, with diverse Asian cuisines on offer.

Transport

  • Arrival airport: Cebu (CEB), 25 minutes from the school
  • Transfers are organised to and from the airport.

We can book flights for you. Please mention it on your application form.

If you’re choosing to book flights on your own, you should arrive the Sunday before the start of your course and leave the Saturday following its end.

Visa Information

It is not necessary to obtain a visa for short stays (less than 21 days) as long as you have already purchased your return ticket and have a passport which will be valid for at least six months after your departure date.

It is then possible to enter the country visa-free, then obtain two-month extensions with the assistance of an school intermediary who will use a service to help you with the extension process.

The maximum length of an extension is one year.

Dates 2020

Course start dates:

Most courses start every Monday year-round. It is recommended to arrive at least one day before the start of the course (on the Sunday) and depart on the day following the last lesson (on the Saturday).

Bank holidays and holidays: please contact us.

Prices 2020

WPCS 42.0.3

Includes lessons, full-board residence accommodation, all taxes and enrolment fees.

Semi-intensive course and residence accommodation, full board
Duration4-person room3-person roomDouble roomSingle room
1 week--€ 700€ 850
2 weeks€ 935€ 975€ 1.010€ 1.080
3 weeks€ 1.180€ 1.235€ 1.275€ 1.370
4 weeks€ 1.395€ 1.465€ 1.520€ 1.630
8 weeks€ 2.735€ 2.855€ 2.960€ 3.190
12 weeks€ 4.035€ 4.225€ 4.440€ 4.725
16 weeks€ 5.475€ 5.725€ 5.935€ 6.395
20 weeks€ 6.815€ 7.125€ 7.385€ 7.960
24 weeks€ 8.040€ 8.415€ 8.725€ 9.420
Intensive course and residence accommodation, full board
Duration4-person room3-person roomDouble roomSingle room
1 week--€ 740€ 790
2 weeks€ 995€ 1.035€ 1.070€ 1.145
3 weeks€ 1.255€ 1.310€ 1.350€ 1.445
4 weeks€ 1.495€ 1.555€ 1.610€ 1.720
8 weeks€ 2.905€ 3.030€ 3.130€ 3.360
12 weeks€ 4.290€ 4.480€ 4.635€ 4.980
16 weeks€ 5.685€ 5.935€ 6.140€ 6.600
20 weeks€ 7.070€ 7.380€ 7.645€ 8.215
24 weeks€ 8.460€ 8.835€ 9.150€ 9.820
TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS dedicated course
Please contact us - starting from 4 weeks
Optional extras
Airport-residence transfer upon arrival€ 30
Residence deposit (refundable)€ 60
Course materials (per 12 weeks)€ 65
Visa - 30-day extension€ 80

Prices include:

  • Your chosen course including 3 to 5 private lessons per day
  • On-site residence accommodation, full board
  • Access to all school facilities
  • All enrolment fees
  • Assistance and follow-up by our school staff

Prices do not include:

  • Flights and airport transfers
  • Visa fees (where applicable)