Total immersion
Total immersion is an excellent way to progress in English by naturally developing fluency and fluency. As well as simply practising your language skills, it also allows you to discover, from the inside, the culture of the country, the way of life and customs of its inhabitants, and to share authentic moments with your host family. You will be the only young French speaker in the family.
Communication and exchange are key to the success of this stay, as are open-mindedness and the desire to adapt to another way of life. This option is therefore recommended for young people who are sufficiently independent, sociable and open-minded. To facilitate integration, it is also recommended that you have studied English for at least 2 or 3 years.
Level of English: young people who do not have a sufficient level of English to communicate easily, or participants under the age of 14, are advised to take private English lessons to facilitate integration. These lessons will be given by a teacher who will come to the family’s home.
In addition to total immersion, we offer various packages combining immersion in a family with specific activities that allow students to share a passion or interest with their host family, such as horse-riding, or to meet other young people at a sports or leisure camp (Immersion & Day camps).
Private English lessons: private lessons are available for young people who need them or who do not have a sufficient level of English, regardless of the type of stay chosen. The teacher generally comes to the family’s home. The course timetable is agreed between the teacher, the student and the family. Option to be specified on enrolment.
The student takes part in the family’s daily activities. Families are not obliged to organise specific activities, but generally plan special outings with their student to show him or her around. If the family goes out for a day, the student is invited. On a day-to-day basis, family life continues as usual.
Host families always have children, who may be younger or older than the student they are welcoming. Some families also choose to host another foreign student of a different nationality.
Students are accommodated in single or shared rooms, depending on the family. In the latter case, the student shares the room with the family’s child or another foreign student of the same sex and around the same age (give or take a few years).
Host families generally have children, who may be younger or older than the student they are welcoming. Some families also choose to host another foreign student of a different nationality.
Immersion & Excursions (10-18 years)
You share the daily life of your family, living at their pace and taking part in their usual activities. The family also organises 2 half-day and 1 full-day excursions per week. The type of excursions on offer varies from family to family. They may include visits to historical or cultural sites, or outings to leisure or sporting activities, depending on each family’s interests.
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Immersion & Horse riding (10-18 years)
Ireland is the home of the horse and it is not uncommon for a family to own one or more horses. If you’re passionate about horses and riding, this holiday is ideal. You live with a family that owns horses (or double ponies). You ride for at least 8 hours a week in a friendly, family atmosphere. You take care of the horse assigned to you and help with the upkeep of its stall and stable.
This programme is aimed at accomplished riders. To enable us to assess your level of riding ability, a short video should be attached to the application form.
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Level of riding to be specified on enrolment (you will be asked to attach a short video of yourself on horseback to assess your level).
Immersion on a farm (10-18 years)
If you love the countryside or want to experience life on a typical Irish farm, you’ll love this holiday. You live with a family who own a farm. You take part, at your own pace, in the farm’s activities and take part in the odd jobs you want to get involved in (milking, feeding, herding, haymaking, harvesting, gardening, etc.). Activities vary according to the size of the farm and the season. During your stay, life on the farm will continue as usual; the family will integrate you into their way of life and rhythm.
Farms are generally small: most are livestock farms (cattle, sheep, etc.), dairy farms, or multi-purpose farms.
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Immersion in a teacher’s home & Excursions (10-18 years)
For people who prefer to have English lessons, we offer a home-stay option.
You live with your teacher and have 10* private English lessons per week, i.e. 2 lessons per day from Monday to Friday. Each lesson lasts 50 minutes, followed by a 10-minute break. Lessons are given in the morning to encourage concentration. The family also organises 2 half-day and 1 full-day excursions per week. The type of excursions offered varies from family to family. They may be visits to historical or cultural sites, or outings to leisure or sporting activities, depending on each family’s interests.
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
For the formulas described below, the family accompanies the young person to the camp and collects him or her after the course. Host families do not always have children living at home, but they welcome another foreign student of a different nationality.
Basketball camp (10-16 years)
- 80 to 100 young people per week
- 2025: 60% Irish, 40% international
- Groups of 10 to 15 players depending on level
- All levels accepted
- Fun camp, not an academic advanced technical training course
- Learning game techniques (shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding, attacking, defending), fun games, matches
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Timetable: Monday to Friday, minimum 3 hours a day
Pony camp (10-17 years)
- 90 to 100 young people per week
- 2025: 60% Irish, 40% international
- Groups of 8 or 9 players depending on level
- All levels accepted
- Fun camp, not an academic advanced technical training course
- Riding lessons, jumping, riding school, cross country, games in the forest, horse grooming, mounted games
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Timetable: 4 days a week, minimum 4 hours a day
Tennis camp (10-16 years)
- 20 to 30 young people per week
- 2025: 48% Irish, 52% international
- Several groups according to level
- All levels accepted
- Fun camp, not an academic advanced technical training course
- Playing techniques and tactics, physical and mental training, fun games, matches, doubles
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Timetable: Monday to Friday, 10am – 4.30pm
Rugby camp (12-18 years)
Unavailable for summer 2026
- 100 to 110 youngsters per week
- 2023: 55% Irish, 45% international
- Several groups according to level
- Complete beginners are not accepted (level to be specified on registration)
- Training with renowned coaches from theIrish Rugby Institute (playing techniques, fitness, nutrition, psychological preparation, etc.)
- Visit to the Aviva Stadium
- Participation in the IRI Rugby Sevens Tournament
Duration: 1 to 3 weeks
Timetable: Monday to Friday
Soccer camp (10-14 year-olds)
- 90 to 100 youngsters per week
- 2025: 75% Irish, 25% international
- Several groups according to level
- All levels accepted
- Fun camp, not an academic advanced technical training course
- Warm-up sessions, development of technical skills, dribbling, goal shooting, defence, headers, small group matches, development of team spirit
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Timetable: Monday to Friday, minimum 4 hours per day
Surf camp (10-17 years)
- 10 to 25 young people per week
- 2025: 50% Irish, 50% international
- Several groups according to level
- All levels accepted
- Fun camp, not an academic advanced technical training course
- Basics of surfing, safety at sea, wave knowledge, teamwork, fitness
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Timetable: Monday to Friday, 2 to 3 hours per day
Multi activity outdoor camp (10-16 years)
- 50 to 80 young people per week
- 2025: 50% Irish, 50% international
- Young people divided into small activity groups
- Ideal for developing new skills while enjoying nature
- Archery, canoeing, kayaking, laser game, obstacle courses and challenges, communication games, team games, etc.
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Schedule: Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm
Outdoor adventure camp (10-16 years)
- 90 to 100 young people per week
- 2025: 50% Irish, 50% international
- Young people divided into small activity groups
- Reputed to be one of the best adventure sports centres in Ireland
- Tyrolean traverse, abseiling, climbing, accrobranche, archery, zorbing, canoeing, water trampoline, sailing, windsurfing, laser game, diving, obstacle course, communication games, etc.
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Timetable : Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm
Destination: Carlingford, County Louth
MAD camp (10-17 years)
- Music, Acting, Dance
- 50 to 70 young people per week
- 2025: 70% Irish, 30% international
- Young people divided into small groups according to age
- Music : breathing techniques, diction, harmonies, singing, dynamics, etc.
- Theatre : improvisation, mime, scene writing, etc.
- Dance : hip hop, musical comedy, contemporary dance, etc.
- Big show at the end of the course
Duration: 2 weeks on specific dates
Tech & activity camp (10-16 years)
- 20 to 30 young people per week
- 2025: 45% Irish, 55% international
- Young people divided into small activity groups
- Learning is based on real-life situations that participants must try to solve as a team
- 13 modules: Robotics, Coding, Story Mapping, Google Earth Pro, Sticky Notes, Trellis, Mind Tool, STEM, Leadership & Team Building, Social Media Literacy, Design Thinking & Human Centered Design, Data Analytics & Visualisation
Duration: 1 to 4 weeks
Timetable: Monday to Friday, minimum 4 hours per day
The host families are carefully selected by our Irish partner, who has over 40 years’ experience in organising total immersion programmes for young people from all over the world. In Ireland, the majority of people live in small towns or rural areas. Placements take place all over the country, but mainly in small towns in the Midlands or in the countryside, depending on the option chosen.
The Irish are very attached to family values and are known for their hospitality and friendliness.
Note: 99% of families have WIFI, but depending on where they live this is not always available.
Features:
- Single or shared room depending on the family, full board. Only one French-speaking participant welcomed in the family.
- Location: anywhere in Ireland, in small towns or rural areas.
Travel
Day of arrival: Saturday or Sunday
Day of departure: Saturday or Sunday
For Immersion & Excursions, Immersion & Horse-riding, Immersion on a farm, Immersion with a teacher: some flexibility is possible in the dates of the stays. Please contact us for any specific requests.
Arrival airport: Dublin
Accompanied return transfer from Dublin airport to your destination is compulsory. Please allow for arrival between 9.00 am and 6.00 pm and departure between 11.00 am and 8.00 pm.
A supplement will be charged for arrivals outside these times (see Fares and Dates tab).
For early departures, the participant will be taken to Dublin the day before and will spend the night with a host family selected by our partner, before being taken to the airport the next morning to catch his/her flight. Supplement: see Fares and dates tab
Note: do not book your ticket until we have confirmed your stay.
For young people under 16: some airlines, such as Ryanair, do not allow under-16s to travel unaccompanied by an adult and do not offer UM (Unaccompanied Minor) service. It is therefore important to check with your chosen airline before booking.
Equipment to bring
Immersion & Horse Riding
- Riding hat
- Body protector
- Riding Boots
- Jodhpurs
Immersion on a Farm
- warm, comfortable and practical clothing
Basketball Camp
- Sports gear
- Runners
Multi Activity Outdoor Camp
- Tracksuit
- Trainers
- Swimwear or shorts & t-shirt
- Towel
- Suncream
MAD Camp
- Comfortable clothing
Outdoor Adventure Camp
- Tracksuit
- Trainers
- Swimwear or shorts & t-shirt
Pony Camp
- Riding hats
- Body protector
- Boots
- Jodhpurs
Soccer Camp
- Shin guards
- Football boots and runners
Surf Camp
- Swimsuit
- Towel
- Students must NOT bring their own boards
Tennis Camp
- 2 rackets
- Tennis footwear
- Appropriate clothing
Dates & Prices 2025
Dates 2025
All Family Immersion holidays take place throughout the summer period from 23/06 to 20/08, during the Irish Easter holidays from 12/04 to 27/04 and the All Saints’ Day holidays from 25/10 to 2/11, from Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday. Immersions with sports or leisure camps are organised on the dates indicated below.
Camp start dates
(plan to arrive on the Saturday or Sunday before)
- Pony:
23/06, 30/06, 7/07, 14/07, 21/07, 28/07, 4/08, 11/08 - Tennis:
30/06, 7/07, 14/07, 21/07 - Soccer:
30/06, 7/07, 14/07, 21/07, 28/07, 4/08, 11/08 - Surfing: 23/06, 30/06, 7/07, 14/07, 21/07, 28/07, 4/08, 11/08
- Outdoor Adventure: 23/06,
30/06, 7/07, 14/07, 21/07, 28/07, 4/08, 11/08 - Basketball: sold out
- Multi Activity Outdoor: 30/06, 7/07, 14/07, 21/07, 28/07, 4/08, 11/08
- Tech & Activity: 30/06, 7/07, 14/07, 21/07
- Rugby: sold out
Camp dates (2-week stays)
(plan to arrive on the Saturday or Sunday before)
- MAD (Music, Acting, Dance): from 30/06 to 11/07 (arrival 29/06, departure 13/07)
Prices 2025
Registration fees included
| Stay prices | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula | 1 week | 2 weeks | 3 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Immersion & Excursions | € 1.095 | € 1.555 | € 2.015 | € 2.510 |
| Farm immersion | € 1.050 | € 1.440 | € 1.830 | € 2.155 |
| Immersion & Horseback Riding | € 1.095 | € 1.545 | € 1.975 | € 2.490 |
| Immersion with the teacher (10 private English lessons/week) & Excursions | € 1.505 | € 2.365 | € 3.225 | € 4.120 |
| Immersion & Pony camp | € 1.285 | € 2.025 | € 2.670 | € 3.330 |
| Immersion & Tennis camp | € 1.160 | € 1.755 | € 2.480 | - |
| Immersion & Rugby camp | € 1.285 | € 2.020 | € 2.630 | - |
| Immersion & Soccer camp | € 1.185 | € 1.790 | € 2.450 | € 3.080 |
| Immersion & Surf camp | € 1.215 | € 1.790 | € 2.410 | € 2.960 |
| Immersion & Outdoor adventure camp | € 1.265 | € 1.915 | € 2.600 | € 3.250 |
| Immersion & MAD camp | - | € 1.810 | - | - |
| Immerson & Tech & Activity camp | € 1.255 | € 1.895 | € 2.560 | - |
| Immersion & Basketball camp | € 1.215 | € 1.790 | € 2.410 | € 2.960 |
| Immersion & Multi activity outdoor camp | € 1.240 | € 1.855 | € 2.510 | € 3.130 |
| Supplements | ||||
| Round trip transfer (at times indicated) | € 300 | |||
| Supplement for arrival/departure outside indicated times | € 65 | |||
| Late flight supplement or early flight requiring a night in Dublin on arrival or the day before departure | € 100 | |||
| Private English lessons (per lesson) | € 40 | |||
The above prices include:
- Host family search and selection fees
- Accommodation with a host family, in a single or shared room depending on the family
- Full board
- Activities according to the chosen formula
- Entrance fees (Immersion & Excursions programme)
- Follow-up and assistance from Langues Vivantes and the local partner during the stay
- Registration fees
The above prices do not include
- Return journey to Dublin
- Return transfer from Dublin airport to the host family
- Meals taken outside the school during visits or excursions (Immersion & Excursions programmes)
- Optional insurance
- Personal expenses
Dates & Prices 2026
Dates 2026
- February: 14/02/26 – 22/02/26
- Spring: 28/03/26 – 12/04/26
- Summer (camps only – specific dates below): 29/06/26 – 23/08/26
- October: 24/10/26 – 1/11/26
Camp start dates
Plan to arrive on the Saturday or Sunday before.
- Pony: 22/06, 29/06, 6/07, 13/07, 20/07, 3/08, 10/08
- Tennis: 30/06, 7/07, 14/07
- Soccer: 29/06, 6/07, 13/07, 20/07, 27/07, 3/08, 10/08
- Surfing: 22/06, 29/06, 6/07, 13/07, 20/07, 27/07, 3/08, 10/08
- Outdoor Adventure: 22/06, 29/06, 6/07, 13/07, 20/07, 27/07, 3/08, 10/08
- Basketball: 29/06, 6/07, 13/07, 20/07
- Multi Activity Outdoor : 29/06, 6/07, 13/07, 20/07, 27/07, 3/08, 10/08
- Tech & Activity: 29/06, 6/07, 13/07, 20/07
- MAD: from 29/06 to 10/07 (arrival on 28/08, departure on 12/07)
Prices 2026
Registration fees included
| Stay prices | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula | 1 week | 2 weeks | 3 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Total Immersion | € 995 | € 1.430 | € 1.840 | € 2.310 |
| Immersion & Excursions | € 1.120 | € 1.595 | € 2.080 | € 2.595 |
| Immersion in a farm | € 1.075 | € 1.485 | € 1.895 | € 2.240 |
| Immersion & Horseback Riding | € 1.120 | € 1.590 | € 2.040 | € 2.575 |
| Immersion with the teacher (10 private English lessons/week) & Excursions | € 1.530 | € 2.410 | € 3.290 | € 4.205 |
| Immersion & Pony camp | € 1.310 | € 2.075 | € 2.735 | € 3.415 |
| Immersion & Tennis camp | € 1.185 | € 1.795 | € 2.545 | € 3.195 |
| Immersion & Soccer camp | € 1.210 | € 1.840 | € 2.515 | € 3.165 |
| Immersion & Surf camp | € 1.240 | € 1.840 | € 2.475 | € 3.045 |
| Immersion & Outdoor adventure camp | € 1.290 | € 1.965 | € 2.665 | € 3.335 |
| Immersion & MAD camp | - | € 1.860 | - | - |
| Immersion & Tech & Activity camp | € 1.280 | € 1.945 | € 2.625 | € 3.255 |
| Immersion & Basketball camp | € 1.240 | € 1.840 | € 2.475 | € 3.045 |
| Immersion & Multi activity outdoor camp | € 1.265 | € 1.895 | € 2.575 | € 3.215 |
| Supplements | ||||
| Round trip transfer (at times indicated) | € 300 | |||
| Supplement for arrival/departure outside indicated times | € 65 | |||
| Late flight supplement or early flight requiring a night in Dublin on arrival or the day before departure | € 100 | |||
| Private English lessons (per lesson) | € 40 | |||
| Special diets (coeliac, vegan, lactose-free) - per week | € 15 | |||
The above prices include:
- Host family search and selection fees
- Accommodation with a host family, in a single or shared room depending on the family
- Full board
- Activities according to the chosen formula
- Entrance fees (Immersion & Excursions programme)
- Follow-up and assistance from Langues Vivantes and the local partner during the stay
- Registration fees
The above prices do not include
- Return journey to Dublin
- Return transfer from Dublin airport to the host family
- Meals taken outside the school during visits or excursions (Immersion & Excursions programmes)
- Optional insurance
- Personal expenses
Similar programmes
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