Language Studies International 2013

LSI Toronto Frequently Asked Questions

SECTION ONE: SCHOOL DETAILS
1. Where is LSI Toronto and what are the schools contact details? School Name Postal Address Telephone Fax Email Website LSI Toronto
1055 Yonge St., Suite 210, Toronto, ON, Canada M4W 2L2 +1 416-928-6888 +1 416-928-3388 tor@lsi.edu www.lsi-canada.com

LSI Toronto is a short walk from the Rosedale Subway Station and only one subway station away from the heart of downtown (Yonge and Bloor Streets), allowing you to quickly travel north and south or east and west.

2. What is the building/area like?

Our school is located on the second and third floors of a charming, brick building with an inside courtyard, offering easy access to public transport, shops, sightseeing venues, pubs and restaurants.

3. When are the school holidays?

The school is closed for holidays for approximately one week at Christmas time. We are also closed on national holiday dates in Ontario, Canada. Please check our current brochure for dates.

SECTION TWO: TEACHERS

1. How many teachers do you have?
We have 6 regular teachers and 5 or 6 additional part-time teachers.

2. What are your teacher qualifications?

All our teachers hold university degrees and certificates in teaching ESL/EFL and meet Languages Canada (LC) standards of qualification.

SECTION THREE: STUDENTS

1. Where do your students come from?
Nationalities and percentages vary widely during the year. We have welcomed more than 30 nationalities to LSI.

2. How many students do you have during high and low seasons?
We have about 180 students during the high season (summer months) and about 60 students during the low season (winter months).

3. What is the minimum and average age of your students?

The minimum age of the students in the regular programmes is 16 years old. The average age of our students is 22-24. The average age of our students in the Executive Programme is 25+. We also offer Young Learners Programmes (13-17) in a separate area of the school during the summer and winter.

SECTION FOUR: FACILITIES

1. What facilities are available to students?
We have a computer room, free wireless Internet, audio-visual learning resources and readers for students to borrow, and a common room with a fridge, a microwave and dishes. There are two restaurants downstairs that offer students hot or cold lunches and many other restaurants in the area (including a pizza shop and cafs right across the street!).

2. Does LSI Toronto have free computer/internet/Wi-Fi Internet access?

Yes, we have 10 computers connected to broadband, as well as high-speed wireless Internet access, which is available free to all our students.

3. How many classrooms are there?

We have 17 classrooms.

4. Do you have a cafeteria?

No, but our student lunch area on the third floor has vending machines and a coffee machine that dispenses various hot beverages. You may also bring your lunch and eat it in our student lunch room or, if weather permits, in the park just down the street. We are very close to many affordable cafes, restaurants, sandwich bars and a supermarket.

5. Do you have a separate Executive Business Mini Group classroom?

Yes. There is a specific classroom used for Executive Business Mini Group classes. The classroom is equipped with audio-visual and other resources.

SECTION FIVE: COURSES

1. What courses do you offer?
Course name Standard 20 Intensive 30 Intensive 30 with MEB Intensive 30 with TOEFL/TOEIC Plus Courses (additional 5 or 10 lessons a week) FCE, CAE International School Year Mini Group One-to-one Club 50+ English for Teaching Young Learner Programmes Club 50+ EAP Course type General English General English General/Business English General/Exam Preparation General English / One-to-One Cambridge Exam Preparation Academic English English for Executives One-to-one General English English for Specific Purposes General English + PM Activities General English + PM Activities English for Academic Purposes Number of lessons per week 20 30 30 30 5 or 10 30 20 or 30 30 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 20 30 20 + PM activities 20 + PM activities 30

We also offer students the opportunity to divide their course over 2 or more of our centres worldwide! You could begin your course in the USA and finish it in Canada or split your time between Vancouver and Toronto! Ask us about our Multi-Centre Courses. For more information and course descriptions, please visit our websites at: http://www.lsi.edu or www.lsi-canada.com

2. Do you offer work experience?

Yes, we offer unpaid internships or paid hospitality work experience in combination with our other courses. Students can also choose the self-placement option and find their own work placements.

3. What is the length of each lesson?

All lessons are 50 minutes long.

4. What is a typical class timetable like?

Hours Standard 20
Lessons 1 & 2 (Monday - Friday) BREAK Lesson 3 & 4 (Monday Friday) -FINISH-

9:00 to 10:40 10:40 to 11:00 11:00 to 12:40 12:40 to 13:40 13:40 to 14:45 14:45 to 15:00 15:00 to 16:00

Intensive 30 with Conversation, Business English, TOEFL/TOEIC & Mini Group Lessons 1&2 (Monday Friday)
BREAK Lesson 3&4 (Monday Friday) LUNCH Lesson 5 BREAK Lesson 6 -FINISH(Monday Thursday)

Cambridge Preparation
Lessons 1&2 (Monday Friday) BREAK Lesson 3 & 4 (Monday Friday) LUNCH Lesson 5 BREAK Lesson 6 -FINISH (Monday Thursday)

5. What is the maximum/average class size?

The maximum class size is 15. Our average class size is 10-11.

6. What levels are offered and how fast does a student progress from level to level?
There are 5 levels: Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, and Advanced. Students usually advance to a higher level after 6-10 weeks of study, depending on the level and the student.

7. When are the start dates?

Start dates for General English courses are every Monday (excluding holidays). Start dates for other courses can be found on our website www.lsi-canada.com

8. Are textbooks included in the fees?

Materials for class use are included in your course fees. Students use class sets of books in the classroom and receive supplementary hand-outs. Books are not given to students to keep as a variety of different texts are used. Students who would like to own any particular book can receive help purchasing it through the LSI office.

9. Do I receive a free certificate when the course has ended?

Yes, provided you have attended at least 80% of the course and have maintained a mark of 70%.

10. Can I switch my course type/length once I have started it or decide to add an additional course?
Course changes are generally not permitted after the course has started. For example, changing from 30 lessons per week to 20 lessons per week or shortening courses is not permitted. However, students may add extra lessons (e.g. afternoon or individual lessons) or add additional weeks to their course. Students can make arrangements to do so through the LSI Registrar or with their booking agent. Bookings should be made as early as possible. If students wish to extend their accommodation, they may, subject to availability. If they extend late, it is possible that the host family may already be fully booked with other students; however, in this case, we can usually find a new host family.

11. Can I study at more than one location?

Yes, for example, a student might enrol for 10 weeks of the Intensive 30 course, spending 6 weeks in Boston and 4 weeks in Toronto, or a student might choose to study for 12 weeks in Vancouver and 12 weeks in Toronto during a 24-week ISY course. Please contact us for more details.

SECTION SIX: ORIENTATION

1. What time should I arrive on my first day, and what should I bring?
Please arrive at 8:50 a.m. to fill in the necessary paperwork and take a placement test to determine your level of English. We will provide you with books to use during class and other learning materials, so you will only need to bring a pen and your passport, as well as a signed document from your host if you are staying in homestay. After an orientation session, you will join classes from 1:40 pm on Monday or from 9:00 am on Tuesday morning.

SECTION SEVEN: ACCOMMODATION

1. What types of accommodation do you offer?
Our carefully selected host families offer friendly, comfortable surroundings. All of them meet the standards of our national accreditation bodies. Students may choose Bed & Breakfast, Half Board (breakfast and dinner), or Full Board (three meals per day). Students must opt for a single room if they book individually but, when 2 students book together for the same dates, they may request a shared room. A couple may share a bed, and friends and siblings may each have a single bed in a shared room or a single room each in the same homestay. These special requests must be made at the time of booking and are subject to availability. As an alternative to staying in a host family, we also offer residential accommodation during the summer, where students stay in a residence with other guests from Canada and other countries. Please note that the minimum age is 18. We also offer the option of hotels and hotel-suites. Please contact us for more information and prices.

2. How far will my homestay be from the school?

Most journeys take an average of 30-40 minutes (door-to-door). This is a normal commuting time in Toronto.

3. Are the homestays inspected by the school?

Yes, our accommodation officer inspects all homestays.

4. When do I arrive at my homestay and when do I leave?

Students may stay with their host families from Sat. to Sat. or Sun. to Sun. For example, they can arrive on the Saturday before the course starts and leave on the Saturday after the course finishes. Arrivals should not be scheduled after 11:00 p.m. Weekday arrivals can be arranged (at the extra night rate) only with the approval of the school.

5. What do the families provide?

Your host family will provide a single room (with a bed, closet and/or a dresser, bed linens and towels, and a desk or writing table), meals according to your meal choice and a friendly, inviting, and interactive environment. Host families are expected to spend as much time with you as possible, and they must provide a sit-down dinner daily (unless you have booked our B&B meal choice).

6. When do I have to pay for the accommodation fees?

We require payment in advance for the accommodation period for which you have booked. For example, if a student books a 4-month course AND 4 months of accommodation, we expect that all of the accommodation fees be paid in advance. If a long-term student wishes to book homestay for their entire stay, they may pay 2 months in advance and then on a month-to-month basis or they may book fewer weeks of accommodation. However, if a student wishes to extend, it may not be possible to continue staying with the same host family since we may have placed another student in the home by then. We only book students into families for the time that has been paid for in advance. If students stay in a residence, they must pay in advance for the full accommodation. We do not accept monthly payments for residential accommodation.

7. Do I need to pay for my homestay over Christmas break if I take a holiday?

It is your choice to keep the room during the holidays or move out. We will accommodate either choice and charge the appropriate fee. Not every host family accepts students over the Christmas break due to family commitments and travel, so it is best to book this in advance so that we can find a suitable host family for you. If students stay in a host family over the Christmas break, the payment rate is the same as published in the LSI brochure for B&B, HB and FB accommodation. For students staying in residential accommodation, there is no reduction in accommodation fees if you take a holiday.

SECTION EIGHT: SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

1. Are social activities offered during the weekdays and/or weekends?
Yes, we provide a variety of weekly activities, which vary from week to week and from season to season. We also organise weekend excursions to various cities around Toronto. Sample weekday activities include: museum visits, karaoke/party night, sightseeing walks, sports activities, attending sports matches, attending theatre performances, and seasonal activities for holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Halloween. On weekends, students may go on guided tours to locations outside of Toronto such as Niagara Falls, New York, Quebec/Montreal/Ottawa, ski resorts or attend Canadas Wonderland (an amusement park). There are also guided tours to cities in the United States (visa required in some cases) such as Chicago and New York.

2. Do I have to pay for social activities?

We schedule regular free activities; for other activities, there might be a small fee, and weekend excursions will be more costly.

SECTION NINE: AIRPORT TRANSFER

1. Are airport transfers available?
Yes, at an additional cost. Please let us know the date, time of arrival, flight number and prefix, airport of departure and airport of arrival (e.g., 10 March 2011, 13.00, AC 007 from Tokyo). If you are unsure of the terminal number (if there is one) we can find this out for you, providing we have all the other specified information.

Airport Pearson International

Cost (One way) $110

2. Who meets me at the airport and where?

You will be met in the arrivals lobby by your host family, an LSI staff member, or a designated school driver. We will send you a letter explaining the airport procedure, including information on where to meet the driver, who will be holding the LSI sign with your name on it

SECTION TEN: PAYMENTS/CANCELLATIONS/REFUNDS

1. How do I pay for my LSI course?
Course fees must be paid before your course starts in cash, by bank transfer, or by providing us with your credit card/debit card details. Once payment is received, we will send you a Letter of Acceptance. If you send a bank transfer, please quote your agency name and the students name and fax or email a copy of the bank transfer receipt to us. We also accept payment by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express). Please ask us for a credit card authorization form. If you would like to pay in another currency, please let us know at the time of booking. *Please quote the REFERENCE or INVOICE number when making a payment. If you are paying with a credit card, the payment can only be in Canadian dollars. (Vancouver banking information is for both our Vancouver and Toronto schools.)

Name Postal Address A/C Name BANK CODE A/C No Swift Code 2. Can I receive an invoice?

Royal Bank of Canada 1025 West Georgia St Vancouver, BC V6E 3N9 Language Studies International 003 126-733-5 ROYCCAT2

Yes, we will send you an invoice along with a course confirmation letter upon booking.

3. What are your payment terms and conditions?

Please refer to the terms and conditions online at http://www.lsi.edu/en/terms.shtml or if you are an agency, refer to the contract that was provided to you by our Marketing Department.

4. How do I cancel a course, and will I get a refund for the course and/or the accommodation?
Please refer to LSI Canadas Refund Policy for details about course refunds. Course refunds are given in case of illness only (on production of a medical certificate). If students have any problem or complaint during their course, they should talk to us and we will try our best to help. Accommodation refunds are fine as long as LSI is given a full four weeks notice. Weeks run from Sat -Sat or Sun-Sun. For information on the charges for cancellations and late postponements, please refer to the LSI Terms and Conditions http://www.lsi.edu/en/terms.shtml or, if you are an Agent, to the LSI Agents Manual.

SECTION ELEVEN: PERSONAL

1. Who can I talk to if I have a problem? May I speak my own language?
If you have a problem, please talk with any of our teachers or office staff. We are all here to help! Although we do speak a number of languages other than English, we may not speak your specific language, but we will do what we can to solve any problems that you might have.

2. Can I get a job while I am studying at LSI?

Foreign students and visitors to Canada must have a valid work permit to be employed in Canada.

3. Can I arrange work experience through LSI?

Yes, LSI offers Paid and Unpaid Work Placements as well as Self-Placements for students who complete an LSI course. Applications for work experiences must be made at least 12 weeks in advance of the estimated start date, so students need to plan ahead if they want to participate. There are also visa requirements involved, depending on the type of work experience they choose. This requires advance planning. Please contact us for further information.

4. Can I apply for a student bank account?

Students can only open a bank account if they are studying in long-term courses. Please ask the office staff during the first week, and we will provide a letter that you can take to the bank with your passport/national ID and evidence of a Canadian residence.

5. What happens if I get sick?

You must have medical insurance to cover this possibility. LSI Toronto can provide this if you have do not have your own. Our downtown location is close to walk-in clinics. Your host family can let you know of a clinic or hospital closer to your home. Upon arrival at LSI, you will get an information package that includes information for all your needs in Toronto.

6. Do you offer insurance?

Yes. Medical Insurance may be purchased from LSI upon booking or once you have arrived at school. Further information and prices are available on request. We strongly recommend that you book travel/medical insurance before travelling, whether you book with LSI or find your own insurance cover. The cost can be less than $2 per day.

7. Can I take holidays during my course?

Yes. You might be entitled to take a 1 to 2-week holiday depending on the type and length of your course. You will then be able to extend your course by the number of weeks holiday you took from school at no extra cost; however, if you also need to extend your homestay for this extra time, you will need to pay for this. Please get permission from the school before taking a holiday!

8. Do I need a visa to study at your school?

Please contact the Canadian Embassy in your country for visa application information and procedures: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp LSI Toronto 1055 Yonge Street, Suite 210 Toronto, ON Canada M4W 2L2 Tel: +1 416-928-6888 Fax: +1 416-928-3388 Email: tor@lsi.edu Website: www.lsi-canada.com

We look forward to seeing you soon!