Language Studies International 2013

LSI Brisbane Frequently Asked Questions

SECTION ONE: SCHOOL DETAILS
1. Where is LSI Brisbane and what are the schools contact details? School Name Street Address Postal Address Telephone Fax Email Website LSI Brisbane 93 Edward Street Brisbane QLD 4000 GPO Box 2956 Brisbane QLD 4001 +61 7 3221 6977 +61 7 3221 6861 bne@lsi.edu www.lsi.edu/en/Brisbane.html

LSI Brisbane is located in the centre of Brisbane, close to shops, cinemas, coffee shops, banks and public transport. Our school is on the corner of Edward and Mary Street a short walk from Queen Street Mall. 2. What is the building/area like? LSI Brisbane is located in a heritage building in the heart of the city close to shops, restaurants and public transport links. It is only a short walk to the sophisticated Queen Street Mall and the heart of Queensland's retail and financial districts. The riverside Botanical Gardens are within easy reach of the school. The school is fully air-conditioned, and there are kitchen facilities on both floors, as well as a computer room with free internet access, wireless access throughout the school and a library for quiet study. 3. When are the school holidays? The school is closed over Christmas from 21 December 2013 to 5 January 2014 inclusive. We are also closed on national Australian holidays. Please check our current brochure for dates.

SECTION TWO: TEACHERS

1. How many teachers do you have? We have between 8 and 10 regular teachers and 3 or 4 additional part-time teachers. 2. What are your teacher qualifications? All our teachers are qualified and experienced TESOL teachers who meet the requirements of the accrediting agency, NEAS.

SECTION THREE: STUDENTS

1. Where do your students come from? Nationalities and percentages vary widely during the year, but during 2012 we welcomed students from 36 different countries! Our top nationalities included Korean, German, Japanese, Colombian, Spanish, Taiwanese, Italian and Turkish.

2. How many students do you have during high and low seasons? We have about 130 students during the high season (summer months) and about 100 students during the low season (winter months). 3. What is the minimum and average age of your students? The minimum age is 16 years old. The average age of our students is between 23 and 27 years old, but students of all ages feel comfortable with us! 4. What is the average and maximum number of students per class? The average class size is 12. The maximum number of students in a class is 15.

SECTION FOUR: FACILITIES

1. What facilities are available to students? Facilities for study: a computer room with broadband internet connection a library with audio-visual learning resources and books for students to read well-equipped classrooms Facilities for leisure Lunch room, up-to-date magazines, a hot water dispenser, microwaves and refrigerators WiFi connection throughout the school. 2. Do you have free computer/internet/WiFi internet access? Yes, we have 14 computers connected to the internet as well as high-speed wireless internet access which is available free to all our students. It can be accessed from all areas of the school. 3. How many classrooms are there? There are 9 classrooms. 4. Do you have a cafeteria? No, but we are very close to many affordable cafes, restaurants, sandwich bars and supermarkets or you may bring lunch and eat it in our student lunch room. We have six microwaves and three fridges.

SECTION FIVE: COURSES

1. What levels are offered and how fast does a student progress from level to level? Normally there are 6 levels: Pre-Elementary, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, UpperIntermediate and Advanced. Students usually advance levels after 10 weeks of study but this depends on the level and also depends on the student. 2. When are the start dates? Start dates for General English courses are every Monday (excluding holidays). Start dates for other courses can be found at http://www.lsi.edu/en/australia fees.html. 3. What is the maximum/average class size? The maximum class size is 15. Our average class size is 12.

4. What courses do you offer? Course name Standard 20 (9.00am 12.50pm) Intensive 24* (9.00am 3.20pm two days/week 9.00am 12.50pm three days/week) Intensive 30* (9.00am 3.20pm) Plus Courses (additional 5 or 10 lessons a week) PET*, FCE*, CAE * (9.00am3.20pm) International School Year* Course type General English + electives General English + electives Number of lessons/week 20 24

General English + electives One-to-One (in addition to Standard or Intensive course) Cambridge Exam General English + Exam preparation/Business English One-to-one

30 5 or 10 x 45 minute lessons 24/30 24 or 30

One-to-one

IELTS Intensive Preparation* IELTS Exam preparation (9.00am-3.20pm) Club 50+ (package program) General English Business English Preparation Business English BEC V (Cambridge BEC)* (9.00am-3.20) Preparation *These courses are suitable for student visas. Intensive 30 General English Afternoon Electives Level Skills PET Focus

10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 x 45 minute lessons 24 or 30 20 24 or 30

Exam preparation TOEIC

Exam Preparation TOEFL / IELTS/BEC V

Modular English for Business

Beginner & Elementary Pre-Intermediate Intermediate Upper-Intermediate & Advanced

We also offer students the opportunity to study for 12 weeks at LSI Brisbane and 12 weeks at LSI Auckland or LSI Christchurch! Please contact us for more information as a two centre course must be booked at the time of the original booking. For more information and course descriptions please visit our website at: http://www.lsi.edu/en/general.shtml, and http://www.lsi.edu/en/australia.html. 5. Do you offer work experience? We are able to offer paid and unpaid internships for a fee. We also offer free job assistance. 6. What is the length of each lesson? All lessons are 50 minutes except One-to-One lessons which are 45 minutes.
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7. What is a typical class timetable like?

Hours 9.00 10:40 10:40 11:10 11:10 12:50 12:50 13:40 13:40 15:20

Standard 20 Lessons 1 & 2 BREAK Lessons 3 & 4 FINISH

Intensive 30 Lessons 1 & 2 BREAK Lessons 3 & 4 LUNCH Lessons 5 & 6

Intensive 24 Lessons 1 & 2 BREAK Lessons 3 & 4 LUNCH Either Monday & Tuesday or Wednesday & Thursday FINISH

8. Are textbooks included in the fees? Students pay a Course Materials Fee and students who study for 3 weeks or more are given a text book in each level; students also use class sets in the classroom and receive handouts to supplement the lessons. 9. Do you receive a free certificate once the course has ended? Yes, as long as you have attended at least 80% of the course. 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. (e.g. 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. And students can add additional weeks to their course provided their visa is valid. The student 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, this is fine too, but is subject to availability. If they extend late, it is possible that the host family may be booked up 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 6 weeks of the Intensive 30 course in Brisbane and 4 weeks in Auckland. Remember that these LSI schools are in different countries, and bookings must be made at the time of the original booking so that you can apply for the correct visas. 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 promptly at 8:45 to fill in necessary paperwork. We start at 9.00, and on your first day you will have a placement test and a short interview. You will meet staff members, and receive information about the school and Brisbane. You will need to bring a pen and paper. If you have booked an Intensive 30 or Intensive 24 course, you will join classes in the afternoon of your first day. If you have booked a Standard 20 course, you will join your class the next morning.

SECTION SEVEN: ACCOMMODATION

1. What types of accommodation do you offer?
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Our carefully selected host families offer friendly, comfortable surroundings. Students may choose Half Board (breakfast and dinner included Monday to Friday, and three meals per day Saturday, Sunday and

public holidays) or Bed & Breakfast. (Please note that Bed & Breakfast is not a self-catering arrangement and students do not have the use of the familys kitchen.) We also offer an Executive Homestay where students have a private bathroom. This option is limited, and early bookings are recommended. When 2 students book together for the same dates, they may choose a twin room to share together if they wish, otherwise all bookings are for single rooms. As an alternative to staying in a host family, we also offer residential accommodation. Here, students stay in a residence with other International students. Please note that the minimum age is 18. 2. How far will my homestay be from the school? Most homestays are in Zones 1 and 2 - journeys take an average of 35 minutes. This is normal commuting time in Brisbane. 3. Are the homestays inspected by the school? Yes, our accommodation officer inspects all homestays and monitors them for quality on a regular basis. 4. When do I arrive at my homestay and when do I leave? Students may stay with their host families from Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun. For example, they can arrive on the Saturday before the course starts and leave on the Saturday after the course finishes. 5. What do the host families provide? Bed linen and towels are provided and laundered weekly. Also the host family will provide either the service of washing clothes once per week or access to the facilities. Students should provide personal toiletry and grooming items such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush, manicure items, combs and hair dryers. 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 are paid in advance. If a long-term student wishes to only book four weeks of accommodation, that is also possible, but they may not be able to continue staying in that same family after four weeks, as 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. 7. Do I need to pay for my homestay over Christmas break? If I take a holiday? Yes, although 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 we can try to find a suitable host family If students fly home for Christmas, and wish to return to the same host family, we would charge the room retainer fee for the Christmas week ($50 per week). If students prefer not to pay this room retainer fee then they will be allocated a new host family after Christmas. If students are away from their host family for full weeks (e.g. from Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun), then they will be charged a room retainer fee of $50.00 per week, instead of the full price. LSI pays this fee to the host family for them to keep the room free for the students return. Also the student can then leave their luggage in their room while they are away. For students staying in residential accommodation, there is no reduction in accommodation fees if you take a holiday.

8. Is there a supplement for under 18 year old students? Yes, students who are under eighteen are required to take full board and both airport pick up and drop off. The price of the U18 Supplement is $80 dollars per week. The price of an airport transfer is $100 each way. 9. Do you charge a supplement for special diets? Yes, for diets where three or more foods are not eaten, or where special food has to be prepared. For example, the supplement is charged for vegan, Halal, Kosher, gluten free and lactose/fructose intolerant diets.

SECTION EIGHT: SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

1. Are social activities offered during the weekdays and/or weekends? After school activities are available on three afternoons per week. They include social or cultural activities such as a BBQ in the park or a trip to the museum as well as job seeking help every Monday. There are a lot of weekend excursions (for a single day or the whole weekend) to various points of interest such as The Great Barrier Reef, Moreton Island, Byron Bay, Stradbroke Island and Rainforests that are offered by our tour providers and can be booked through the school. . 2. Do I have to pay for social activities? Most social activities at the school are free (unless there is an entrance fee) but there is a fee for other activities such as the ones at weekends.

SECTION NINE: AIRPORT TRANSFER

1. Are airport transfers available? Yes. Please let us know the date, time of arrival, airline, flight number and airport of departure. E.g. 17 May 2012, 13.00, QF 350 from Tokyo Narita. Airport transfers are available 7 days per week from both Brisbane Domestic and Brisbane International airports. Airport Cost (One way) Brisbane $100 Underage students are required to book airport transfers both ways, so that we can be sure of their safety. If your flight arrival time is changed, you must give us at least 24 hours notice by email or fax of the new time, otherwise you will be required to pay for the original airport transfer and the new one. Please note that LSI Brisbane is closed and cannot receive flight changes on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. If your flight is delayed during transit and you do not arrive at the time you have given us, you will have to take a taxi at your expense when you arrive in Brisbane. We cannot arrange a transfer at short notice. However, you can phone the school mobile 0405 550 651 and leave your name and new arrival time so that your host family can be notified. 2. Who meets me at the airport and where? After booking the airport transfer, we will send you a letter which explains the airport meeting procedure, including information on how to identify the driver.

SECTION TEN: PAYMENTS/CANCELLATIONS/REFUNDS

1. How do I pay for my LSI course? Course fees must be paid before your course starts. Payment can be made in cash, by bank transfer or by providing us with your credit card/debit card details. If you do send a bank transfer, please quote your agency name and the student name, and fax/email a copy of the bank transfer receipt to us. Alternatively, we also accept payment by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express). Please ask us for a credit card authorisation form.
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Our bank details are as follows:

Name Postal Address A/C Name BSB A/C No Swift Code

ANZ Bank 324 Queen Street Brisbane QLD Australia 4000 Language Studies International 014-002 900677551 ANZ BAU 3M

2. Can I receive an invoice? Yes, we will send you an invoice along with a course confirmation letter when you book. 3. What are your payment terms and conditions? Please refer to LSI Brisbanes enrolment form or check online at http://www.lsi.edu/en/terms.shtml or if you are an agency, refer to the contract which 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? It is not LSI policy to offer course refunds after the course has started. 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 one full weeks notice (weeks run from Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun). For information on the charges for cancellations and late postponements, please refer to LSI Brisbane Terms and Conditions or 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? Can I speak my own language? If you have a problem please speak to the person responsible for the area: For classes or homework, speak to your teacher or the Director of Studies; For accommodation matters, speak to our Accommodation Coordinator; For personal matters, speak to our Student Counsellor or one of our bi-lingual Welfare Counsellors who speak Korean, Japanese and Chinese. All LSI Brisbane staff are happy to speak to you at any time, and the Principal is always available. You may bring a friend with you for support when you speak to any member of staff. 2. Can I get a job while I am studying at LSI? It depends on the type of visa you have. Students with Working Holiday Visas (available for some countries check online at www.immi.gov.au) can work. If you have a student visa you can work up to 20 hours per week when you have started your course. If you have a tourist visa, you are not allowed to work. You should check with the Australian Embassy in your country or online for information on rules and regulations. 3. Can I arrange work experience through LSI? Yes, LSI offers both Paid and Unpaid Work Placements (for an additional fee) for students who complete an LSI course. Applications for work experiences must be made at least 16 weeks in advance of the estimated start date, so students need to plan ahead if they want to participate. There are also visa issues involved depending on the type of work experience they choose, so again this requires advanced planning. Please contact us for further information. We also offer help to look for work and teachers will check application letters and CVs.

4. Can I apply for a student bank account? Students are able to open a bank account, and they should ask at LSI Reception during their first week, and we will give them a letter which they should take to the bank, along with their passport. 5. What happens if I get sick? LSI Brisbane is close to several doctors surgeries. Upon arrival you will get an information pack that includes information for all your needs in Brisbane. We recommend that all students take out travel insurance to cover illness and hospital treatment before they leave home. 6. Do you offer insurance? Students who have student visas have the compulsory government medical insurance, Overseas Student Health Cover, included in their invoice from LSI Brisbane, and they will receive their medical insurance card during their first week. This insurance covers 85% of the doctors schedule fee (many doctors charge more than the schedule fee, so be prepared to pay the difference) and treatment in a public hospital. It does not cover any illnesses you had before you came to Australia, pregnancy, optical or dental treatment. We recommend that you take travel insurance to cover these before you leave home. 7. Can I take a holiday during my course? It depends on your visa but all students are entitled to 1 week holiday at Christmas. 8. Do I need a visa to study at your school? Yes. Please contact the Australian Embassy in your country for visa application information and procedures, http://www.immi.gov.au.

If you have any additional questions that we have not answered Please contact us at LSI Brisbane 93 Edward Street Brisbane 4000 QLD Phone: +61 7 3221 69 77 Fax: +61 7 3221 68 61 Email: bne@LSI.edu
Registered provider: Language Studies International Australia Pty Ltd CRICOS Provider number: 01678A

We look forward to seeing you soon!