English schools

The English Language Centre (ELC)

ELC is a not-for-profit organisation with 3 year-round schools in Brighton, Chester and Eastbourne teaching English to overseas students aged 16+. ELC is the top-ranked group of schools in the UK based on British Council inspection reports with ELC Brighton and ELC Chester jointly ranked #1. To ensure quality in every area ELC manages all aspects of the programmes including accommodation, social programme, and airport transfers. We keep a balance of nationalities and students benefit from very experienced, well-qualified teachers as well as welcoming host families or modern student residences.

Prices starting from

£400

Start your application with us!

JANUARY 2026 FIRST INTAKE DEADLINE FOR COURSES WITH A STUDENT VISA: JULY 10TH

Spots are limited, and deadlines are subject to change. We recommend all students to contact Go! Go! Nihon and submit their application well in advance of the deadline. We are also accepting early applications for the April 2026 term.

The English Language Centre (ELC)

School features

Course Starts Every Week

Flexible weekly start dates make it easy for students to begin at a time that suits their schedule, without waiting for long-term intake periods.

TOEIC Preparation

A structured programme covering test strategies, practice questions, and targeted skill building. Students develop the accuracy and speed needed to improve their scores.

IELTS Preparation

Specialist training for the Academic or General IELTS exam. Courses focus on helping students achieve a competitive score.

The English Language Centre (ELC)

Our Courses

The English Language Centre (ELC)

General English 25

The General English 25 course is designed to develop your overall confidence and fluency in English. It consists of 20 core morning lessons focusing on speaking, listening, reading, writing, and grammar, plus 5 afternoon elective lessons where you can study specific topics like conversation, exam preparation, or English for Work.

Course length

1-52 weeks. Up to 6 months no visa required for some nationalities. For 6-11 months you need a short-term study visa or YMS visa.

Available starts

Start any Monday apart from 2 weeks over Christmas

Schedule (weekdays)

Morning class: (Monday to Friday)
09.00-10.30
11.00-12.30

Afternoon class: 13.30-14.25 (Monday to Thursday)

Course hours per week: 25 lessons (18.75 hours)

Other features

English Test prep elective classes
We offer electives preparing for all aspects of Cambridge First and advanced exams, IELTS and TOEIC

Higher education prep elective class
We offer Academic English electives to prepare you for university study and higher education skills.

Conversation class
We offer specific electives focused on speaking, pronunciation, and listening practice.

Business class
We offer an English for Work elective that prepares you to work in the future. You'll cover writing resumes, business vocabulary and practising interviews.

1 week
to 3 months

3 months
to 6 months

6 months
to 9 months

9 months
to 1 year

1 week

£400

2 weeks

£800

3 weeks

£1,200

4 weeks (≈ 1 month)

£1,600

5 weeks

£1,950

6 weeks

£2,340

7 weeks

£2,730

8 weeks (≈ 2 months)

£3,000

9 weeks

£3,375

10 weeks

£3,750

11 weeks

£4,125

12 weeks (≈ 3 months)

£4,380

13 weeks

£4,745

14 weeks

£5,110

15 weeks

£5,475

16 weeks (≈ 4 months)

£5,840

17 weeks

£6,205

18 weeks

£6,570

19 weeks

£6,935

20 weeks

£6,600

21 weeks (≈ 5 months)

£6,930

22 weeks

£7,260

23 weeks

£7,590

24 weeks

£7,920

25 weeks

£8,250

26 weeks (≈ 6 months)

£8,580

27 weeks

£8,910

28 weeks

£9,240

29 weeks

£9,570

30 weeks (≈ 7 months)

£9,900

31 weeks

£10,230

32 weeks

£10,560

33 weeks

£10,890

34 weeks

£11,220

35 weeks (≈ 8 months)

£11,550

36 weeks

£11,880

37 weeks

£12,210

38 weeks

£12,540

39 weeks (≈ 9 months)

£12,870

40 weeks

£13,200

41 weeks

£13,530

42 weeks

£13,860

43 weeks (≈ 10 months)

£14,190

44 weeks

£14,520

45 weeks

£14,850

46 weeks

£15,180

47 weeks

£15,510

48 weeks (≈ 11 months)

£15,840

Registration fee

£100

Registration fee is not included in the price. Courses lasting 9 weeks or more do not require a registration fee.

General English 25

Total course costs

Disclaimer: Prices are estimated based on the latest exchange rates.

Course books and materials included. Fees don’t include insurance, accommodation, or exam fees unless specified.

Registration fee

£100

The English Language Centre (ELC)

General English 30

The General English 30 course is a highly intensive programme for students who want to maximize their learning. It includes 20 core morning lessons focusing on speaking, listening, reading, writing, and grammar, combined with 10 afternoon elective lessons where you can choose two different specializations (like exam prep and English for work).

Course length

1-52 weeks. Up to 6 months; no visa required for some nationalities.
For 6-11 months, you need a short-term study visa or a YMS visa.

Available starts

Start any Monday apart from 2 weeks over Christmas

Schedule (weekdays)

Morning class: (Monday to Friday)
09.00-10.30
11.00-12.30

Afternoon class: 13.30-15.30(Monday to Thursday)

Course hours per week: 30 lessons (22.5 hours)

Other features

English Test prep elective classes
We offer electives preparing for all aspects of Cambridge First and advanced exams, IELTS and TOEIC

Higher education prep elective class
We offer Academic English electives to prepare you for university study and higher education skills.

Conversation class
We offer specific electives focused on speaking, pronunciation, and listening practice.

Business class
We offer an English for Work elective that prepares you to work in the future. You'll cover writing resumes, business vocabulary and practising interviews.

1 week
to 3 months

3 months
to 6 months

6 months
to 9 months

9 months
to 1 year

1 week

£485

2 weeks

£970

3 weeks

£1,455

4 weeks (≈ 1 month)

£1,940

5 weeks

£2,375

6 weeks

£2,850

7 weeks

£3,325

8 weeks (≈ 2 months)

£3,600

9 weeks

£4,050

10 weeks

£4,500

11 weeks

£4,950

12 weeks (≈ 3 months)

£5,280

13 weeks

£5,720

14 weeks

£6,160

15 weeks

£6,600

16 weeks (≈ 4 months)

£7,040

17 weeks

£7,480

18 weeks

£7,920

19 weeks

£8,360

20 weeks

£7,900

21 weeks (≈ 5 months)

£8,295

22 weeks

£8,690

23 weeks

£9,085

24 weeks

£9,480

25 weeks

£9,875

26 weeks (≈ 6 months)

£10,270

27 weeks

£10,665

28 weeks

£11,060

29 weeks

£11,455

30 weeks (≈ 7 months)

£11,850

31 weeks

£12,245

32 weeks

£12,640

33 weeks

£13,035

34 weeks

£13,430

35 weeks (≈ 8 months)

£13,825

36 weeks

£14,220

37 weeks

£14,615

38 weeks

£15,010

39 weeks (≈ 9 months)

£15,405

40 weeks

£15,800

41 weeks

£16,195

42 weeks

£16,590

43 weeks (≈ 10 months)

£16,985

44 weeks

£17,380

45 weeks

£17,775

46 weeks

£18,170

47 weeks

£18,565

48 weeks (≈ 11 months)

£18,960

Registration fee

£100

Registration fee is not included in the price. Courses lasting 9 weeks or more do not require a registration fee.

General English 30

Total course costs

Disclaimer: Prices are estimated based on the latest exchange rates.

Course books and materials are included. Fees don’t include insurance, accommodation, or exam fees unless specified.

Registration fee

£100

COURSE DETAILS

The English Language Centre (ELC)

BEGINNER
You can understand and use very basic vocabulary and grammar. You can ask and answer very simple questions about yourself.

INTERMEDIATE
You can use English to express simple ideas and achieve results. You can use a range of basic language well in most situations.

ADVANCED
You can use and understand complex language. You can use English well in all but the most demanding situations.

The English Language Centre (ELC)

Study Year Programme

The Study Year Programme at ELC Brighton is designed to develop overall confidence and fluency in English and communicate effectively in English. It also provides a comprehensive language programme designed to help you improve, which will help you prepare for your future and achieve internationally recognised exam qualifications. It offer classes at levels from Elementary to Advanced. You can choose to take intesive exam preparation courses (e.g., IELTS and Cambridge B2 and C1) as well as electives for TOEIC and English for Work. Included in the SYP fees are 1x free airport transfer on arrival plus 1 x free official examination.

Course length

6-11 months. Japanese/Koreans can stay up to 6 months, visa-free. For 6-11 months, you need a short-terms study visa or YMS visa.

Available starts

Every Monday

Schedule (weekdays)

Morning class: 09:00 - 10:30 (Monday to Friday)

Afternoon class: 13.30 - 14:30 or 15:30 (Monday to Thursday)

Course hours per week: 25 or 30 lessons (18.75 or 22.5 hours)

Other features

English Test prep elective classes
We offer electives preparing for all aspects of Cambridge First and advanced exams, IELTS and TOEIC

Business classes
We offer an English for Work elective that prepares you to work in the future. You'll cover writing resumes, business vocabulary and practising interviews

1 week
to 3 months

3 months
to 6 months

6 months
to 9 months

9 months
to 1 year

1 week

–

2 weeks

–

3 weeks

–

4 weeks (≈ 1 month)

–

5 weeks

–

6 weeks

–

7 weeks

–

8 weeks (≈ 2 months)

–

9 weeks

–

10 weeks

–

11 weeks

–

12 weeks (≈ 3 months)

–

13 weeks

–

14 weeks

–

15 weeks

–

16 weeks (≈ 4 months)

–

17 weeks

–

18 weeks

–

19 weeks

–

20 weeks

–

21 weeks (≈ 5 months)

–

22 weeks

–

23 weeks

–

24 weeks

£6,720

25 weeks

£7,000

26 weeks (≈ 6 months)

£7,280

27 weeks

£7,560

28 weeks

£7,840

29 weeks

£8,120

30 weeks (≈ 7 months)

£8,400

31 weeks

£8,680

32 weeks

£8,960

33 weeks

£9,240

34 weeks

£9,010

35 weeks (≈ 8 months)

£9,275

36 weeks

£9,540

37 weeks

£9,805

38 weeks

£10,070

39 weeks (≈ 9 months)

£10,335

40 weeks

£10,600

41 weeks

£10,865

42 weeks

£11,130

43 weeks (≈ 10 months)

£11,395

44 weeks

£11,660

45 weeks

£11,925

46 weeks

£12,190

47 weeks

£12,455

48 weeks (≈ 11 months)

£12,720

Registration fee

£100

Registration fee is not included in the price. Courses lasting 9 weeks or more do not require a registration fee.

Study Year Programme

Total course costs

Disclaimer: Prices are estimated based on the latest exchange rates.

Course books and materials included. For 24+ week bookings, 1 free airport transfer and 1 free exam.
Fees don’t include insurance, accommodation or exam fees unless specified.

Registration fee

£100

COURSE DETAILS

The English Language Centre (ELC)

BEGINNER

You can understand and use very basic vocabulary and grammar.
You can ask and answer very simple questions about yourself.

INTERMEDIATE

You can use English to express simple ideas and achieve results.
You can use a range of basic language well in most situations.

ADVANCED

You can use and understand complex language.
You can use English well in all but the most demanding situations.

The English Language Centre (ELC)

Campuses & Location

Brighton

Located in Brighton, ELC English language school is located on beautiful Palmeira Square, just 5 minutes’ walk from the beach. Also within 5 minutes’ walk of the school are many shops, restaurants, cafes and convenience stores. Brighton is a lively, cosmopolitan city one hour from central London. Famous attractions include Brighton Pier, The Royal Pavilion and the Lanes. The North Laine area is unique in English cities with its many independent shops, cafes, boutiques and second-hand clothes shops. Brighton has some of the best shopping and nightlife on the south-coast of England and is easily walkable.

2 minutes on foot from the bus station

Lines: 1, 1X, 2, 5, 5A, 5B, 6, 25, 46, 49, 71, 71A, 96, 700 Coastliner, N1, N5, N700 coastliner

Eastbourne

ELC Eastbourne is located in the centre of Eastbourne, a seaside town of about 100,000 just 90 minutes from London and 30 minutes from Brighton. Eastbourne is a peaceful, safe town famous for its beautiful setting between the green hills of the South Downs, the white cliffs of Seven Sisters and the sea. The school is about 5 minutes’ walk to the sea and to main shopping mall.

5 minutes’ walk to the train station

Southern line

Chester

ELC Chester is located in a quiet square within the old city walls of the Roman city of Chester. With over 2000 years of history, Chester is a unique English city offering the perfect combination of tradition and modern, culture. it is a safe, welcoming city with excellent shopping, a vibrant nightlife and many independent shops/cafés. The school is about a 5-minute walk to the city centre.