We’ll be your guide as you explore the English language
Learn English to enhance and expand your career options and open up the world of education. The courses offered by EC are suitable for all levels of understanding, and are designed to focus on the area of your choice.
Choose an Academic, Business or General English Course and study in the company of like-minded individuals from all over the world in exciting cities like New York, London or Los Angeles.
With the help of supportive, experienced teachers, state of the art facilities and the very best teaching materials, you’ll enjoy a life-changing experience and leave with the skills needed to pursue your dream.
The Orange Carpet Experience
EC’s Orange Carpet Experience was the Silver Star Award winner in the 2016 UK Customer Experience Awards, setting a new standard for student care in our industry. The award recognises organisations for excellence in customer service, and our goal is to continue showing you what it means to be a VIP. From the moment you book with us until you complete your journey, you will always know you’re our star!
The EC Promise and what it means to you
Here at EC, our aim is simple. We’re here to help you set achievable goals, and give you the support you need to reach them. We provide the knowledge of language learning, the learning environment and social programme you need to make the most of your stay.
Our unique EC Promise means that, as long as you follow your personalised learning programme, we promise that your English will improve.
San Francisco is a charming, creative city
The city’s Victorian heritage mingles its tradition of nurturing digital pioneers and innovative thinkers. San Francisco has always attracted creative and enterprising people who find inspiration in the city’s majestic views. If this sounds like you, then San Francisco could be the perfect place for your EC Experience.
At EC San Francisco, you will improve your level and maximise your skills at a pace that works for you. If you are anywhere between a Beginner and Advanced student, you will improve quickly and effectively while gaining confidence in speaking, listening, reading and writing English.
Learn English in San Francisco, a colourful and creative city. You’ll thrive in the EC learning environment, with fun, interesting lessons and professional teachers who want to see you succeed.
Our students come from all over the world. You will be exposed to different cultures, broaden your worldview and make lasting friendships as you practise and improve your skills with like-minded people in San Francisco.
General English course options
On the General English Course, you attend a core of 20 lessons per week, which will give you a practical understanding of the English language and take you all the way to fluency. Your confidence will improve as we train you in all four communication skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. You can also choose to extend and intensify your 20 lessons per week with these add-ons.
- Intensive English
This course is made up of 30 lessons (22.5 hours) per week including the General English classes. It also allows you to personalise your course by taking 10 lessons per week across a wide selection of Special Focus options.
- Semi-Intensive English
This additional option is only available to students studying in the USA or Canada. You get 24 lessons (18 hours) per week in General English including four lessons per week in your choice of Special Focus study.
- English for Work
This Special Focus Programme, available at all schools, combines 20 lessons of General English with 10 lessons focused on Business English. Topics cover negotiating, management, marketing, project management, giving presentations and interview skills.
- One-to-One sessions
Add One-to-One sessions to the General English course and maximise your progress through private lessons. With individual attention, these sessions are 100% focused on your requirements and designed by your teachers to match your needs.
Learn everything you need to know about English for Work in San Francisco
Take an English for Work course at EC and you’ll be ready to take on opportunities in all parts of the globe.
- The highly specialised teaching we offer will enable you to communicate in all situations, confident when interacting with colleagues and able to use the English language to achieve highly specific aims.
- As well as improving your English, you’ll develop many other workplace skills. The ability to solve problems, prepare for meetings and argue for your point of view will prove invaluable as your career advances.
- From tours of the Mission to see the city’s amazing street art, to the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, the ‘Painted Ladies’ and many other iconic sites, your time in this San Francisco will be inspiring.
If you want the freedom and flexibility to be able to pursue the career of your choice anywhere in the world, English for Work could be the Special Focus Programme for you. English is the international language of finance, science and a host of other sectors, and this course will leave you feeling confident, fully equipped and able to follow the pathway you choose.
Reach your potential
Taking the time to seriously focus on your English will open up unlimited opportunities for you. This course will enhance your English language skills in a manner specifically designed for the workplace.
True language immersion
You will develop fluency, accuracy and appropriate uses of English across all four language skills. You will benefit from excellent guidance, monitoring and feedback throughout this course.
Free language workshops
Free language workshops take place in an informal setting and target specific linguistic skills. Expect interesting lectures, topical conversation sessions and pronunciation practice.
Social Activities
Social activities will take in the most lively and interesting areas of the city you choose to base yourself in. Enjoy everything from city tours, the arts, sports, dining, shopping and nightlife.
Prepare to pass the TOEFL Exam in San Francisco
No matter whether you need TOEFL in order to enter the university of your choice, or to pursue a career, the EC San Francisco's TOEFL Exam Preparation course will leave you feeling confident, prepared and ready to take the exam on.
- The combination of TOEFL expertise and personalised support tailored to your needs means you’ll maximise your TOEFL exam score in the shortest possible time.
- Complete an EC San Francisco's TOEFL Exam Preparation course and you’ll be ready to take the first step into an exciting future.
- Your EC experience in San Francisco will include a variety of social activities to help you explore the city and practice your English skills. From tours of the Mission to see the city's amazing street art, to the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, the 'Painted Ladies' and many other sights, your time in this amazing city will be inspiring.
- You will also have access to additional opportunities to help you practice your English skill, including a pronunciation clinic and conversation class.
- You will challenge yourself, become more independent and make lasting international friendships. Take the EC San Francisco TOEFL Exam Preparation course for a genuinely life changing experience.
Get a Higher Score
In this special training course our goal is very simple: to help you improve your exam result. Since it began, thousands of students have taken this course, and over 97% of them were able to increase their score with our help.
Exam Technique
Our proven system of teaching has helped thousands of students achieve great results because you only have to study things that you will need to know in the exam.
Expert Instructors
All our exam teachers have received special training. They also have expert knowledge of the exams and experience teaching English and exam classes.
Serious Classes
Every day you will study and practise authentic exam questions. Your classmates will have the same goals and attitude as you and your teacher will do everything possible to help you succeed.
Unique Teaching Materials
We combine the best commercially-available course books with our own materials, developed by people who have worked with Oxford University Press and ETS.
Improve your English skills in San Francisco to succeed at university
The city’s Victorian heritage mingles its tradition of nurturing digital pioneers and innovative thinkers. San Francisco has always attracted creative and enterprising people who find inspiration in the city’s majestic views. If this sounds like you, then San Francisco could be the perfect place for your EC Experience.
On This course you will focus on areas such as: writing assignments on specific topics, listening to lectures and taking effective notes, and preparing and giving academic presentations. You will also understand issues such as referencing, how to avoid plagiarism, and other ‘dos and don’ts’ you will need to know at university.
This is a Special Focus Programme, combining 20 lessons of General English with 10 Special Focus lessons of Academic English for a complete intensive experience that is tailored to you and your personal reasons for learning.
Academic focus
Your 10 weekly Academic English lessons will focus on areas such as:
- Listening to lectures
- Understanding academic texts
- Report writing
- Taking notes
- Giving presentations
- Expressing ideas and opinions
Real skills
This course provides you with the essential skills and knowledge required to succeed at college or university, while training you to become a more independent learner through self-study skills. You will learn the techniques required for real success in higher education.
Free language workshops
Free language workshops take place in an informal setting and target specific linguistic skills. Expect interesting lectures, topical conversation sessions and pronunciation practice.
Social Activities
Social activities will take place in the most lively and interesting areas of the city you choose to base yourself in. Enjoy everything from city tours, the arts, sports, dining, shopping, and nightlife.
Spend an Academic Semester/Year in vibrant San Francisco, the city of culture and creativity
- You will develop fluency, accuracy and appropriate uses of English across all four language skills.
- You will benefit from excellent guidance, monitoring and feedback throughout this course.
- As your English and your confidence improve, you will broaden your horizons and gain a huge advantage in your chosen career or education.
- Your EC experience in San Francisco will include a variety of social activities to help you explore the city and practice your English skills.
- Learn English in San Francisco while you explore the city’s culture and creativity.
- Your EC experience will include fun, interesting lessons and professional teachers who want to see you succeed.
Studying abroad allows you to challenge yourself, become more independent and make lasting international friendships.
Choose from three course levels: General English, Semi-Intensive English, and Intensive English. Each level can be tailored to help you achieve fluency while challenging yourself and developing life-long friendships.
Reach your potential
Taking the time to seriously focus on your English will open up unlimited opportunities for you. This programme is for students who study for 24 weeks or more.
True language immersion
You will develop fluency, accuracy and appropriate uses of English across all four language skills. You will benefit from excellent guidance, monitoring and feedback throughout this course.
Free language workshops
Free language workshops take place in an informal setting and give you more opportunities to practice your language skills. Expect interesting lectures, topical conversation sessions and pronunciation practice.
Social Activities
Social activities will take you to some of the most lively and interesting areas of the city you choose to study in. Enjoy everything from city tours, the arts, sports, dining, and nightlife.
Where you choose to live is a central part of your study abroad experience. We have a variety of accommodation options to suit your lifestyle, budget and needs. You can live with other EC students or in a homestay with local English speakers.
Residences often have lively atmospheres suitable for anyone who loves socialising. Our accommodation options are convenient for public transport, making it easy for you to get to school.
If you choose a Homestay, you will live with local English speakers and experience an authentic lifestyle. You will live as your hosts live, eat what they eat, and spend time at home together. Many students enjoy the home-cooked meals and the extra feeling of security in a homestay.
Whether you’ve booked a homestay or residence, you’ll always receive a warm, personal welcome. All our hosts are fully briefed on how to make you feel comfortable and well-prepared for your first day of lessons. At our residences, an EC representative will be available at the weekend to help you with anything you need and answer any questions.
Homestay
Staying with a local family is a great way to learn about American culture while you enjoy home comforts.
People of many different ethnicities live in the Bay Area, and our host families reflect this diversity. Host families can include single people, couples, single-parent families, and families with multiple generations living in one home.
Many of our host families are of Filipino descent, and their family-oriented culture means that they treat the students they host as part of their own family. All host families are English speaking.
Most homes are single family or 2 family homes. The latter is usually two floors with one home on one floor and one on the other. Students are placed in a single or twin room.
Each room is furnished with a bed, desk, dresser and closet. Some rooms have TVs and other amenities. It is important that rooms and living areas are kept neat and tidy. Students also have access to a shared bathroom. Bed linen and towels are provided by the host family.
Most families are located in the residential areas outside of the city of San Francisco, such as Daly City, South San Francisco and Pacifica.
Residence
Socialise with like-minded people from all over the world and live independently while enjoying and exploring your chosen destination together, giving you many opportunities to practise your English skills.