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Frequently asked questions
You can find the answers you need in our frequently asked questions.
What is the fee for private classes?
This depends on the language you want to learn and the lesson duration (45 or 60 minutes). If you would like to know the hourly rate, request a quote by clicking here.
When can I start studying?
We organize your individual training with maximum efficiency and respond to your inquiry within 24 hours on business days.
How many hours should I consider for the course?
This may depend on several factors, such as your desired goal. We organize individual training with a minimum of 20 hours. For all further details, please seek assistance and advice from our consultants.
Can I study with a native(-level) teacher?
This mainly depends on the availability of our teachers, but both native and native-level teachers will teach you at the highest professional standard. Therefore, in both cases, you will be able to progress at the same rate.
Is both a written and spoken placement test required before starting private lessons?
A written placement test is required in advance, while the assessment of your speaking skills will take place during the first lesson. Test your written skills and request a quote for your upcoming private lessons!
Does IH Budapest provide language training for all employees, regardless of their position?
Yes. Our clients include office workers, assistants, middle managers, and executives from various economic sectors, as well as high-ranking government officials.
What is the location of the corporate language classes?
Since the start of COVID-19, online classes have been the most popular. In addition, we offer on-site classes at the company's headquarters and even at the school by special arrangement.
What languages does IH offer?
International House language schools are known worldwide for their high quality English language teaching. However, we also offer group and private tuition in other languages such as German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish and others, tailored to the needs of our corporate clients.
How does the school support its clients during the training process?
With continuous and up-to-date communication, as well as professional consulting if needed. One of the key tools for communication is our SchoolDrive school management system, to which selected client representatives are granted access. This allows partners to find all relevant information in one place online, including documentation on group/private lesson progress, attendance rates, issued invoices, and financial or monthly lesson summaries.
What level of administration is required from the client to start the courses?
For our clients, the course initiation primarily involves the administration required by their internal regulations. All other administrative tasks in the Adult Education Data Reporting System and the SchoolDrive school management program are handled by the language school.
What information does the school need to organize our company's language training?
- the planned start date of the course(s)
- the location of the classes (online, at the company’s headquarters, or at the school)
- the expected number of participants, broken down by how many wish to attend group lessons and how many prefer private lessons
- the languages to be learned
- the planned number of lessons, as well as any time or budget constraints
the type of course, which is typically:
- general,
- business,
- professional,
- specific,
- specifically focused on developing speaking or writing skills,
- or organised according to other preferences
the planned timetable for the lessons:
- Weekly frequency (e.g., two weekdays per week for group lessons, one weekday per week for private lessons)
- lesson duration (e.g., 60 or 90 minutes)
- number of lessons per day (e.g., 1×60 minutes, 2×45 minutes)
- specific available days for training based on the participants' schedules (e.g., Tuesday-Thursday, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, or fully flexible)
- possibly any additional preferences.
Is IH Budapest an official adult education institution?
Yes, our corporate training programs—just like our public and teacher training courses—are provided under an official adult education framework as registered foreign language training. Additionally, the school is authorized to conduct accredited courses.
Are training courses subject to VAT or exempt from VAT?
We provide registered training programs in compliance with the current adult education laws, which are VAT-exempt.
Will participants' personal data be required to start the training programs?
Yes, we process and store the following data:the student's name at birth and date of birth, place and date of birth, e-mail and telephone contact details, mother's name, highest level of education, employment status. For more information on how we process your data, please see our privacy notice.
Is online learning as effective as in-person classes?
In the past, comparing the two types of learning formats may have been more challenging. However, nowadays, our teachers enhance in-person language lessons with videos, digital visual materials, apps, and other online resources, making the online space a more integrated part of this teaching method. We believe both formats have significant advantages—while in-person classes offer benefits like face-to-face interaction and more nonverbal cues, online lessons allow participants to learn from the comfort of their preferred environment. The popularity of online classes is also reflected in a recent spring survey, where over 96% of our students indicated that they would still choose online learning even if the pandemic situation allowed for safe in-person lessons.
What tools do the teachers use?
In addition to textbooks and the modern methods acquired during their studies, they also use video and visual materials, applications, and other online resources.
How many participants are in an online group?
Our online group courses typically have 4 to 10 participants.
How long before the lesson does the student receive the link from the teacher?
Several factors may influence this, but students usually receive the link to join the class no later than 10-15 minutes before the lesson begins.
If I’m a little late at the start of the lesson, can I still join using the link?
Yes, it is possible. If you still experience any issues, the school's customer service can assist you.
What devices can be used to join Zoom (Laptop, Tablet, Mobile, etc.)?
All the listed devices can connect to Zoom, but in our opinion, a laptop, desktop computer, or larger tablet provides the most comfortable learning experience for you.
Does IH differentiate course pricing based on whether the lessons are taught by native or non-native teachers?
All our instructors are native or native-level teachers, so this does not affect the course pricing.
How long does it take to progress from beginner/elementary level to intermediate or advanced level? How many modules does one level consist of?
Our level system is easy to follow and transparent. For example, during a 120-hour general English course, you can achieve one language level (e.g., Intermediate). To learn more about the pace of progress in our courses and the full structure of our level system, feel free to contact our team through any of our available channels.
Which textbook will we use for the 60- or 120-hour courses? How many courses does one textbook cover?
Depending on the group and the teacher, you can choose between SpeakOut 2nd Edition or English File 4th Edition.Both books present grammar and develop vocabulary through speaking and listening comprehension exercises, thus developing and teaching several areas of the language at the same time. Modern online help files, which are very popular with students, are included and the code to use them is hidden in the books.A textbook is typically taken over a 120-hour course or two 60-hour courses.
Which language exam is recommended for studying or working abroad?
Several internationally recognized language exams are available in Hungary, including Cambridge, IELTS, and TOEFL. The most suitable option for you depends on the country where you plan to use the certificate and the specific purpose of the exam.
What are the steps for enrolment?
If you have not studied the language beforesimply inform us of your intention to enroll by sending an email to [email protected] email address, visit us in person at our school located at 1015 Budapest, Széna tér 1/a, or contact us by phone at +36 1 212 4010-phone number.
After contacting us, we will discuss which course you would like to join and its details. Once you provide your information and complete the payment, you can join either an ongoing or a newly starting course.
If you have studied the language before, you will need to take a free written and oral placement test for all our group courses. This helps us recommend the most suitable course for you. Based on your results, we will discuss the details of your course, which you can join after providing your information and completing the payment. Regardless of your level, if you are joining an ongoing course, we offer a free trial session so you can experience the group before making your final decision.
Why should I choose the CELTA course?
CELTA is the most widely recognised initial qualification in English language teaching. This is particularly - though not exclusively - true for the private sector, such as language schools.
If you want to teach English in such an institution anywhere in the world, chances are that most of them will ask for this kind of basic qualification, or will prefer it to other qualifications. The reason for this is that they know the CELTA system, so they know what to expect from the applicant.
As the CELTA course is organised and supervised by Cambridge University, the quality and consistency of the training is assured, so no matter which country the teacher has studied in, they will have a solid and reliable foundation.
How can I get a job after CELTA training?
There are plenty of job opportunities around the world for teachers who have completed CELTA or similar prestigious training and want to teach the language. If you want to become a language teacher, here are some things to consider:
- When you will finish the CELTA course (The busiest periods for language school work often coincide with the school year, but there is also a high demand for skilled staff in the summer.)
- What age group would you like to teach? (In many workplaces, you are expected to teach all age groups, from children to older people.)
- How many classes would you take a week?
- Are you flexible enough in your work? (A flexible attitude will make it much easier to find a teaching job in language schools.)
When it comes to job searching, browsing online offers a wide range of opportunities, with a diverse and abundant selection available.
We usually advise our newly graduated CELTA students to look for a well-reputed institution—such as IH—where they can continue learning and further develop their professional skills.
We also provide lifelong support: our students can reach out to us anytime for advice, assistance, and references.
Can I get a teaching job abroad as a non-native teacher?
Many of our former students, who are not native speakers, have found their dream teaching positions abroad—even in the USA and the UK. There are many factors to consider, which we cannot cover in full detail here, but to name a few: your nationality, whether you need a visa or not, expectations and biases towards non-native teachers in the given country, and more.
First, you should research whether there are any specific requirements related to your nationality in your target country. If obtaining a visa is extremely difficult, we recommend considering another destination. Regarding expectations and biases, employer attitudes have shifted in recent years, making it easier for non-native teachers to find jobs. In this regard, we suggest visiting the following website:
https://teflequityadvocates.com/
and the following Facebook group: "Budapest nNEST” (nNEST = non-native English speaking teacher)
What qualifications are required to teach in Hungary?
First of all, in Hungary, there are both accredited and non-accredited language courses. Teaching accredited courses—regardless of the institution—requires meeting stricter requirements compared to non-accredited courses. Language schools typically offer both types of courses.
If you are Hungarian and wish to teach accredited courses, you need a university degree in languages or teaching. As a native speaker, you must provide documents proving that you have been teaching the language for at least 10 years to be eligible for such courses. As a foreigner, you must hold a recognized university degree to teach accredited courses.
The CELTA is highly regarded among Hungarian language schools, and in many places—such as IH—it is even a requirement.
Other language schools may accept a slightly different four-week teacher training certificate. It is worth researching the differences between various teacher training courses and understanding which certifications are accepted where.
In most countries—including Hungary—being able to issue invoices is a common requirement. The majority of language schools expect teachers to provide some form of invoice for their work. As a result, many teachers collaborate and work under a shared invoicing arrangement.
What about online teaching practices? Will traditional classroom teaching return?
This topic needs to be discussed further in the near future. Our teachers have observed and compared students' performance in online and classroom settings and have concluded that the mode of instruction—whether online or in-person—is not a decisive factor in determining a student's teaching abilities, including how they teach or explain concepts.
Does the CELTA certificate hold the same value if obtained through an online or in-person exam?
The certificate issued by Cambridge is the same—there is no formal difference, regardless of how the student obtained it. At the end of the course, a final report is prepared on the student's work, which includes the mode of study.
Will employers not give preference to teachers who have not obtained their CELTA qualification online?
When it comes to employment, this distinction depends on the employer.
We believe that a good teacher teaches well under any circumstances—regardless of how they obtained their qualification—but we cannot speak on behalf of other employers.
Since most classes are now conducted online, and an increasing number of students are expected to choose online education in the future, it is likely that the recognition of teachers with online qualifications and experience in online teaching will improve in the coming years.
When does the first intensive children's course start, and how long does the entire program last?
The training will start on Monday 23 June 2025 and will run for 10 weeks. You can join any or all of the weeks.
What are the levels of training?
For juniors: elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper-intermediate For teens: pre-intermediate, upper-intermediate, advanced Our courses are also grouped into groups, so students can learn to communicate with students of different levels.
Which age groups can apply?
We accept applications from school-age children up to the age of 16. Age ranges are somewhat flexible, so please apply if you have other needs.
Is it worth enrolling my child in several consecutive courses?
Yes, with 20-hour modules, students work on a different exciting topic each week.
Can I still join after the training starts on Monday?
Yes! We accept applications from new members until Tuesday each week. Each theme and project starts on Monday, so to make the most of your time in this inspiring environment, we recommend joining early in the week.
What can you expect in the afternoon sessions?
Afternoon classes run from 13.00 to 16.00, where we offer English language skills activities for students. Some examples of the afternoon sessions: Sport: we will learn the rules of cricket in school, after which students can try and practice the skills learned in the class on the Blood Field. Media: the basics of photography and video production will be discussed, followed by a photo walk in the nearby Millenáris Park, and then the raw material will be processed in a team project.
Does the course fee include meals?
No, the camp is self-catering, meals are not included in the course fee.
