Summer has officially arrived at IH Galway and our students and staff are making the most of the sunshine that’s brightening up their days. Summertime in Galway has a curious and cheerful atmosphere which comes as a result of the many events and festivals that arrive in the city. At the moment, the Galway International Arts Festival is in full swing and it has already entertained us with incredible music, art, food and film. For our students, the festival offers unique and unforgettable language learning experiences, such as watching a play by an award-winning theatre group (like Steppenwolf’s production of “True West”) or talking to locals while browsing the stalls in the Eyre Square market (you have to try the best chips in the world at “Prátaí”). The festival has also provided many of our students with exciting job and volunteering opportunities. Having international volunteering experience is an excellent addition to students’ CVs and has also provided them with free entry to cool events on the festival calendar!

This past year has also been a year of changes and improvements at our school, particularly in the field of accommodation. We have been hard at work to ensure our students have safe and comfortable places to stay during their time with us, and we’re proud of the options we have available at the moment. One of the biggest advantages of choosing IH Galway is that we have our own accommodation exclusively for our students and staff. All of our accommodation options are less than a 15-minute walk away from our school in the city centre which allows students to live as conveniently as possible while they study. We understand that where a person lives can have a big impact on their ability to learn. We want our students to be able to focus entirely on their studies, which is why we work so hard to provide them with the quality accommodation they need. This means students (whether they’re here long or short term) can feel like they’re in safe hands when they choose to stay with us.

In other news, for students interested in taking the IELTS exam, a new preparation course will take place from August 8th - August 19th with the official exam scheduled for August 27th. A huge benefit of studying at IH Galway is that we are a registered test centre. This allows students to take their exam of choice in a familiar and supportive environment which makes the exam experience as pressure-free as possible and often has a positive impact on their exam results. We also have experienced IELTS teachers on staff who have the tips and information students need to get the mark they need.

In addition to the new IELTS course, we will soon be offering a massive 25% discount on all study/work programmes. Future students can get all the quality that IH Galway is known for but at a much lower rate!

Our last update for this month is an important one. Our timetable for AM study/work students is changing! From July 25th, study/work students will have a four-day study week (Mon-Thurs) as opposed to five days (Mon-Fri). The first class will be from 09:00 - 11:00 followed by a 30-minute break. The second class will be from 11:30 - 13:20. This change aims to make the study/work programme more intensive, and it also means that study/work students will have Fridays free to rest, work or travel. Students have received the news positively and are looking forward to starting the new schedule in the coming weeks.

This summer is full of exciting progress and changes. As a school, we’re excited to continue doing what we do best - and to enjoy some sunshine along the way!