Learn German in our Adult language school in Lindau
Lindau is an island town located on Lake Constance, one of Germany's most magnificent regions of unsurpassed natural beauty. The area offers a wide range of leisure activities, including outdoor activities for every season. Only 8 km from Austria and 25km from Switzerland, this small town of 25,000 inhabitants is in the state of Bavaria. The school is situated in the centre of the medieval part of the town, which was founded in the year 950 A.D. Compared to the bigger cities, students who attend school here save money due to lower costs of living on things like transport, food, entertainment and indoor and outdoor sports. Lindau is an ideal place for a German language course and the perfect location for students to explore this beautiful part of Europe.
Ages: 17 and up; 13-16 for the Summer Youth Course
Location: Bavaria, southern Germany
Accommodation: Host Family
Duration: Two weeks and up
Availability: Flexible, year round admission
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School
The school is located right in the heart of the old town centre on the island of Lindau. It is located on the upper floor of the main station and directly on the harbour, with a marvellous view of the lake and the Alps.
The school will only accept a limited number of students (60 adults and 65 youth students) with small classes. This size guarantees an environment conducive to learning, allowing the school to give each student individual treatment. Founded in 1991, this school has a small, personal approach to teaching and making learning German enjoyable and fun.
The school building is designed for the school's purposes; the design and interior of the school help to create an atmosphere so that students feel at home.
School facilities:
- 6 modern classrooms with overhead projectors, PCs and internet access
- Study centre with video, audio, TV, literature, and multimedia access, all of which are free-of-charge
- Lounge
- Reception
- School cinema, also free
- Cafeteria
- 12 computers with internet access (€5 per week)
The makeup of the school is diverse; students from approximately 35 to 40 countries visit this school to learn German. In the past, the top nationalities to take courses here have been:
On average, 80% of students are between 18 and 25 and at any one time there will not be more than 25% of students with the same mother tongue. During the summer, the school offers Junior courses for teenagers, although mature 16 and 17 year olds may join the adult group when the Junior courses are unavailable.
Accommodation
German host family accommodation
Staying with a host family gives students a first-hand experience of the German culture and way of life. Sharing meals with a host family is also an excellent way of practicing German with native speakers. It offers extra learning and practice outside of class hours and a taste of German life not obtained by living in a student apartment or residence. As Lindau is so small, it is easy to make your way from your host family to school each day by walking, cycling or by bus.
What is offered:
- Single rooms (double rooms for students on the youth course)
- Maximum distance to school is 20 minutes by bus or bike
- Includes breakfast and one hot meal per day (half board)
- Carefully selected and inspected host families
- Maximum two students per host family, but no two of the same first language
Host families are carefully selected, always with regard to the school's philosophy. They are all known personally by the school who has worked for years with the majority of them and are all families who enjoy having guests. New families are carefully inspected by a family agent, who uses a catalogue of quality criteria to judge and determine whether or not they are suitable. Families are governed of a Code of Ethics which adhere to best practice guidelines for accredited international language schools. Both EIL Study Abroad and our partners in Lindau consistently control the quality of host families. All students are requested to assess their host families through the writing of a confidential report, and upon return to Ireland, complete an evaluation. Should a student have an issue with their accommodation during their stay, they can always discuss it confidentially with school staff.
Host family information:
- Families are accustomed to speaking clear German and generally offer students support.
- Students' laundry will be washed approximately every 10 days.
- Students may only use the phone with the permission of the host family.
- Students have to observe the individual rules of the host family.
- Teenagers have to observe the German law for youth protection, which will be controlled by the families and the school.
Courses
The school is open year round so that students can enjoy flexible enrolment.
Courses offered:
- General Course
20 group lessons per week
Classes Monday - Friday (9:00 to 12:30)
Maximum of 11 students per class
- Semi-Intensive Course
25 groups lessons per week
Classes Monday - Friday (9:00 to 12:30)
Maximum of 11 students per class
- Individual/Special Purposes
General 20 or Semi-Intensive 25 group lessons per week, plus one-to-one lessons
Useful for those who require specialist knowledge for their job or education.
1 lesson = 45 minutes of teaching time.
To accommodate the needs of younger students during the summer months, a Junior Summer Course is offered to students aged 13-16, including:
- 20 group lessons per week;
- Maximum of 14 students per class;
- Host family accommodation with full board;
- One ½ day trip per week;
2-day excursion at the weekend; - Daily leisure programme;
- Available for 2, 3 or 4 weeks; 2011 dates to be announced.
Schedule
Lessons run Monday through Friday year round. Morning lessons are from 09:00 to 12:30. Afternoon lessons are held on two afternoons per week and are from 13:30 to 15:30. Private, individual lessons are available for an additional cost and are held in the afternoons.
On the first Monday morning of the course, students are asked to arrive at school at 08:15.
Students will take an oral and self assessment test, after which students will receive an orientation about the school, course, facilities, staff, leisure, accommodation and any further questions they may have.
By 09:00 students are divided into appropriate classes according to their level (6 different levels).
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 - 10:30 | 2 lessons of 45 minutes in class - Main 20/25 | ||||
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Break-school cafeteria | ||||
| 11:00 - 12:30 | 2 lessons of 45 minutes in class - Main 20/25 | ||||
| 12:30 - 13:30 | Lunch | ||||
| 13:30 - 15:30 | Individual lessons | Main course 25 | Individual lessons | Main course 25 | |
| 15:30 - 17:30 | Individual lessons | Individual lessons | |||
Activities
Culture and entertainment
Lindau town has much to offer: restaurants, pubs, discos, a theatre, a casino, galleries, museums, cinemas, street cafes and more! Entertainment offered ranges from different types of concerts (classical, jazz, rock, etc.), open air events in the squares and lanes (theatre, festivals, markets, etc.) and traditional town festivals (Carnival, the Municipal Festival, the Fair, etc.).
The neighbouring towns of Bregenz (with its well known Bregenz Festival) and Friedrichshafen (with its Graf Zeppelin House" cultural centre) also have a whole range of cultural activities on offer.
The school provides all students with event information, and can reserve tickets and organise events according to their interests.
Excursions
The school arranges many different types of excursions for its students, offered on a first-com, first-served basis and costing an additional fee. The following are some examples of where they have gone in the past:
- Meersburg, the oldest castle in Germany
- Mainau Island
- Munich
- Constance
- Ulm (Germany),Basel and Zurich (Switzerland)
- King Ludwig's castles at Neuschwastein
- The rhinefalls of Schaffhausen
- The nearby Alps are a paradise for walkers, climbers and wintersports (St. Anton, Lech, Oberstdorf, Montafon, Davos)
Sports
Lindau is a great place for every conceivable type of sport. Cycling, tennis, squash, swimming, riding, ball games and jogging, are all possible.
In the summer the lake offers all sorts of water sports, such as sailing, rowing or windsurfing (the school has its own surf boards).
In the winter Lindau has its own ice-rink, winter sports resorts are within easy reach and offer alpine and cross-country skiing trails of international reputation.
Bicycle routes along the boarder of Lake Constance and through the countryside will invite you to explore the beautiful landscape.
A leisure programme organized by the school
The school organises a leisure programme. Activities are organised and accompanied by the staff, at least twice per week. The programme is constantly updated with new ideas and is designed every month. It depends on seasonal influences, e.g. weather, local dates.
Examples of the leisure programme (These prices are for the adult students. Leisure time programme for the youth students is included in the course price.)
Free
- School cinema (once a week).
- Sport at sport hall (ball games...).
- Guided town walks.
- Visits of interesting factories.
- Visits of exhibitions.
- Common dinners and cooking.
- Barbecues at the lake.
- Minigolf, bowling.
- Bycicle tours.
- Parties.
At cost prices or reduced cost prices
- Excursions, e.g. Island Mainau and castle Meersburg, the rhine falls, Ulm, Füssen-the king castles, Konstanz, Bregenz approximately (Euro 10 - 15).
- Munich, Basel, Zurich 2 days (Euro 65).
- mountain tours (Euro 10 - 15).
- Visit of winegrower with tasting (Euro 8).
- Visit of a brewery (Euro 8).
- Skiing in the alps (ski resorts like St.Anton, Montafon, Davos) (Euro 20 - 40).
- Sailing (Euro 8).
- Horse riding (Euro 12 per hour).
- Tennis (Euro 8 per hourly).
Of course the students themselves are more than welcome to find their own activities, the school staff can always be of assistance in booking such non-school organised activities and site seeing.
FAQ
Questions
- Can I stay with a friend or near them in my accommodation?
- How do I get to Lindau?
- How do I get around Lindau?
- What is the curfew in Lindau?
- When should I arrive?
- What should I write in my "Dear Host Family" letter?
Answers
Can I stay with a friend or near them in my accommodation?
We do not place friends or family members within the same host family, as we place only one native English speaker per host family. We also cannot guarantee that friends or family members will be placed in host families close to one another.
How do I get to Lindau?
Lindau is approximately 20 km from Friedrichshafen airport. Ryanair used to fly from Dublin to Friedrichshafen regularly, however that flight no longer exists. We can organise transfers from there, but this is not included in the programme price. You can find further details about airport transfers in the pricing section of this website.
How do I get around Lindau?
The best way to move around Lindau is by bicycle or bus. Students can rent bikes from the school for €5 per day, but a deposit is taken as well. The bus service that links all quarters of the town at 30 minute intervals is a new and an effective way to move around town. A monthly ticket costs approximately €25.
What is the curfew in Lindau?
Students under 18 must be home by 11pm Sunday-Thursday and 12 midnight Friday and Saturday. This is the law of the State and not the school. Should a parent wish to have an earlier curfew, you can always assign one. Curfew times may not be extended to a later hour.
When should I arrive?
Accommodation is available in the host family from 15:00 the Sunday before your course starts until 12:00 noon the Saturday after your last day of classes. Should you need to arrive or depart outside of these times, please inform us. An extra night of accommodation is available to book, but will cost an additional fee.
What should I write in my "Dear Host Family" letter?
Host families are used to hosting students and do so regularly and this is an opportunity to introduce yourself, share with them your likes and dislikes, hobbies, family information, etc. It helps them know who will be staying with them, make conversation once you arrive and is a good way to practice your German!
Supervision
As this is an exclusively adult language school, students will be treated as such. There is no special supervision for students under 18, except for during the Summer Youth Course, when students are supervised during classes, activities and excursions. Parents who wish to book a 17 year old on the standard course must bear in mind that they will be unsupervised for the duration of the programme.
Dates/Prices
STANDARD COURSES (for ages 17 and up)
The Main 20 and 25 Courses are available all year long. Courses start every Monday. Students should arrive on Sunday and depart on Saturday. You can book an extra night before or after should you not be able to find flights that adhere to these days.
| General Course 20 | Off-peak | *Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | €1281 | €1385 |
| 3 weeks | €1628 | €1784 |
| 4 weeks | €1995 | €2203 |
| Semi-Intensive Course 25 | Off-peak | *Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | €1311 | €1417 |
| 3 weeks | €1673 | €1832 |
| 4 weeks | €2055 | €2267 |
*Peak dates run from 24 June-15 September 2012
Included in the standard course prices:
- Lessons (20 or 25 per week)
- Books and materials
- Certificate of completion
- Host family accommodation, single room, half board
- CareMed medical travel insurance
Flights are not included with any of our programmes and are the responsibilty of the student/parent.
Airport transfers are not included and cost the following for one-way transfers:
- Memmingen (Munich Ryanair airport): €70
- Zurich: €115
- Stuttgart: €150
- Munich: €150
Summer Youth Course (Ages 13-16)
Available for 2, 3 or 4 weeks from 24 June-11 August 2012. Students must arrive on the Sunday before the course starts and leave the Saturday after it finishes.
- 2 weeks - €1509
- 3 weeks - €2045
- 4 weeks - €2601
Included in the Summer Youth Course Fee:
- 20 lessons per week
- Books and materials
- Host family accommodation, double room, full board
- 1 half day trip per week
- 2-day excursion at the weekends
- Daily leisure programme
- CareMed medical travel insurance
- Return transfers included from Friedrichshafen airport; from other airports an extra fee will be charged.
Apply
In order to apply, please post the following back to our office:
- Application form for the youth courses - for students under 18 or still in secondary school
- Application form for the adult courses - for students 18 and over and out of secondary school
- €350 deposit
- 1 passport photo
- A "Dear Host Family" letter written in German
Important notes:
Flights should not be booked before confirmation of enrollment by EIL.
Signatures are mandatory.
Incomplete applications will be returned which will slow down the booking process and could result in not getting a placement on the desired dates.
Blogs/Photos
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