Learning a foreign language is one of the most interesting things a young student would really love to enjoy during summer especially if it involves learning a language in the country where it is spoken.  However, not everyone can afford to enroll in language programs since some programs would require a substantial amount of money as well as other expenses such as travel fares, accommodation and meals.  What are you going to do if you are really interested in developing foreign language skills abroad yet you seem to be out of budget?

One of your options will be applying for an educational grant that covers summer language learning opportunities.  Some grants such as the Leonardo da Vinci Program and the Erasmus Exchange Program which are funded by the European Community, have been helping students who wish to study abroad through various ways such as internships and partnerships with educational institutions and different sectors in diverse industries.  These grants are among the very helpful ones especially to young people who wish to expand their horizons and improve their quality of life through education, training and cultural immersion in the participating countries.  The only obstacle with grants is that not everyone can avail it.  There are thousands or perhaps millions of eager applicants who would want to take advantage of available grants funded by the national governments of partner countries or by sponsored programs, but not everyone can be granted funding.  So what should you do then if and when you will not be among the selected few whose applications will be granted?

One of the main solutions to that predicament will be a student loan.  A student loan is a kind of loan that is offered to students to help out in payment of the costs of professional education.  It is a form of financial aid but it differs from grants and scholarships in the sense that it must be paid back.  A student loan more often than not carries a lower interest rate than most loans and it is usually issued by the government.  Most of the time a student loan is complemented with student grants which you do not have to repay.  There are different kinds of student loans available in various countries and most of them will only require you to pay once you have finished your studies and when you are already earning your own income.

Among a loan and a grant, a grant is the ideal type of financial aid for your language learning endeavor since you will be granted free financial assistance which will cover a substantial part of your program.  However, if the grant that will be awarded to you doesn’t cover all the program expenses and you still need additional financial support, then a student loan will be your other option.

Grants and loans work out well together as long as you know how they work and how they can benefit you and your wish to learn a foreign language abroad this summer.

If you are a young member of the European Community and you want to improve yourself over the summer, read on and know more about the Leonardo da Vinci program.

Leonardo da Vinci is a program by the European Community which has a main goal to support national training strategies through funding a wide array of transnational partnership projects designed at improving quality, nurturing innovation, and promoting the European dimension in vocational training.  It was established by the EU for the field of professional training to support the partnership of EU and EEA Member States. The program promotes projects which are based on cooperation between a range of participants in vocational training such as vocational schools, universities, training bodies, chambers of commerce, businesses and a lot more.  The program which is sometimes referred to simply as Leonardo, aims at helping people improve their skills throughout their lives.

Leonardo is a program which has three major objectives such as to improve the skills and competencies of people; to improve the quality of and access to continuing vocational training and the lifelong acquisition of skills and competencies; and to promote and reinforce the contribution of vocational training to the process of innovation. The program aims to improve the quality and skills of people especially the mobility of young people in initial vocational training at all levels which can be achieved through work-related apprenticeship and vocational training with a vision to promote employability.  The program also supports measures which qualify for support from the European Community such as mobility, pilot projects, transnational networks, and reference material and language competencies.

The Leonardo program is best known for its mobility projects.  It encourages young people to spend a working period abroad from three to twelve months in order to achieve valuable intercultural and practical experiences.  The program gives grants to students from the EU Member States and EEA countries who are interested in doing internships abroad and learning new skills.  There are many reasons why you should apply for an internship such as to expand intercultural experiences, to be familiar with a foreign working environment, to apply the academic knowledge you have learned, and a whole lot more.

Some of the conditions of the internship program of Leonardo include you to be a student in one of the European Community countries; an internship that will last from three months to a year for students from universities or other institutions of higher education, or two months to one year for those who are within twelve months of obtaining a diploma or educational degree; the activities and projects to be carried out by you as an intern must be related to your studies at your home university or educational institution, if your internship is not related to your field of study you are not legible for a grant; and the internships must be accomplished on a full-time basis with at least thirty-five working hours per week.

If you already know the language being spoken in the country where you wish to be an intern, that is a bonus but if you still need to learn the language, there are several available language programs prior to your internship abroad.  Most interns are required to have at least basic knowledge of the language in the country of internship. You can avail of language courses either at your home country or the country where you are going and you need not worry since the program can refund a portion of your expenses for your language courses.  Once your internship starts, you will be able to improve your skills in your field of study and you will also be able to develop your language skills since you will be immersed in the language and the culture where it is spoken.
If I were you, I will learn more about the kinds of Leonardo grants on hand for young students by doing more research on the matter and if I will be able to avail it.  Who knows, a great adventure lies ahead!  Being an intern in another country and being able to explore and experience its language and culture is surely one great way to spend summer!

Are you one of the thousands of students who are interested in studying abroad?  Better read on and let me tell you about Erasmus Exchange Program grants and how you can avail of them.  Let me also tell you about the language courses that will be very useful for you prior to your study period abroad.

The European Commission funds grants to university students in thirty-one European countries who are part of the Erasmus Exchange Program which enables them to take part of their degree in another country.  The Erasmus Program aims to promote exchanges of the students between the universities in EU Member States and the European Economic Area; to support the Pan-European mobility of university staff; and to promote the joint development for European study programs.  The Erasmus study period in another country can provide a lot of things for you such as having a challenging and fun experience; having the confidence to live in another country; gaining new perspectives on an academic subject; acquiring new or improved foreign language skills; meeting an international network of friends; having travel opportunities throughout Europe; earning academic credits and having transferable employment skills.

Before you set off to your target European country, you must apply and be granted the Erasmus Exchange Program.  You are eligible for an Erasmus grant if you are a citizen of one of the EU States or the EEA countries or if you are recognized as a refugee, stateless person or a permanent resident of the country you are in right now.  You should also be a fully registered student on an undergraduate or post-graduate course at a European university either in the second, third or final year of your course; and your course should be a part of an approved Erasmus Exchange Program.  The study period abroad will last for a minimum of three months and not more than ten months; approval is needed for courses which last for more than ten months but it should not exceed more than twelve months unless there are very exceptional circumstances.  To apply for a grant, you should check out your university if it is a participant of the Erasmus exchange program and if your course provides the opportunity for a study period abroad.  Your name should then be forwarded to the International Office for an Erasmus grant for the following year.  If you will be part of the program, the grant that will be given to you will depend on the length of your study period and the country you are going to study in.

In order to prepare you for your Erasmus program in another country, you will be given the opportunity to study the language of the host country for three to eight weeks in the host country under the Erasmus Intensive Language Courses or EILCs.  The EILCs are specialized courses in the less widely used and less taught EU languages and languages of other countries participating in Erasmus and it is an initiative supported by the European Commission.  The advantages of EILCs include no tuition fees, twenty hours of language training per week, special cultural components within the program, an Erasmus grant for the duration of the course, visits to places of interest in the host country, and meals and accommodation though there may be fees involved for such services.  The EILCs will be very useful for you since you will be equipped with the needed language skills once your exchange program starts.

Not everyone may be given wonderful opportunities such as Erasmus grants but I encourage you to seize the day and inquire about the Erasmus Exchange Programs in your schools or universities.  Who knows, maybe you will be given a chance that will surely make an impact in your life!

Do you want to learn German in one of the most beautiful cities in the world this summer?  Actilingua Academy in Vienna, Austria is one of the finest German language schools in the city which has a summer language program for young students aged from 12 to 17 years old.

Learn the German language as you explore the wonders of beautiful Vienna during summer by enrolling in Actilingua’s Junior Summer Program.  The program will be conducted in a prestigious private school founded by the Empress Maria Theresia and it offers the best learning and recreation facilities.  The school is located in the heart of Vienna and is just a walk away from the famous sights of the city and is easy to reach through public transport.  The school has sports facilities, a large park, tennis and beach volleyball courts, and football pitches which are available for your use with other students after your German lessons for the day.  You will be accommodated on campus together with other students from different parts of the world in modern rooms that will surely fit your needs; and your meals will be provided by the school canteen which offers full board and snacks during breaks.  You will also study in small and multinational groups which will be easy to manage and facilitate by the language teachers.  The teachers and staff of the language school provide leisure programs on the school grounds and they also have exciting ways to show you the very best features of Vienna.

The German language lessons offered by the school are held everyday from Monday to Friday with your choice of 2, 3 or 5 week programs.  You and the other students will be exposed to grammar, vocabulary, oral comprehension and pronunciation of the German language in thoroughly structured lessons. The mode of instruction focuses on the use of language in real-life situations outside of the school premises, and communication and language games and work in pairs and groups.  There are two types of summer courses; Summer Course 1 is composed of 20 German language lessons per week and Summer Course 2 which is composed of 30 German language lessons per week.  In order for you to be prepared for a certificate in Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch or ÖSD which is better known as the Austrian Language Diploma, you can take additional 6 German lessons to either Summer Course 1 or 2.  When you get to finish the requirements and meet the qualifications, you will be issued a Zertifikat Deutsch for young adults.

There is a wide array of programs for you to enjoy in during your cultural and leisure time such as the sports program which involves football, table tennis, swimming, volleyball and aerobics; creative activities such as music, handicrafts, theater and pantomime groups; and other activities which include film evenings, excursions, treasure hunts, disco on the school premises, barbecue, and Vienna sightseeing.  Other optional leisure activities include tennis and riding lessons.  You will learn more than just the German language once you decide to learn German in Vienna, you will be learning about a lot of things too especially about the culture of the city!

If you are totally thrilled to learn German in one of the most beautiful and culturally attractive cities in Europe, tell your parents about it now and have a great time this summer in Vienna!

Are you a young student who wants to have an enriching summer experience in a different country, why not try to learn the beauty of the English language in Dublin, Ireland?  For sure you will have an interesting and fulfilling summer experience and above all that, you will have an enjoyable way of developing and polishing your English language skills!

International House Dublin has an interesting Junior Summer Homestay Center based in Sutton Park School which is an exclusive private school with outstanding facilities.  Their summer program for students aged between 12 to 17 years old who want to learn English in the remarkable city of Dublin takes place during the months of July and August.  The program includes the course tuition, accommodation, and a full itinerary of social, cultural and recreational activities.  If you decide to join and be a part of the summer program, your entire day in the center will be filled with English; every time and everything such as mealtimes, sports, excursions and other activities are conducted in English in order for you to be accustomed to and to be immersed in the language.  The English course has a minimum length of two weeks and is conducted 15 hours per week.  Every day the courses last for 3 and a half hours and after that hot lunch will be served in the school.  After lunch, the afternoon activities include arts and crafts and sports; at night, you will have dinner with your host family.  Aside from having an excellent full board accommodation with a host family carefully selected by IH Dublin, you will also have a mini-bus service during mornings and afternoons to and from the school; you will experience one activity evening every week; have a full day excursion every week; and you will have access to course books and materials which are essential for you to learn the English language.

Being part of this language learning summer program will be really fun for you because you will have a chance to meet a lot of new friends from other parts of the world!  Most of the classes in the program are composed of multinational students.  You will have a better chance of exchanging cultures and ideas with your newly-found friends and maybe when you have established genuine and lasting friendships, you can visit each other’s countries in the future right?

If you are curious and cautious of the learning system of the school, you should not worry about that! An experienced Director of Studies trained by International House who specializes in programs for young learners will lead a team of enthusiastic and qualified teachers.  You will surely be impressed with the abilities and skills of the teachers since all of them are university graduates with English language teaching qualifications.  You will be assured that you will get high quality language instruction from adept people who will surely give you the value and more of what you pay for the course.

If you are interested in making interesting and lasting memories this summer, better tell your parents right now to let you become a part of IH Dublin’s Junior Summer Homestay Program.