FAQs

The following are the most frequently asked questions by students, however should you have further queries please feel free to e-mail us at info@ihmalta-gozo.com

THE SCHOOL

How do I get to school?
We provide transfers into and out of school daily. This service is available at a special price. On arrival, you will be given an information pack indicating your pick up time and pick-up point. If, however, you would like to make your way to school on your own outside school hours or before commencement of the course, we also provide a map in the information pack. The hilly terrain and bumpy road surface make cycling or walking a considerable challenge - to be undertaken only by the exceptionally fit. You are reminded that, in summer, temperatures well in excess of 30º Celsius are a regular occurrence.

How far is the school from the beach?
The sandy beaches are situated in the north of the island, and the school is in the west. The island is small and we can provide a transfer service to the beach after lessons. We do have a rocky beach about 30 minutes on foot away from the school. This is where you can also find Gozo's most famous landmark…the Azure Window.

How far is the nearest supermarket?
The village supermarket, post office, village bar as well as the crafts village and the Folklore Museum can be reached after a 20 minute walk into the nearby village of Gharb

How far is the nearest bus stop?
It is 5 minutes away from the school, however the bus service is not a very frequent one. Should clients prefer to be independent, car hire is recommended. Bicycles are available but one has to be fit to take this option

How many students of my nationality at the school?
We try to control our nationality mix. Being a small school we try to limit student mix to 20% per week of any one nationality.

Do students have internet access at the School?
Yes, it is available free of charge. Clients can also connect with their laptops and there are another 4 PC ports for self access.

COURSES

How many students in the group courses?
Group courses take a maximum of 6 students in the winter and 10 in the summer months (July-September)

What is the average age?
The school caters to independent adults over 18 years of age. In the winter the average age ranges from 35-45. In the summer it gets to 25-35. These are average ages - we have many students considerably older than 45. (72 is the oldest so far!)

How many levels do you teach?
For General English we offer 7 levels from beginner to advanced. For English for specific purposes, namely Business English, we offer 5 levels from pre-intermediate level.

What materials do you use?
We do not slavishly use standard course books, but customise courses according to students needs. We compile material from our resource centre based on: duration of course, level of English and a needs analysis.

How many teachers per course?
In group courses, we try to make one teacher responsible for the morning lessons, and another for the afternoon lessons. With clients requesting individual tuition, the programme is set and conducted by 1 teacher.

When do courses start and what is the duration?
Courses start every Monday and can stretch from a minimum of 1 week to an indefinite period. When clients attend courses for a number of weeks, we would recommend sitting for an exam.

What are the Nationalities of your teachers?
Our teachers are from various English speaking countries – United Kingdom, Malta, Australia, Canada, America, as well as Austria. They are all highly qualified and accredited Foreign Language teachers.

LOCALITY

How do I get to Gozo?
Gozo is accessible by ferry 24/7. We can organise your transfer into Gozo. We will look after you from the moment you land at Malta International Airport. The ferry transfer takes about an hour and a half. Alternatively, you can use the scheduled buses from Airport to harbour and from Gozo harbour to accommodation. (This option is lengthy and sometimes unreliable.)

How far is the school from my accommodation?
Wherever you are allocated by the school, our organised transport will pick you up each morning from you accommodation or a close pick-up point. This service is available at a special price.

When you look at a map of Gozo, you may think that walking to school or travelling by bicycle are feasible alternatives to the school transport or a hire car. The hilly terrain and the relatively poor road surfaces make these options unacceptable for most of our students.

VISAS

Do I Need a Visa?

At the time of publication (December 2006) Citizens of the following countries do NOT require a visa to enter Malta:

Argentina	Germany	Luxembourg	Switzerland
Australia	Greece	Malaysia	Tanzania
Austria	Hungary	Monaco	Tunisia*
Belgium	Iceland	Morocco*	Turkey
Canada	Ireland	Netherlands	Uganda
Chile	Israel	New Zealand	United Kingdom
Croatia	Italy	Norway	United States
Cyprus	Japan	Poland	Uruguay
Czech Republic	Kenya	Portugal	Zambia
Denmark	Korea	Saudi Arabia	Zimbabwe
Egypt	Kuwait	Singapore
Estonia	Latvia	Slovak Republic
Finland	Libya	Slovenia
France	Liechtenstein	Spain
Gambia	Lithuania	Sweden

* although visas are not required, restrictions may apply.
        
Students can apply for visas at the Maltese Embassy or consulate in their respective country. European Centre can also offer a visa service to the students where we can obtain visas for student ourselves. Our service works as follows:

1. IH Malta-Gozo processes visa applications at a charge of 25 Euros.
2. Completed visa application forms should be faxed or e-mailed back to us.
3. We will then require 2 weeks (3 weeks in summer) to process the visa for the student.
4. If the student’s visa is accepted we will fax you an official visa acceptance form allowing the student to fly to Malta. We will also fax a confirmation of booking from our school.
5. When arriving at Malta International Airport, the students should present the visa acceptance form to the immigration officials together with 2 passport size photos, a confirmation of booking from our school and LM 10.
6. The visa will then be stamped on their passport and is usually valid for a maximum of four weeks.
7. If the students want to extend their visa this can also be handled by our school on condition that the student attends school regularly.        

Please note that during the summer months, the Immigration Office in Malta works half days. They also have a lot of applications to process so it is very important that the visa application reaches our school a MINIMUM OF 2 WEEKS prior to the student's flight date to Malta.

IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU CONSULT THE WEB SITE OF THE MALTESE FOREIGN OFFICE for the most accurate and up-to-date information. www.foreign.gov.mt (click on “Visas”)