No classes will be held on national bank holidays. Instead, activities or a day-trip will be scheduled on a bank holiday. Please refer to the Irish holidays here.

Throughout the course we use a number of meeting points around Kilkenny. It is advisable to always check your itinerary as to where the meeting point is on any particular day.

Our mobile app is an essential part of every course and programme with mackdonald language academy. It provides valuable pre-arrival information and keeps students informed throughout their stay about planned activities, outings, trips and other important updates.
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Students have easy access to personalised, up-to-date information, including:

• - Personal and booking details
• - Airport transfer information
• - Accommodation details
• - Pre-arrival and general programme information
• - Frequently asked questions
• - Digital Student Handbook
• - Messages, announcements and push notifications
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The app’s messaging function is the easiest way for students to contact us - and it is also our preferred method of communicating with students during their stay.

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After we have received your registration details, we will send you a confirmation email with your detailed invoice incl. payment terms and instructions.
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You can select your preferred method of payment during the registration process.

All students attending one of our English courses must complete an online placement test before arrival. A unique link to the test will be sent by email.
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Based on the test results, each student will be placed in the class that best matches their English level. Where possible, the student’s age will also be considered when assigning classes.

You will receive a detailed itinerary before travelling to Ireland. It will also be available in our mobile app, so you can easily check your schedule throughout your stay.
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Please note that the itinerary may occasionally change due to availability or other circumstances. Any updates will be shared with you as soon as possible.

Living in a foreign country can sometimes cause problems of medical, emotional or psychological nature. Initial homesickness can be a common occurrence. This is a normal part of learning to live away from home for some time. However, our experienced staff will offer everyone support in these cases, and all such matters will be treated as strictly confidential.

Our comprehensive service includes airport transfers between Dublin Airport (DUB) and Kilkenny.
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Once your booking has been confirmed, simply send us your flight details and we’ll organise your transfer. Please submit your flight number and arrival and departure times at least 10 days before travelling to Ireland so that we can arrange your airport transfers.
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On arrival, a member of our team will meet you in the arrivals hall at Dublin Airport, holding a clearly visible sign with your name. For your return journey, we’ll transfer you to the airport, assist you with check-in and bag drop, and accompany you to the security area.

We advise you to take out a travel health insurance during your stay with us in Ireland. The travel health insurance covers all kinds of medical treatment by a doctor or in a hospital which becomes necessary during your time in Ireland.

Please contact the Irish Embassy or Consulate in your country to confirm whether you require a visa to study in Ireland.
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Once we receive your registration, we will send you written confirmation of your booking. We can also provide an official letter of invitation once the course fees have been paid in full. When you have received all the required documents, you can submit your visa application through the relevant Irish Embassy or Consulate.
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If you experience any difficulties during the application process, please contact us immediately. Our team will be happy to provide supporting information and assist wherever possible.
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You can find further information about visa requirements for Ireland here.

All English language books as well as all class materials needed during the course are provided free of charge.

A certificate of attendance is given to all students at the end of the English course with us. The certificate will indicate the results and the knowledge level achieved in the English language course.

The best time to contact your children, relatives or friends during their time in Ireland is either at lunch time (1-2pm) or at dinner time (around 6:30pm). Please note that there is a one hour time difference between Ireland and continental Europe.
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Approximately two weeks prior to the beginning of the language course, all students will receive detailed information about the course itself.
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All relevant information is also included in the mobile app.

All students are expected to participate fully and to their best ability in their English course. Thus, a certain amount of homework might be obligatory in all English classes and levels. Homework might be given involving preparation before, and revision work after the day's lessons.

Students who come to us to learn English and experience Ireland stay with carefully selected local host families.
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The experience for both parties - host family and student - should be positively enriching and memorable. Students benefit from living with native Irish people in a friendly and supportive home environment, practicing English and learning about everyday life in Ireland.
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What does a typical host family look like?
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• - A couple with children
• - A couple without children
• - Singles and single parents
• - ‘Empty Nesters’

We distinguish between the levels according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
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Our school’s own students’ books are set up according to the Common European Framework (link).

The use of a washing machine is at the discretion of the host family and an arrangement can be made with the host family directly.

The duration of a regular lesson is 45 minutes. In a regular course, there are generally 20 lessons (totalling 15 hours) of English language tuition per week.