sarahtolle Last updated: 12 Best ESL Summer Camps in 2024
If you want something beyond the ordinary, and you want to practice your English summer vocabulary, consider signing up for an ESL summer camp.
Although many of them are for children and teenagers, a few are also aimed at adults.
We’ve put together a collection of 12 different programs for you to choose from. We have camps in Canada, the United States and other English-speaking countries. So take the best tire float you have, and dive in!
Contents
- 1. Atlantic S.E.A.L.
- 2. Studio Cambridge Summer Camps for Kids and Teenagers
- 3. ELS Florida Fun & Sun Camp
- 4. Pickering College ESL Summer Camp
- 5. Albert College ESL Summer School
- 6. Georgetown Preparatory School Summer English Program
- 7. Q International School Summer Junior Camp
- 8. Fredericton Christian Academy ESL Camps
- 9. St. Clare’s Oxford Summer English Language Courses
- 10. Leeds International Summer School
- 11. SLC Summer ESL Leadership Program
- 12. University of Toronto International English Programs
- And One More Thing...
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
1. Atlantic S.E.A.L.
Price: Starts from €430 (approx. US$459), excluding accommodation arrangements, leisure and full Saturday excursions (short trips)
Who this summer camp is for: Children and teens aged two to 17
How long this program will last: From mid-June to the end of August
S.E.A.L. stands for School of English and Active Leisure. That should tell you everything you need to know about what to expect from them.
This family-friendly camp is located in the beautiful city of Cork, Ireland. There are three separate programs offered by this camp: the Young Kids’ Camp for ages two to eight, the Junior Camp for ages nine to 12 and the Junior Camp for ages 13 to 17.
This school has three separate locations for adults, young kids and teens—all within a few minutes walk from one another. The program designs the schedules so families can enjoy a “whole family” learning experience with classmates who are of a similar age and language level.
What makes this program unique is that their teachers are certified in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and in Young Child Education & Development. Activities include beach walks, songs, games and scavenger hunts.
2. Studio Cambridge Summer Camps for Kids and Teenagers
Price: Starts from £1,545.00 (approx. US$1,893), depending on the course
Who this summer camp is for: Children and teens aged nine to 17
How long this program will last: One to four weeks
Studio Cambridge offers four ESL summer camps for children between the ages of nine and 17: Sir Edward, Ely (for ages nine to 14), Sir Laurence, Cambridge University (for ages 13 to 16), Sir Michael, Cambridge (for ages 13 to 17) and Sir Christopher, Cambridge University (for ages 16 to 17).
Prices cover tuition, activities, excursions, accommodations, meals, airport transfers and welfare (staff members who take care of health emergencies and the like). Be sure to visit the website for more details on each course!
3. ELS Florida Fun & Sun Camp
Price: Starts from US$1,150
Who this summer camp is for: Children and teens aged 10 to 17
How long this program will last: One to four weeks
Want your kids to have fun in an exotic (something that feels foreign) location, but don’t want to take them outside the US? Fly them to the Southeastern United States, and let them experience the best of what Florida has to offer.
The ELS teachers at Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, FL) will facilitate fun activities like pizza parties, museum visits and the local Festival of Cultures. If your kids like anything related to the sea, they can also visit the Eckerd Galbraith Marine Science Laboratory and learn some fascinating facts about the local marine ecosystem from experts in the field.
As for the English program itself, it will cover general English and conversation practice.
4. Pickering College ESL Summer Camp
Price: CA$6,950 (approx. US$5,078)
Who this summer camp is for: Children and teens aged 12 to 16
How long this program will last: June 30 to July 26; July 28 to August 23
Does your teenager want to study in an English-speaking school? Send them over to this institution in Ontario, Canada.
The classes cover all the essential English language skills—reading, writing, speaking and listening (the program calls listening “oral comprehension”). Because each class only accommodates up to 15 students, you can be sure that your child will be attended to (taken care of) if they need anything. The program accepts students of all English levels, but they will be assessed on their first day.
And in case you’re wondering what’s special about Ontario, it’s home to many cultural festivals, wilderness expeditions and city excursions.
5. Albert College ESL Summer School
Price: CA$5,200 (approx. US$3,803)
Who this summer camp is for: Children and teens aged 12 to 18
How long this program will last: July 31 to August 23
Like the last entry, this is another ESL school in Canada where teenagers can pick up all the skills they need to survive and thrive in an English-speaking educational institution.
Throughout the duration of the camp, students will undergo 25 hours per week of English lessons, enjoy on-campus accommodations (like wireless internet access) and get three full meals a day. Additionally, they can get a report card plus a certificate of completion after the program is over.
But students aren’t just going to be cooped up (kept) within the four walls of Albert College’s classrooms. They can also take weekend trips to places like the Sandbanks Provincial Park, Canada’s Wonderland and the famous Niagara Falls.
6. Georgetown Preparatory School Summer English Program
Price: Starts from US$5,800
Who this summer camp is for: Teenagers from 13 to 17 years old
How long this program will last: June 22 to August 2
Even if your teen has no knowledge of English whatsoever, they can still enroll in this summer program. It provides audio-lingual English training in a multicultural classroom.
Each weekday will involve five hours of lessons, including one hour of conversation practice. On top of that, they’ll get an hour or two of supervised homework per day. Once the program is over, the participants will receive a certificate of achievement.
Of course, all work and no play makes a teenager dull. (This is an English proverb that means there should be a balance between the time we spend working and the time we spend playing.) Students can also visit cool sites in Washington D.C., or take part in sports like swimming, track and field, tennis, soccer, baseball and even golf.
7. Q International School Summer Junior Camp
Price: Starts from US$3,600
Who this summer camp is for: Teenagers from 13 to 17 years old
How long this program will last: Two to three weeks
How about learning English with Disney—by going to Disneyland? Unfortunately, this summer camp is only for teens up to 17 years old, but hey: you can always ask them to bring some souvenirs and photos back from the trip!
If San Diego, CA, is a bit far from where you live, your teen can always stay with a local family. They’ll be given an orientation regarding the attractions they’ll visit along the way—including but not limited to the USS Midway Museum, Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld and Disneyland.
Of course, it’s not all fun and games: they’ll get a handful of English classes and materials, too!
8. Fredericton Christian Academy ESL Camps
Price: CA$1,300 per week (approx. US$950 per week)
Who this summer camp is for: School-age students
How long this program will last: July 14 to August 3
Despite the school’s name, your school-age child doesn’t have to be a Christian to attend this ESL summer camp. They have plenty of supervised outdoor activities so your child can experience all that the Canadian wilderness has to offer.
Even if your kid isn’t particularly fond of the outdoors, they can also visit cafes, art galleries, museums, bowling alleys, historical sites, zoos and more. They can stay in dormitories courtesy of the University of New Brunswick, or stay with local families near the school. After completing the camp, your child will receive an “FCA ESL Certificate.”
If all that sounds good and your child can’t wait for summer camp, they can also enroll in the winter camp and enjoy additional activities like ice hockey and skiing.
9. St. Clare’s Oxford Summer English Language Courses
Price: Starts from £1,454 (approx. US$ 1,781), depending on the course
Who this summer camp is for: Adults
How long this program will last: Two to three weeks
Looking to get out of the big city for some quiet relaxation? This English camp is located near Oxford, England in the UK (United Kingdom). It’s far enough out of the city to offer a peaceful environment and close enough to London to enjoy some evening or weekend travel.
If you’re interested in learning more about British English and culture, this program is a good choice—with a flexible schedule, laid-back (relaxed) location, wide selection of English courses and reasonable prices.
Adults have the option to stay on the St. Clare’s college campus, or participate in a homestay program with a local family. Applicants can choose from a variety of programs including “English for Life,” “English for Exam Preparation,” “Business and Leadership” and more!
10. Leeds International Summer School
Price: Starts from £2,065 (approx. US$2,530)
Who this summer camp is for: Current university students or university graduates
How long this program will last: Two to four weeks
If your English is at an advanced level, and you’ve had consistently good scores on your English proficiency tests, you may be eligible to enroll at the Leeds International Summer School (LISS).
It’s a fantastic place to immerse yourself in UK culture, history and society through excursions. This is possible because the university is just a walk away from the Leeds city center—not to mention a train ride away from the likes of London and Edinburgh.
What makes this program extra special is you can earn up to 20 credits, which you can convert to six US credits or 10 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits. That can save you a lot of time in your university studies, plus a lot of money if you’re planning to go back to university anytime soon.
11. SLC Summer ESL Leadership Program
Price: Starts from CA$2,100 (approx. US$1,536)
Who this summer camp is for: Adults with B1 level English proficiency
How long this program will last: July 8 to July 19; August 6 to August 23
If you’re already working, enrolling in this ESL summer camp in Kingston, Ontario, Canada might be a good idea. Not only will it hone your English language skills, but you’ll also pick up leadership skills.
Specifically, you’ll learn how to communicate effectively, make the best possible business decisions, improve your time management skills, learn to delegate (assign work to others) and make yourself understood in an environment where people come from different cultural backgrounds.
You’ll listen to lectures from community leaders, go on field trips, train and practice your public speaking skills and much more.
12. University of Toronto International English Programs
Price: Starts from CA$1,475 (US$1,079), including registration fee
Who this summer camp is for: Adults
How long this program will last: Three weeks
This is an official language program offered by the University of Toronto. Adults can choose from a range of courses such as “Academic English Course,” “Speaking & Society Course,” “English for Global Business” and “IELTS Preparation Course.”
Unless you’re a complete beginner in English (in which case you should probably not enroll in this program), the IEP is open to all levels. Your English will be evaluated based on a written test and interview. Based on the evaluation results, you’ll be grouped with others at the same English level as you regardless of age, cultural background, etc.
Once you’re able to get a break from all your studies, you can always roam around the university and catch its must-see spots for yourself.
Is it summer yet? Remember that you don’t have to wait until camp to get started on your authentic English learning experience.
After all, it never hurts to be prepared. Listening to English music on Spotify, checking out Hollywood movies on Netflix and watching English media clips on the FluentU language learning program are just a few ways to get a taste of English immersion before summer camp.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
And when you’re finally at your ESL camp, you may discover something new about yourself, too!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And One More Thing...
If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials, as you can see here:
If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.
The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.
FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.
For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:
FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.
Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.
FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.
The best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.
Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
