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11 ESL Summer Camps to Beat the Summer Slide
If you want something beyond the ordinary, and you want to practice your English summer vocabulary, consider signing up for an ESL summer camp!
There are several programs for adults and even whole families who enjoy traveling and learning together.
We’ve put together a collection of 11 different programs for you to choose from, with camps in Canada, the United States and other English-speaking countries. Prices are approximate and have been converted to U.S. dollars.
Contents
- Exciting Camps for Children and Teens
- Great ESL Camps for Adults
- ESL Camps for the Whole Family
- 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)
Exciting Camps for Children and Teens
1. CISL Summer English Camp at Yale University
In this summer camp, youth can experience life at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. This program takes place on the campus of Yale University in Connecticut, a place long known for its academic reputation and historical beauty.
Teens ages 13 to 17 can engage in English lessons and activities in two-, three- and four-week courses throughout July. A two-week session starts at $3,990 for an all-inclusive program offering meals, campus accommodation and recreational activities in addition to small group English lessons.
Interested in visiting a different part of the United States? CISL also offers English summer programs in other locations across the United States, including San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles.
2. IMG Academy ESL Camp
This ESL camp offers a good balance between improving your English and simply enjoying your summer vacation! For youth and teens who like to spend their summers on the beach, this camp is an attractive choice.
Located in sunny Florida, IMG Academy offers programs for learners from age 8 to 18 with a wide range of start dates from late May to early September. Choose from either a one-week, three-week or five-week session, with fees starting at $669 for one week.
While many camps offer morning English classes and afternoon activities, this camp does the opposite: Students participate in off-campus trips in the mornings, with classes in the evening as the hot Florida weather cools down.
In addition to classes taught by certified ESL teachers, students will participate in trips to museums, famous outdoor attractions, beaches and more.
3. Access English Summer Camp
Because English is one of the official languages of Canada, it’s a great country to study the language. Beautiful scenery, gorgeous weather and a once-in-a-lifetime experience await the kiddos who are lucky enough to attend this summer camp!
Participants attend weekday morning English classes and teacher-led excursions in the afternoons. Teachers are university graduates with Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) certification, and classes are capped at a maximum of 13 students.
There are daily excursions like visiting cultural and historic sites, getting outside for recreational activities and—of course—taking a trip to see the famous Niagara Falls!
You can find this camp in either Toronto or Hamilton, Canada. The camp runs from late June to mid-August and is for students ages 8 to 17. The camp is one to four weeks long but additional weeks are available. The price is about $800 a week ($1,020 CAD) if you need accommodation or $650 ($840 CAD) without accommodation.
4. ACA English Summer Camp
Quebec City is known for its strong francophone roots, but this multicultural city is a great place to explore many world cultures. The ACA English Immersion Camp has programs for a wide range of ages: Children ages 4 to 16 are invited to participate in two-week sessions from late June to mid-August.
This affordable day camp costs about $400 ($525 CAD) for a two-week session, with discounts when signing up multiple participants or for multiple sessions.
This camp is a day camp, running from 9 am to 4 pm daily. Located in Quebec, students attending this English camp will observe a unique cultural atmosphere as they experience a blend of anglophone and francophone culture.
Students participate in a mixture of outdoor and classroom activities with a focus on learning English. Students may choose between two different private school locations.
Great ESL Camps for Adults
While these might not be camps, per se, these adult English programs often give participants an immersion experience, with more flexibility and options than summer camps for teens and children.
Pay close attention to the different options and the corresponding prices—in many cases, the cost of the program varies greatly depending on what you “add” to your basic program package.
Nervous about the language immersion experience? Learn how to say and understand anything in English before your trip, and if you’re traveling to the U.S., be sure to follow these great tips for studying in the U.S.
5. University of Toronto Adult English Program
For adults who can commit to a month of summer travel, this camp offers a busy four-week program in July and August. Participants ages 18 and over can study at the University of Toronto in the heart of Canada.
This is an official language program offered by the University of Toronto. Adults can choose from a range of courses, such as “Business Fundamentals,” “General English,” “Speaking and Pronunciation,” “IELTS Preparation,” “Academic Fundamentals” and “TOEFL Preparation.”
In the evenings, the program offers optional excursions and activities to explore Toronto’s vibrant ethnic neighborhoods, cultural festivals and professional sporting events.
Weekend trips allow learners to get outside of the city to visit the famous Niagara Falls. Students are also offered the opportunity to join a guided tour to explore the historic and cultural sites of Quebec City, Ottawa and Montreal!
The cost ranges from about $770 ($995 CAD) to $1,050 ($1,375 CAD), depending on the program. For an additional fee, participants can add a meal plan and campus accommodation to get a taste of everyday life at the University of Toronto.
For adults traveling with teens, the University also offers a separate youth program for students ages 13-17.
6. St. Clare’s Oxford Summer English Language Courses
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.
Adults over the age of 18 can participate in two-, three- and four-week sessions from mid-July to mid-August.
The price for tuition and accommodation for two weeks starts at $1650 (£1272). If you’re interested in learning more about British English and culture, this program is a good choice, with a flexible schedule, laid-back 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 choose from a variety of programs, including “General English for Everyday Use,” “IELTS and Academic English,” “One-to-One Lessons” and more!
Program activities include attending shows, visiting local cafés, museums and art galleries, as well as strolling along the iconic River Thames.
7. Studio Cambridge Intensive English Courses
What better way to prepare for your Cambridge exam? Located in Cambridge, UK, this adult program is for participants 18 and over, though they do have a select number of courses for students who are 16 and over.
There are start dates every Monday during the summer (and the rest of the year), allowing you to create your own flexible timeline. You can stay from anywhere between two and 50 weeks! In general, fees start around $315 (£240) per week.
Since there are classes for participants ages 16 and over, this might be a good option for parents and their teenagers who want to travel and learn together.
For English learners who are fascinated with history, this program in Cambridge offers a location renowned for both its history and beauty.
Options for courses include “IELTS Exam Prep,” “Cambridge Exam,” “CELTA Certificate Course,” “General English” and “Business English.”
Every day after class, at least one social activity is offered free of charge so that participants from all around the world can practice their English with one another.
ESL Camps for the Whole Family
What’s an ESL camp for the entire family? These camps are usually designed with separate activities for adults and children during the day, while some group activities are planned during afternoons and weekends.
There are two main types of family ESL camps—some camps offer a full program of lessons and activities for children and a more basic program for adults.
This is a good way for parents to be near their children while at camp, but gives them more time to do independent activities around town. Other camps focus on giving both adults and their children separate, full day programs with daily lessons, excursions and social activities.
8. Calgary ESL Summer Family Camp
If you want to explore the wide-open spaces of the Canadian frontier, then this summer camp in Calgary, Alberta is perfect for you and your family!
This family-friendly camp welcomes participants of all ages, toddlers to grandparents. Their two-week program begins on July 26th and ends on August 8th.
For around $5,000 ($3,790 CAD), this camp allows you to enjoy the blue skies and sunshine of Calgary’s summer, along with the famous western cowboy and ranching culture that forms part of Calgary’s identity.
Classes take place at the Wynchemna Language Learning Center, located close to the Rocky Mountains that stretch alongside Calgary. In this program, learners of all ages are welcome, including parents, uncles, aunts and even friends of the family.
This is a total immersion program, encouraging participants to communicate in English during both classroom and recreational activities throughout the day. Those who love the outdoors will enjoy this camp, as Calgary is surrounded by many of Canada’s natural wonders.
9. Concord International Family Study Program
Dreaming of a seaside vacation? This International English Summer Program in the UK is a great way to polish your British English while still getting outside from some fresh air.
Offered throughout July and August, this program is notable for its many flexible and family-friendly options, including add-ons such as accommodation, meals and even a family study program that’s available for an additional cost. The base rate for this budget-friendly program starts at $320 (£248) per week.
The program includes both educational and recreational activities, with visits to see the city, the seaside, and the villages surrounding Canterbury in the afternoons.
10. Atlantic S.E.A.L.
The Emerald Isle awaits! This family-friendly camp is located in the beautiful setting of Cork, Ireland. There are three separate programs offered by this camp: the Young Kids’ Camp for ages 3 to 8, Junior Camps for youth ages 9 to 12 and 13 to 17 and an adult program for learners over 18 years of age.
Choose from dates in mid-June to late August, staying for as little as one week or as long as six. Prices are an approximate $360 (€315) per week for the Young Kids’ Camp, $1,500 (€1,385) for two weeks of Junior Camp and $440 (€385) per week for the adult program.
This school has three separate locations for adults, young kids and teens, all within a few minutes walk from one another. The program synchronizes the schedules so that families can enjoy a “whole family” learning experience with classmates who are a similar age and language level.
Something else that makes this program unique is that their teachers aren’t only certified in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), but also in Young Child Education & Development. Activities include nature walks, songs and games and scavenger hunts.
11. Manor Courses International Summer School
This program offers a separate agenda for kids and adults. While kids participate in group lessons and activities typical of a summer camp, adults attend private, one-on-one English lessons.
Another camp in the UK, the Manor Courses International Summer School is hosted on a college campus near Brighton, England.
Youth ages 8 to 17 participate in a full-day camp, with an option for parents to also stay in the residence and take private English classes. Stay and learn from one to five weeks during mid-July and August. This program is well-designed for families and is priced accordingly, giving the parents an incentive to accompany their children and practice their English.
For youth to attend without an adult, the fee starts around $1,100 (£950) per week. To participate in the family option, the course costs only slightly more, starting at $1,200 (£1,020) per week.
Participants live in the residence halls at Hurst College, with two trips per week to famous attractions in southeast England. The directors of the camp also live on the campus with their summer team, creating a friendly and safe environment.
Children can attend alone, but the program also offers a course for families in which parents and younger/older siblings live on campus and participate in private English lessons, as well as weekly excursions.
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 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. Click here to check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
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 FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or from the Google Play store.
