Accreditation, class intensity and location — practical criteria for narrowing down a program within your budget.
The right language school is not just the campus photo in the brochure. The following criteria should be weighted to your goal and budget.
Accreditation and quality assurance
The supervisory bodies the school is affiliated with (varying per country) are a reference for program duration and teacher quality.
Class size and intensity
Weekly teaching hours, level placement test and maximum class size directly affect your learning pace. Intensive programs achieve faster progress; lighter programs work better with a side job or internship balance.
Location and cost of living
City-center accommodation can be expensive but reduces commute time. Suburb options ease your budget but factor in public-transport costs.
Building a transparent budget
Consolidate registration fee, materials, exams (IELTS / Cambridge prep) and social activities in one table; ask up-front about "hidden fees" to remove that risk.