English Courses in Malta

A former British colony from 1814 to 1964, Malta has retained English as an official language alongside Maltese. It’s a true English-speaking environment where daily life and leisure activities take place in English. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to practice your language skills.

With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, Malta offers a unique Mediterranean climate: no more gray skies and typical showers of Ireland or the UK. Here, terrace classes, cultural outings, and outdoor activities combine to make your learning more enjoyable and effective.

English courses in Malta cost on average 30% to 50% less than in the UK. The cost of living (accommodation, food, transport) is also significantly lower than in major European destinations. An ideal destination for an affordable language stay.

Malta is among the most popular European tourist destinations for its heritage and coastline. Its heritage is both rich and varied: megalithic temples, medieval citadels, Baroque cities… The Maltese coast is equally spectacular, with its turquoise waters and exceptional geological sites like the Blue Lagoon, the Blue Grotto, and the vertiginous Dingli Cliffs. Millions of travelers come to visit Malta each year, and this exceptional setting will enrich your linguistic immersion between English lessons.

Ideally located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Malta welcomes students and travelers from around the world every year. This cultural mix fosters exchanges: conversation clubs, international events, student nights… Plenty of opportunities to practice English with varied interlocutors, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner.

English courses in Malta are designed according to international standards. The accredited English schools in Malta offer a wide variety of options in terms of duration, intensity, and content, for all ages and levels.

The general English course (General English 20), also known as GE20, is the most popular learning format among students in Malta.

At any school, it consists of a program of 20 lessons of 45 minutes per week (15 hours of classes) spread over a half-day (morning or afternoon). Classes are held in small groups of 10 to 15 students, depending on the school. Students are placed in level-homogeneous classes ranging from Beginner (A1) to Advanced (C1). The program covers conversation, grammar, listening and reading comprehension, as well as interactive oral exercises.

The intensive English course (General English 30 or Intensive English), also known as GE30, follows the same format as the general course but with more lesson hours.

At any school, the intensive program (General English 30) includes 30 lessons of 45 minutes per week (22.5 hours). Held in small groups of 10 to 15 students, these classes take place in both morning and afternoon sessions. The additional modules focus primarily on speaking and conversation, while reinforcing grammar and written and oral comprehension to avoid overlap with GE20.

The Business English course (Business English) is offered in small groups and designed to improve English proficiency for professional purposes. Accessible only to learners at B1 level or above, this program (15 or 22.5 hours per week) emphasizes professional language use. Contextual exercises, such as meeting simulations and conversation workshops, consolidate your skills in real-world situations. Classes are limited to 6 students and rely heavily on practical case studies to enhance your linguistic autonomy in a professional environment.

Exam preparation courses are designed to help students achieve their target scores on one of the four major international English tests: TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge. Available in 15- or 22.5-hour weekly formats, they combine exam strategies, mock tests under real conditions, targeted feedback on listening and reading, and writing exercises to maximize results and success rates.

The English courses for children and teens in Malta are available for ages 8 to 17 during the main European school holidays. Young learners are grouped by age and level and follow a program of 15 or 22.5 hours per week combining conversation, grammar, and comprehension. Language stays for young learners include a full activity program to ensure constant English immersion.

“+” courses are offered to students over 30, 40, or 50 years old, depending on the school, in formats of 15 or 22.5 hours per week. These programs mirror the content of general or intensive English courses but with classes reserved for the same age group to facilitate integration, optimize interactions, and strengthen peer learning among mature students.

Private or semi-private courses (up to two students) are offered at all schools. These à la carte options allow you to book the exact number of lessons you want and target your objectives precisely: conversation, grammar, professional terminology, report writing, meeting simulations, etc. Depending on the school, courses can also be tailored to specific themes.

There are currently 34 official English schools in the Maltese archipelago. Choosing a school for English courses in Malta is therefore not easy.

The first step is to choose a school with ELT Council certification. Accreditation ensures that the school is official and recognized by the Maltese government as an English learning center. Only schools holding this license are truly qualified to offer English courses in Malta.

Then, depending on your profile, goals, budget, and desired duration, many options are available. Each project is unique, and we provide tailored advice to every student. If you’d like a complete review of your Malta stay project, don’t hesitate to contact us.

The price of English courses in Malta varies by school and the length of the student’s commitment; rates are discounted based on duration. For the same course and at the same time, the weekly price for a one-week stay will differ from that for a 24-week commitment.

It’s important to know the pricing tiers of the schools to benefit from the best rates; it’s not uncommon for an eight-week stay to cost less than a seven-week one, for example.

Finally, rates also vary by season. During high season, between June and August, schools generally apply a surcharge of €20 to €30 per week for the weeks concerned. This surcharge is sometimes not applied to long-term stays (over 21 or 24 weeks), depending on the school.

A glance at the average pricing of English courses offered in schools, excluding high season and promotional offers.

Classes run Monday to Friday, year-round. Students can enroll for anywhere from one week up to an entire year (48 weeks). Students arrive in Malta on weekends and are placed in a level-homogeneous class.

Level groups are adjusted continuously with student arrivals and departures throughout the year. When a student’s level improves, they move to a higher-level class. Tests are conducted at the end of each week to reorganize classes based on student progress.

On official Maltese public holidays, classes are not held and are not made up. For students on a short stay (one to two weeks), it’s important to check this, as it can affect your learning schedule.

To facilitate integration and learning, classes are composed of students with similar English levels. Levels follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:

Before joining a class, each student must take an online placement test 14 days before the course starts. Some schools also include an oral interview.

Upon completion, a theoretical level is assigned, determining class placement.