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About ESA

ABOUT US

English South Africa (ESA) is the national association of quality language centres in South Africa. It is committed to developing and guiding the growth of the English language travel industry in South Africa and ensuring that its members meet or exceed guaranteed minimum standards of professionalism and quality.

Background

Over the past two decades South Africa has consistently featured as part of the global EFL industry, and has become an extremely popular destination for Language Travellers. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of English Language Centres offering English language tuition and accompanying services to students from all over the world. In order for the industry provide guidance, assure quality and give a common voice for these centres, the idea of a Language Centre association was proposed in July 2002. After a year of hard work and planning, ELTASA (English Language Travel Association of South Africa) was constituted in June 2003 with 9 founding members.

In 2009 ELTASA turned into what has been known EduSA for the past 13 years. EduSA became the trusted voice, the quality assurer and stamp of approval for all South African EFL schools.

Some 20 years after our initial start, we are now proudly recognised as ENGLISH SOUTH AFRICA (ESA).

ESA Objectives

  • To promote the development and growth of the language travel industry in South Africa.
  • To develop and maintain standards in teaching and service that will ensure quality is maintained within the industry.
  • To support the development of the industry through improved relations with all relevant services, organisations and levels of government.
  • To support the professional training and development of personnel for and within the industry.

Mission

ESA is committed to developing and guiding the growth of the English language travel industry in South Africa and ensuring that its members meet or exceed guaranteed minimum standards of professionalism and quality.

Ethical Guidelines

  • No member shall disparage another member or the Association in public or in the course of ESA meetings.
  • Every member shall strive to uphold both the letter and the spirit of the ESA Membership Guidelines and the Constitution.
  • Every member shall do their best to promote ESA in the course of doing business both in South Africa and overseas.
  • No member shall engage in activities which are in violation of ESA guidelines or which may reflect negatively upon ESA’s reputation.
  • Every member shall report in writing any actual or suspected infractions of any ESA guideline/s, as specified in the Constitution, committed by a Member or an agent associated with a Member to the ESA Executive.
  • No member shall place advertisements which falsely represent the centre or its programmes.
  • In the event of a dispute between members, members shall submit to the arbitration of the Executive. Should the dispute be between a Member and ESA, the parties will submit to the arbitration of an outside body designated by the Executive.
  • Every member shall maintain ethical standards and conduct business in strict accordance with South African and international laws.
  • ESA members will not deliberately encourage a student to book direct for a subsequent course, thereby cutting out an agent, providing that the agent has acted in a fair and reasonable manner towards both the client and the ESA Member. ESA recommends that its members make clear agreements with agents on this issue and requires that such agreements be honoured.
  • ESA members should try to ensure that the agent is informed if a particular difficulty with a student is likely to lead to a complaint to the agent, so that the agent is prepared for the complaint.

All ESA centres agree to undergo the ESA On-Site Language Centre Inspection and maintain the standards stipulated therein. Language Centres must pass the inspection in order to qualify for membership.

Inspection criteria include:

1. Language centre facilities

  • Classrooms
  • Toilets
  • Common areas
  • Teachers’ room
  • Safety and regulatory requirements

2. Teaching staff

  • Recruitment
  • Minimum standards for teachers
  • Minimum standards for academic manager or DoS
  • In service training

3. Course of study

  • Programmes and syllabuses
  • Methodology and materials
  • Placement and testing
  • Evaluation and feedback

4. Learning and teaching resources

  • Course books / resources
  • Hardware / facilities

5. Services offered

  • Orientation
  • Support / Counselling
  • Social programme / Tours
  • Safety & Security

6. Management & administration (all areas)

  • Financial administration
  • Structure, staffing and employee administration
  • Administration of students
  • Academic administration

7. Homestay guidelines

  • Services provided
  • Administration of homestays
  • Legal obligations

8. Other accommodation

  • Residential accommodation, students halls or hostels,
    catered or self-catering
  • Hotel accommodation, including hotels, guest houses, B&B’s and public
    hostels / backpackers
  • Self-catering accommodation

Our destinations

We are all over South Africa

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TESTIMONIALS​

Hear from some happy students.

I am enjoying ELC at UCT because everybody is so warm and welcoming. Studying here has been helping me a lot to improve my English and building a good relationship with a lot of people from different countries.
Student
5/5
Top for English learners
Student
5/5
Since April we have been planning our break including an English course in Cape Town. ELC accompanied us very well. First Johannes with his help, then the team with our study visa and after this the friendly welcome in Cape Town. Thanks also for having such great classmates and teachers!
Student
5/5
Hello dears I hope you are well My name is Abdullatif I am from Bangladsh I have been studying in UCT English for six months And it was amazing experience. I graduated from ELC on 09/03/23 , but on 28/06/23 I came back in ELC to complete my courses because this school is the best school in Africa
Student
5/5
Good teachers

Tianyi Chen -

Student
4/5
EASY ENGLISH CENTRE CC -
Johannesburg
UCT English Language has been being a great experience in my life. I can say more than learn and improve my English, it provided me new friends, also knowledge about new cultures. It has been possible meet people from everywhere in the world. I’m sure that worths and I’m going to reach my goals. All teachers and staffs are kind and promptly attentive in our improvement. Feedback is frequently a practice here. I strongly recommend.
Student
5/5
I personally think that the ELC is one of the best Schools to learn English. There, you just do not only improve your English but also your personality as a person and student. I am loving my stay in the ELC, the classmates they are full of surprises, because most of them are from different countries and we can share lots of experience with each other.If you are a foreigner and want to learn English, I recommends you to joy in ELC, you will thank me later.
Student
4/5
The best school for the English language
Student
5/5
I got to know Avenue English through my brother-in-law who studied at the Johannesburg campus. It was a surprise to discover that the school had opened a branch in Cape Town. I took a two-month English course with qualified, patient teachers and friendly classmates who always explained things in the best possible way so that everyone could understand. Thanks to Vivi for finding a place for my husband and me to stay so I could continue studying at the school for longer!Before taking the course, I was very afraid of speaking English and making mistakes. However, when I arrived at the school, I felt so natural and welcomed that I made great progress in a short amount of time, going from zero to ten! I am grateful to Avenue English for this positive experience and will always keep the teachers and friends I made close to my heart!
Student
5/5
The teachers are wonderful, I had a very good and pleasant experience, I really enjoyed being with them, they were good teachers while I was there. I went there with a non-high level, I was shy, I was afraid to talk to people for fear of making mistakes and mispronouncing myself!! I learn a lot from them, they are wonderful people. And I advise you to try. they are nice and friendly, people who don’t judge the students’ mistakes but help them to improve. thank you 😊 for everything you did for me. I had a good experience, and I hope one day we can meet again. Thank you very much, I wish you success and may God continue to bless you.
Student
5/5
The team is “very people-oriented” and the professional teaching is convincing in all facets. I enjoyed my language course at this school and was very motivated. Should I consider another course, I will choose this school again. Thank you very much and greetings from Switzerland 😉
Student
3/5
Avenue English was the best place where I could learn english. The experience was absolutely fantastic, I learnt a lot. When I arrived there, I could not even speak properly, but after that experience a lot of things changed, Now I am able to speak, write, read, listen and understand very well. The teachers are wonderful, I learnt a lot from them, they are very capable and patient. Being with people from different countries was amazing, I learnt about different cultures and helped a lot praticing my english, because was only way to communicate. If you are not sure about which school go to, I absoltely recommed you the Avenue English. Thank you Avenue English for the experience.
Student
5/5
Thank you so much Vivi and all of the teachers for the lessons. It was a incredible experience, in a family atmosphere, for me it’s the best school on the Atlantic Seaboard. Thanks for everything.
Student
4/5
Thanks to Sally I managed to pass my IELTS first attempt with only 2 days to prepare
Student
5/5
An excellent institute, just a new light, and it has a bright future, I recommend it, and at Masar Company for English language study, they are cooperative and honest, and they are the only ones who have an office in Cape Town.
Student
5/5
I thank the employee, Vivi, for her good treatment, as she was interactive with us from the beginning until the arrival of the students and facilitated all the problems that we faced
Student
5/5
I’ve learned English there. It’s a great place to learn English. They do have good teachers, very funny, so you won’t be bored.
Student
5/5
It was an amazing experience, I met amazing people and teachers listening! 😉
Student
3/5
A good number of people that I do business with have studied English at this school, and their proficiency has gone from 0 to 90 in an amazingly short period of time. I know for a fact that they all highly recommend the school, thus I have recommended the school to several others, and none have had a single bad word to say about the school. Doing business with these people, I would never risk referring them unless I was absolutely sure of the school. Having read the recent bad report by Hasan, I asked my friends what the problem was. It seems that certain male students, specifically from Saudi Arabia, have recently been coming to the school demonstrating exceptional disdain for, specifically, the female teachers, and generally, towards other students, and the learning process in general. They almost always arrive well over an hour late to class, which disrupts the entire class, as everyone has to wait for them to be brought up to date. (and sometimes simply skip entire days). However when reprimanded for this behavior, they are invariably rude to the teachers and display extreme arrogance, as well as a general air of entitlement. Often these same “students” have left other English language schools in Cape Town, and then join this school. One can only assume that the other schools didn’t put up with their disrespect either. I must add that I have heard that this is not the case with all students from Saudi Arabia. Most have apparently successfully passed, or are busy with, advanced English courses, and relate pleasantly with both the teachers and other students.
Student
5/5
I highly recommend this school for the quality of the courses and exercises, for the outstanding teachers, for the small size classes, and for activities out of school (every Wednesday). I spent about a month there and I really feel confident in my speaking and listening skills, what I was looking for. The staff was available and very kind as well.
Student
4/5
When I have arrived in the academy, My first impression was amazing and enthusiastic because of the multicultural environment and the caring teachers. I have enjoyed the school a lot because the lessons were very interesting and very interactive. I have learnt so much, I have improved my communication skills and enriched my vocabulary. Before join the english plus academy I used to communicate using the informal language what was not appropriate for the my profissional environment however since i joined the school I felt more confident to speak and able to do my work using my advanced English because the school is not only about grammar study but also about the practical lessons 🤗I deeply recommend.
Student
5/5
It was a nice experience, the teachers were friendly I had the best experience in Cape Town for 3 months😍I will repeat it next year🎉
Student
5/5
It is a wonderful english school. With perfect teachers, you can feel at home make friends for life. It’s close to all facilities and central. And you can enjoy the activities and as well as being in all touristic places in Cape Town. I miss the people at this school!
Student
5/5
Interesting teachers with good interaction. Staff members are responsive to students. Good atmosphere. We learn in good condition.
Student
5/5
The school has a perfect location and the staff is amazing. Very competitive prices also. A highly recommendable place to learn English in Cape Town.
Student
5/5
Well-located school in the city center with good amenities. Professional teachers who are close to their students. Very good interactions among students. Wonderful memories in any case.
Student
5/5
Professional staff
Student
4/5
Number one
Student
5/5
Good teachers nice location
Student
5/5
Good place to learn English and improve your skills also.
Student
5/5

SUPPORT​

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about our services. Can’t find the answer you’re looking for?


Please chat to our firendly team!

What types of English language programs are offered by English South Africa members?

English South Africa members offer a wide range of English language programs, including General English courses, Intensive language programs, Business English, Exam Preparation (such as IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge exam preparation), Academic English, and more.

How do I choose the right English language school in South Africa?
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What are the entry requirements for English language programs in South Africa?
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Can I work part-time while studying English in South Africa?
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How can I apply for a study visa to South Africa?
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Get in touch with About ESA