International House Belfast

Learn English in Belfast. Communicate. Create.

Welcome to International House Belfast – Northern Ireland’s premier English Language and Teacher Training Institute!
Established in 2007, International House Belfast (a member of the International House World Organisation) is a British Council accredited centre, a certified Cambridge Teacher Training centre and a member of English UK and IALC. We are proud to be accredited by the Green Standard Schools as an environmentally friendly language learning school.
We aim to provide English language students from all over the world with a comfortable, friendly and technologically advanced environment in which they can develop their language skills. We are located in Belfast’s University Street, just south of the city centre in the bustling University Quarter.
The school is situated a 5 minute walk from Queens University in a beautiful historical Victorian terrace featuring 12 spacious classrooms as well as a study room; a computer room; a wellness lounge; a self-service kitchen and dining area; a snack area and a small terrace with a hosting bar.

  • School size: Small
  • Class size for Junior programs: 12
  • Age Group: Adults (16+), Juniors (12+)
  • Class size for Juniors: 15
  • Levels: Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, Advanced
  • Accommodations: Homestay, Residence

Highlights

  • Inclusive family environment;
  • Bespoke customer experience tailored to the individual;
  • Environmentally friendly language school – founding member of ‘Green Standard Schools’;
  • Student experience focussed;

Programmes Offered

Our adult English classes run on a continuous enrolment basis, meaning any student can choose how many weeks they wish to study for so there is a course for everyone. As a small centre, we can provide consistent tracking of a student’s progression and we work closely with our students to negotiate a syllabus to suit everyone. Rather than look at what a student has done in the past, we look at what the student can do now. We use a wide range of material – from various course books to authentic materials – to make our English lessons as engaging and relevant to the student as possible.

For Adult learners:
– General English (20 group lessons/week)
– Intensive English (25 group lessons/week)
– Intensive ‘Plus’ English (20 group lessons + 5 OTO lessons / week)
– IELTS Exam Preparation (25 group lessons/week)
– Cambridge Exam Preparation (B2 First/C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency) (25 group lessons/week)
– OET Exam Preparation (25 group lessons/week)
– Executive Immersion (30 OTO lessons/week)
– One-to-one lessons (minimum 5 OTO lessons/week) covering any specialist area of study
– English + Volunteering (4 weeks GE (20 lessons/week)) plus 6-10 week volunteering placement

For Young Learners:
Adventure Ireland at Campbell College – a traditional academic summer programme taking place in a beautiful campus once attended by C.S. Lewis.

Contact

Contact School

  • Standard Homestay, half-board
  • Executive Homestay (private bathroom), half-board
  • Shared city centre studio (private bedroom and ensuite bathroom), self-catering
  • Private city centre studio (private bedroom, ensuite bathroom and own kitchen area), self-catering

City centre studios: Our amazing brand new city centre studios offer private and shared studio and ensuite accommodation in the heart of Belfast city centre. The studios are on the doorstep of The Cathedral Quarter, Belfast’s most vibrant district. There is a brand new university campus there so the area is full of coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, galleries and amazing street art.
The residence offers a wide range of fantastic facilities including WiFi throughout, a communal TV lounge, a gym, a pool table and a social programme with native-speaking students.

Homestay: Our carefully selected local hosts offer single-room accommodation on a half-board standard or executive (private bathroom) basis. Our hosts are warm, welcoming, helpful and will make every effort to include you in local culture. We work with our hosts because they have clean, comfortable homes near the school and they offer a friendly welcome to our students. We visit all our host families regularly to make sure the accommodation they offer is of the highest standard. We never place two students who speak the same language in the same home, so students will have plenty of opportunity to practise your English!

  • Homestay
  • Residence

In recent years, Belfast has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Every year, droves of visitors flock to Belfast to enjoy its unique blend of nature, history, nightlife and culture. Whether it’s a hike in the surrounding mountains, or a lively night of traditional music in a cosy pub, life in Belfast is never boring.

We are located in Belfast’s University Street, just south of the city centre in the bustling University Quarter. The school is situated a 5-minute walk from Queens University, Botanic Gardens and the Ulster Museum A 20-minute walk will take you into Beflast’s main shopping district, meaning there is plenty of retail therapy available for the keen shopper, especially at Castle Court Mall and Victoria Square shopping centre.

Our student residence is situated next to Ulster University city campus, there is lots of opportunity to mix with native-speaking students – the residence even hosts an additional social programme including movie nights, pizza nights, Xbox nights and charity fundraising events! The area has great access to transport links – there are 2 Unilink bus services that run every 10 minutes all day, linking the area with the Queens quarter where the school can be found. There is also a train station a short walk from the residence for travel outside of the city.

Exams

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Testimonials

I spent 6 months at International House Belfast. Genuinely the best educational expirience I had in my life. The staff is very professional and are extremly helpfull. They offered solutions for every problem, from matters regarding the class to everyday life in Belfast. At the same time they’re realy lovely people I grew to like. All of them contributed to a cozy and friendly atmosphere with their open personalities. The classes where structured well and the teachers adapt to the individual needs of the students. Special shout out to Shane and Anna, they’re the best and I’m happy that i had them as my teachers. If you’re planning on visiting Belfast in combination with english courses, I whole heartedly recommend you the International House Belfast.

Adrian Switzerland

I studied there for 6 weeks. It was great time.
Teachers are amaizing, they explain new material clearly and they care about your progress. When the weather was sunny, we went to the park and had classes there. For me it is perfect place to improve English. On my last week they gave me advice about learning English in my country. I really miss IH.

Justyna Poland

This summer I took lessons at the international house in Belfast for 4 weeks. This was in preparation for my CAE, which I passed thanks to the good preparation. This is a small to medium-sized school with a family atmosphere.
I had lessons with Ryan and Theresa, both very good teachers who offered exciting lessons.
Good atmosphere in the school. Besides the numerous leisure activities offered by the school, the international house students (young to old) were often out together for pub visits and weekend trips. I stayed with a host family, very pleasant, my wishes were taken into account, my host was located in walking distance to the school. Belfast is an interesting city with friendly people. I highly recommend taking lessons at International House to improve your English.

Stefan Switzerland

This is the first time that I opt to take a general English course, since I starting teaching English. I have experience at studying at IH schools and when I read the variety of classes and the after class activities they offer I didn’t think it twice, and of course it didn’t disappoint me a bit. The teachers are excellent professionals who provide the students with a variety of resources to make the classes enjoyable, interesting and motivating. I can guarantee that you’ll learn English and you won’t be bored in class. I took note of a lot of teaching ideas ;-). The admin team is very friendly, always with a smile in their face and happy to help you, giving you advice about anything that you might need. They also make sure that every single day you have after class activities to do, thus you can enjoy Belfast and its surroundings as much as you can. The accommodation they provided me was spot on, high quality apartment, very well located, just 5’ from the city centre, not expensive and if you have a special requirement as it was my case, they didn’t hesitate in providing it. We also have an issue with the accommodation during my last day of staying and it really amazed me how quick they solved it and how easy they made it for us. If you want to learn English and have fun, this is the school you’re looking for. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Lola Spain

My experience in Belfast was fantastic. But, above all, International House gave me the best way to enjoy this city. They advised me a lot of social activities in order to have beautiful memories of my time in Belfast. The receptionists are so available and kind, they try to help you in everything, like how book your exam…
Moreover, the teachers are very professional and the lessons are very interesting. Surely, if you chose International House, you shouldn’t get bored, because there is the perfect balance between grammar concept and learning activities.
I really suggest to everyone to start this experience in International House.

Susanna Italy

I spent 13 weeks in Belfast and absolutely loved the experience. The city is lovely and the locals are very welcoming. But what I truly enjoyed most was my experience at IH Belfast. I met some amazing friends which I am still in frequent contact with and thoroughly enjoyed my daily English lessons (even grammar! :D). I came there in September feeling very unsure about my English as I was told I was not proficient enough at uni, and I left feeling very confident and happy :). This is mostly thanks to IH Belfast’s amazing teachers, especially Sarah, Ryan, and Stephen, who tought me during the three months. As I want to become a teacher myself I truly look up to all of them, as they showed me that even the most boring and mundane grammar task can be transformed into a fun learning experience. Also special thanks to Duanes and the team at the reception, who provided us with croissants and coffee after our CPE exam :). I will surely come back for a wee visit 😉

Lisa Switzerland

My experience at Belfast International House has been the most enjoyable and memorable. I decided to take the C1 Cambridge exam and I can see a big improvement in every single aspect of my English. Staff are genuinely kind and helpful at all times. Either when it’s about to recommend you places to go to in Belfast and surroundings or to change the milk of the coffee machine (and more), they’re always there. There also are the best teacher you could ever have. They have the patience and knowledge to help you achieve your goals and, what’s even more important, to believe in yourself. Of course, by pushing yourself is how you’ll see improvements. No one else but you know how far you can get! Finally, the students I found throughout my 8 weeks will never be forgotten. I made friends I never expected to have. I couldn’t really summarise my experience in a couple of lines, but joining this academy is the best decision I’ve ever made. P.S.: they always love to see old students around. So if you’re in the city, don’t forget to go for a quick visit!

Elena Spain
Contact School

IALC is very proud to be supported by our IALC Corporate Partners Guardme International Insurance Services.