There are many ELICOS (English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students) Australian English providers to choose from, ranging from the small privately run college, to secondary school's preparation programs, to large university or vocational education centres. Education providers offer a range of courses suited to individual requirements, lasting from 4 - 48 weeks. These courses include:

General English

The General English course is designed primarily for successful engagement in a range of daily activities, within an English speaking environment. General English is usually delivered at 4 levels catering to students varying stages of English language proficiency. Each level is usually 12 weeks in duration and involves study of 25 hours per week (face-to-face in-class study and self-study).

There are no specific pre-requisites to enter General English. However, it is expected that most students have had some experience of learning English in their home country. All students will be given a placement test consisting of speaking, listening, reading and writing components. Students are placed in an appropriate level/class based on the results of these tests.

English for Academic Purposes

English for Academic Purposes prepares students for study within a tertiary environment. This course focuses on the language, critical thinking and academic literacy skills required for their main course. Some classes are separated into streams according to their discipline. This allows students to focus on the specific language skills required in their main course – whether it’s business, health, engineering or information technology.

English for Secondary School Preparation

High School preparation courses are aimed at students 13-17 years of age and focus on English and academic skills required for entry into an Australian Government or private school.

English for Special Purposes (e.g. English for Business)

These courses offer the student an opportunity to improve their English language skills related to their specific professional area:

The Business English Course is designed to focus on teaching language skills required in a professional working environment. There is a great deal of practical focus including exposure to business situations. You will learn how to speak confidently in public, how to conduct yourself at meetings in English, how to communicate effectively by telephone, and email. Classes are small with a high degree of personal attention.

The Healthcare professional English Course is designed to improve your ability to communicate, learn relevant vocabulary and concepts, and discuss recent developments in a range of healthcare professions (Dentistry, Dietetics, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Radiography, Speech Pathology and Veterinary Science) as well as developing skills and test-taking strategies in preparation for the Occupational English Test (OET).

The Engineers English Course is designed to focus on learning the vocabulary and concepts used in engineering, discuss recent developments and develop your ability to communicate with peers both verbally and through effective written documents.

The English for Law Course is designed to focus on learning the vocabulary and concepts used in the legal industry, discuss recent developments such as international and comparative law, taxation, corporate and criminal law, environmental and health law and develop your ability to communicate with your peers both verbally and through effective written documents.

You can study a customised English program in almost any area of study. The course length, dates and level can also be customised to the group. Please discuss your requirements with your personalised Plus Education consultant.

IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge Test Preparation

Many institutions in Australia offer preparation programs for the IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge tests.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS), is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is used as the language of communication. IELTS is required for entry to university in Australia and other countries.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) measures the ability of non-native speakers of English to use and understand North American English as it is spoken, written and heard in college and university settings. Most people who take the TOEFL test are planning to study at colleges and universities where instruction is in English. In addition, many government agencies, scholarship programs, and licensing/certification agencies use TOEFL scores to evaluate English proficiency.

Cambridge English Language Assessment is part of the University of Cambridge and has been providing English language assessments and qualifications for over 100 years.Their English exams are recognised around the world by thousands of employers, universities and government ministries as proof of ability to use English.

Study Tour Programs

Study tour programs are designed for groups of students aged from 13 years and above. Study tours can be organised for groups of students from high schools, universities, specialist organisations, and corporations (with usual group sizes of 12 to over 100 people). Most days require students to attend English lessons in the morning and then activities and excursions in the afternoon. Weekends are usually full of excursions and home-stay family visits.