Reviews of CIAL Centro de Linguas, Lisbon, Portugal
NOTE: All reviews are authentic. Only students who booked their course through us can publish evaluations here, and only after the end of their programme. These evaluations then are not manipulated in any way, neither by us nor by the school, and can be trusted as honest opinions about personal experiences with the school.
Average Rating
4.2
Overall rating
CIAL Centro de Linguas, Lisbon, Portugal
CIAL Centro de Linguas, Lisbon, Portugal
Based on 334 reviews of former students of CIAL Centro de Linguas
School
Location of the school
Facilities
Social activities
Organisation
Course
Quality of teaching
Value for money
Accommodation
Homestay
Shared Flat (apartment)
Overall school rating by student age group
Students < 18 years (1 rating)
Students 18-30 years (89 ratings)
Students 31-49 years (86 ratings)
Students 50+ years (101 ratings)
Verified reviews only, uncensored. All student opinions from students who booked a course at the school with LanguageCourse.net.
Individual Reviews
CIAL Centro de Linguas
2. Feb. 2026
Rupinder (59 years) United Kingdom Course: One-to-One Course - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Location and teaching good."
Details of the review
City/place
"Quieter in the winter but the downside is the wintry weather."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
---
Social activities
---
Quality of teaching / language progress
3. Dec. 2025
Hyunah (40 years) South Korea Course: Standard Course 20 - 3 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The center is quite small but well organized. Teachers are friendly and professional."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Thank you."
City/place
"Globally gathered city. Old but fancy."
Quality of teaching / language progress
"Good."
Accommodation
"Great location. Room condition is quite good but no sound proof facilities."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Shared Apartment
21. Apr. 2025
Elke (79 years) 
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very customer-oriented organisation and process. Dedicated teachers, although not all equally professional in terms of teaching methods. I think that's less important than support and a willingness to give attention."
Details of the review
City/place
"Worth seeing. Unfortunately a lot of tourists..."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
7. Apr. 2025
Charlotte (33 years) Course: Portuguese + Surf - 2 weeks
Course: Portuguese + Surf - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Great study rooms and small groups! When I wanted to change levels, this was made possible immediately :)"
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
13. Nov. 2024
Manfred (65 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very interesting lessons with lots of opportunities for conversation in the afternoon workshop. The class composition is international."
Negative aspects
"Unfortunately, I was only assigned to one course, which was too easy for me as there was probably no other course on at the time. It was OK for one week, but there should be more on offer next time."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The afternoon workshops offer an opportunity for conversation."
Details of the review
Other comments
"A highly recommended school with nice teachers and staff."
City/place
"A very beautiful city. I would personally avoid Lisbon in summer as there are so many tourists in the city. The sights and food, as well as the friendliness of the locals, are a delight."
Quality of teaching / language progress
"The level of the course was too low for me."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
9. Oct. 2024
Mine (25 years) Turkey Course: Portuguese + Surf - 4 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"It was the best experience ever! I stayed share apartment and I absolutely loved it! Everyone was so sweet I made so many friends we had so much fun staying together and helping each other.. location is amazing our teacher Miguel was a gem.. looking forward to come back soon."
Negative aspects
"There is nothing I didn't like."
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Shared Apartment
31. Jul. 2024
Karen (24 years) Netherlands Course: Online One-to-One Lessons 10 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teacher Fátima was really nice and helpful. The lessons were on a challenging and good level!"
Negative aspects
"No weaknesses."
Details of the review
Quality of teaching / language progress
"Really good, the teacher Fátima explained everything very well."
City/place
---
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Facilities (library, classrooms)
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---
Quality of teaching / language progress
---
6. Jun. 2024
Monika (60 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The test in advance got me exactly into the course, where I did well. All school staff, teachers and administration knew who they were talking to at all times, it was very familiar and I felt comfortable."
Negative aspects
"I can't think of anything."
Details of the review
City/place
"My favourite town"
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
15. Apr. 2024
Carole (61 years) United States Course: Combined 30 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The professors are great, the location is great."
Negative aspects
"I would have liked a slower paced class, but that is no fault of the school. I would have liked the professor to go a bit slower in A1, and repeat things more."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Really enjoyed my time, the staff & professors, the location, everything!"
City/place
"Lisbon is superb! I would go back in a second!"
Quality of teaching / language progress
"A1 was more difficult than I expected, but I had zero knowledge of the language."
Accommodation
"Great location, easy to take metro or to walk. Good accommodations, had my own bathroom, which was wonderful."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
12. Mar. 2024
Yumi (20 years) 
Course: Combined 25 - 2 weeks
Course: Combined 25 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers and classmates were very friendly."
Details of the review
City/place
"It was a charming city with convenient transportation and fine cuisine."
Accommodation
"Very kind and helpful. Breakfast was delicious."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
15. Jan. 2024
Jürgen (63 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"I would have liked to give a sixth star for the quality of the teaching. Both in the mornings (lessons from the book) and in the afternoons (consolidation, communication), the teachers were of the highest standard. The exchange with the other students (from Canada and France) was also very interesting."
Negative aspects
"All good!"
Details of the review
City/place
"I know Lisbon from many previous visits, we have a flat nearby. That's why I'll skip this part of the evaluation."
City/place
---
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
27. Nov. 2023
Susann (66 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very personal atmosphere, competent teaching staff, challenging"
Negative aspects
"The classrooms were very, very cold in November"
Details of the review
City/place
---
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
6. Nov. 2023
Maria Nuria (61 years) 
Course: Combined 25 - 2 weeks
Course: Combined 25 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers."
Details of the review
City/place
"Very cozy and comfortable to move around."
Accommodation
"The house is very cozy and the room is very spacious and comfortable."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
31. Jul. 2023
Maria (37 years) 
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The team is great!"
Negative aspects
"Not enough speaking practice at A1 level"
Details of the review
City/place
"Lisbon is a wonderful city"
Quality of teaching / language progress
"Super"
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
3. Jul. 2023
Wend-waoga Christiane (51 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 3 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 3 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The quality of the teachers and the friendliness of the staff."
Negative aspects
"After-school activities."
Details of the review
City/place
"Pleasant city to live in."
Accommodation
"Tiny room."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Shared Apartment
25. May. 2023
Alexander (58 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"It was my first time. Our teacher Ana was very good. She set a good pace. But she always made sure that everyone could keep up with the pace and always dealt with each person individually until everyone was back on the same level. Top."
Negative aspects
"I can't think of any right now."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The school's activities programme."
Details of the review
City/place
"A great city, with a very beautiful old town. Unfortunately, many others have already discovered this :-). It is very crowded. You can easily reach a lot on foot and everything else very cheaply by metro, bus, train or Uber. I really enjoyed living outside, close to the school, so I also got to know the "non" touristy Lisboa. I am still thrilled and it was definitely not the last time."
Quality of teaching / language progress
"The test at the beginning put me in the right group, with a similar level of knowledge."
Accommodation
"It is 2 metro stops to the school and a short 30 minute walk. The host mother is a very friendly woman who speaks fluent English and French. The room has a small balcony. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the area."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
3. Oct. 2022
Josee (64 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Small school with very qualified and dedicated teachers. I would like to go to Faro next year to continue my learning for 2 weeks."
Negative aspects
"The students were very young"
Details of the review
City/place
"Lisbon is beautiful...I'll be back."
Accommodation
"It was an unforgettable experience with a lot of information about the history of Portugal."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
7. Mar. 2022
Julia (53 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"I had a wonderful week of tuition at the school, everything was perfect for me and my needs. The staff at the school were very helpful and friendly and I felt well looked after every single moment. Thank you for the wonderful memories! I can definitely recommend the school."
Details of the review
City/place
"A city to fall in love with!"
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
---
Quality of teaching / language progress
6. Dec. 2021
Markus (64 years) Germany Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 4 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Staff, friendliness of administration, combination of standard course in the morning and conversation in the afternoon"
Negative aspects
"Mask restrictions and language learning don't match.
Traffic noise and open window requirements due to covid"
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
2. Aug. 2021
Alexander (37 years) United States Course: Combined 25 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Great experience."
Negative aspects
"I would have preferred less focus on grammar and more focus on conversation during class."
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
24. Jun. 2021
Marwa (31 years) Portugal Course: 5 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Experienced teacher, well organized, interesting and personalized content."
Negative aspects
"Lots of theory, lots of content within short time, sometimes not enough room for questions."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The teacher training is intense with lots of content, but also interesting, a little theoretical sometimes. The organization is better than at other language schools with lower prices."
Details of the review
City/place
"NA - Online classes"
Quality of teaching / language progress
"Online lessons"
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
---
Social activities
---
Quality of teaching / language progress
13. Feb. 2021
Julia (24 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 6 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 6 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The quality of the teachers, some really incredible people, working methods and tools."
Negative aspects
"No heaters."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Paolo is the best teacher in the world."
City/place
"The best city I have visited !!! Small capital, full of charm, lots of things to do in the city and in the surrounding area. Amazing experience."
Quality of teaching / language progress
"Class time goes from 3 hours to 1.5 hours of lessons if there are no other students enrolled."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
16. Mar. 2020
Sana (20 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"I got homework advice by email."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"It is important to be proactive."
Details of the review
Other comments
"There are no shops around the school, so if you have afternoon classes, you should prepare something to eat."
City/place
"Lisbon was a lovely city."
Quality of teaching / language progress
"The teacher of the private lesson was late or fell asleep on the way."
Accommodation
"I think it depends on the people I live in."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Shared Apartment
3. Dec. 2019
Manfred (60 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very nice people and good opportunities to get to know fellow students. Because of the small size, a good sense of belonging quickly emerges. I always find it particularly good to meet people from other countries and cultures."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The excursions organized by the school are a good opportunity to get in touch with students from other classes."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Highly Recommended. Won't be there for the last time."
City/place
"Lisbon is an attractive and appealing place with a special flair. Here you can feel comfortable. The climate is still pleasant even in November."
Quality of teaching / language progress
"Very competent teachers. Good teaching material. Classrooms are equipped with relatively small blackboards."
Accommodation
"Very friendly, educated and helpful host who also took the time to talk to me. These were often held in Portuguese."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
25. Jun. 2019
Rosa (66 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teacher"
Details of the review
City/place
"I love it"
City/place
School organization
---
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
3. Dec. 2018
Olof (66 years) 
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Nice atmosphere"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Be on time in the mornings"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Important to have the right timing for course start date and exam"
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
30. Nov. 2018
Manfred (59 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Good teachers, small groups, interesting leisure activities"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The leisure activities give the opportunity to get to know participants from other courses"
Details of the review
Other comments
"It was a lot of fun!"
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
28. Nov. 2018
Karin (57 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers"
Details of the review
Other comments
"This is the second time I attend the course. My agency had not informed me about e.g the exam that took place on the third day. If so, I would have chosen to start the course a week earlier and could have moved to a higher level. Alternatively, I would only have taken individual lessons. There was no information about this from the agency. They could have asked what I felt I needed and what I had done in terms of my language learning since last year. Mondays at school will be half-hearted as new students arrive late in the groups after completing the level test. One day was cancelled because it was a holiday. It should have been clear when I booked. So, compared to last year I got a lot less this year. One day out of ten missed was something I was not prepared for. Messy Mondays where students came and went. The agency should know how the courses work and that the courses are per month."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
27. Nov. 2018
Allison (58 years) United Kingdom Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very friendly and excellent teachers."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"I did not stay with the school accommodation. I would suggest that it would have been better, as an opportunity to practice the language skills further."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Social activities were great but were cancelled about 50% of the time."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
6. Nov. 2018
Raluca-mihaela (32 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teacher and its dedication."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Choose to stay in a student's flat."
Details of the review
Other comments
"The extra activities were very interesting, I recommend to join them, although unfortunately they are done in English, so they are not useful to practice Portuguese. You need to ask the teacher to use more Portuguese.
The detection of the student's level in the school is not accurate (level tests only for some people, when everybody should take them) and sometimes the student remains in a too low level class; it is difficult to get the change of level; I need to complain several times to get the change."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
28. Aug. 2018
Nancy (53 years) 
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Great atmosphere, super enthusiastic, motivated teacher! With a passion for her profession"
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
20. Aug. 2018
Tatiana (20 years) 
Course: Standard Course 20 - 3 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 3 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers explain the material well and are ready to work with each student to achieve maximum progress."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"When staying with a host family for a long time, be prepared for the fact that the same breakfast every morning (coffee and toast) will make you sick very soon, and you will have spend your money on morning meals as well..."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Awesome! I'm planning to come back!"
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
6. Jul. 2018
Marlieke (27 years) Netherlands Course: Combined 25 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The people behind the counters were really really nice. they know who you are and how long you are staying in town. They are friendly and helpful and make you feel very welcome in the school."
Negative aspects
"- I don't think they should have teachers speaking in English / Spanish / other languages, but try to push students to talk Portuguese.
- I think teachers should use the assignments in the books as guidelines, but also try to have students come up with sentences next to what is already written. In other words: don't read the same assignment 4 or 5 times, but practise role playing based on that assignment. If you are reading a text about introducing yourself, we can practise introducing ourselves. If you are reading a text about making a reservation in a hotel, we can practise reserving a table in a restaurant/ reserving cinema tickets etc.
- teachers should not go through the book exercise by exercise (otherwise it's basically doing homework in a big group), but explain what the goal is from that day and then use some of the exercises to illustrate. That way the grammar is clearer and students would have an easier time knowing how things are done (it's more organised).
- You really shouldn't sell private classes to new students on A1 level. The first class I got started with my teacher saying that we cannot really do anything. Basically we went through the book again and worked a bit ahead, but that only resulted in me being a bit bored afterwards in the group class. Better to start private lessons after 1 week or at least after a couple of days."
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
---
Quality of teaching / language progress
26. Jun. 2018
Susanne (57 years) Course: One-to-One Course - 1 week
Course: One-to-One Course - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Teacher"
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
---
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
---
Quality of teaching / language progress
26. Feb. 2018
Christa (47 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Central location and pleasant class times, my lecturer Virgilio"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Accommodation not rated, as I have not booked accommodation through CIAL"
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
26. Feb. 2018
Thomas (51 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The leisure activities: well organized, interesting, mostly at least half in Portuguese."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The Jantar Fado (dinner + fado), the Museu de Agua (former water reservoir with aqueduct), the Casa do Alentejo (great building + nice waiters, good food).
Miguel, in function as guide of the leisure activities."
Details of the review
Other comments
"So the teachers know a lot, which often leads to them talking more than the participants. There is a lot of input (grammar) but little practice and usage.
Most of the employees, especially Dora from the reception, are very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately no library for participants. But always a free room where you can do your homework in peace."
City/place
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Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
11. Jan. 2018
Peter (44 years) Course: Easter and Christmas Course - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers were excellent with lots of experience, and there were some activities outside of class too, when enough people were interested. The school is not far from popular spots in Lisbon."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The student apartment was good for meeting other students as long as you're happy with sharing a modest but convenient student apartment."
Details of the review
Other comments
"I never studied Portuguese before and started from the beginner level in the Christmas course where we covered a lot in a short space of time. The teacher balanced the levels and abilities of many students well."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Student Residence
10. Nov. 2017
Karin (56 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teaching methods"
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
26. Jul. 2017
Christa (58 years) Austria Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The friendly atmosphere and the right pace of teaching"
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
17. Jul. 2017
Timothy (64 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 3 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Meeting other students"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Discuss your expectations before you pay for the classes."
Details of the review
Other comments
"I wanted useful phrases, learning that emphasized speaking, and using Portuguese. This class was only grammar, homework, and book learning. I'm very disappointed."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
24. Mar. 2017
Thomas (50 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The friendly service by Dora at the reception, the historical explanations by the teacher Paolo"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The cultural program with Miguel, a lunch in the downstairs restaurant around the corner, the Museu do Azulejo, the garden and the Museu de arte moderno the Gulbenkian Foundation"
Details of the review
Other comments
"I could improve my grammar, and learned a lot of new structures - but unfortunately hardly practiced or consolidated.
Because the class is exclusively frontal; the classmates speak very little, if so then only one with the teacher, while the others listen/wait. Communicative and effective ways of working as group or pairs did not exist in my courses (2).
Instruction is focused on tests. Practical learning objectives were neither formulated nor planned for. A didactic formation of the teachers would be advisable.
In addition, I was assigned due to the placement test a B1 course . When I explained that I have been completed A1, I was assigned to an A1 course. After long explanations why A1, the padagogic manager finally admitted that there was no place in the A2 course and that I should be patient until next week. All in all, unfortunately I didn't learn as much as I planned and how it would have been possible."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Homestay
14. Feb. 2017
Mathilde (26 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 4 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 4 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The quality of teaching and the proposed activities"
Details of the review
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
Quality of teaching / language progress
Accommodation
Student Residence
12. Dec. 2016
Dorte Stig (69 years) Denmark Course: Standard Course 20 - 4 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The well organized, systematic and friendly teacher + the small class (between 8 and 6 students) that I got to know well and with whom I had a nice coffee break every day in the café around the corner."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"If you are a beginner, go when the beginner course is starting to avoid too difficult a start."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Fine correspondence between what you promised and what I got."
City/place
School organization
Facilities (library, classrooms)
Social activities
---
Quality of teaching / language progress
8. Nov. 2016
Oscar (42 years) France Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Well organized, all material to follow the course and answer particular questions (books, photocopies...) were given out by the teacher"
Negative aspects
"As negative point, I'd say that the breaks were too long. The 3h course in the morning was actually barely 2h15. Hence, the overall cost during the week is high as the actual working hours are fewer than expected."
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30. Sep. 2016
Kaat (29 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Pleasant atmosphere, to the point, no time loss"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Activities after classes have been nice to know the city and practice the language!"
Details of the review
Other comments
"I found that there was little difference between the classes in the morning and workshops in the afternoon. The workshop allowed more interactive for me."
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Homestay
29. Sep. 2016
Cristina (33 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The lessons."
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Student Residence
19. Sep. 2016
Juan Vicente (55 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Classmates."
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Student Residence
19. Sep. 2016
Konrad Joachim (27 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 4 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 4 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"I liked, that the teachers were very motivated and committed. It was also nice, that the group size of the courses was relatively small."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Overall I can recommend the Cial. However, I wonder why the teachers don't earn very much, although the course is not exactly cheap."
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2. Aug. 2016
Matthew (30 years) United Kingdom Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Established. Experienced teachers. International. Near metro station."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Practice, practice, practice!"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Thank you for organising Brazilian buffet night on Friday! My classroom in a separate block was noisy (traffic outside)."
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4. Apr. 2016
Marianna (45 years) Hungary Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teacher was fantastic!"
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15. Feb. 2016
Heike (49 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"From the organization to the classes to the leisure activities, everything was great! Very pleasant atmosphere"
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26. Jan. 2016
Ulrich (40 years) United Kingdom Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Friendly and helpful teachers and staff"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Great trips organized which makes it ideal for social sightseeing"
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29. Dec. 2015
Daisy (41 years) United Kingdom Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 3 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The extra activities, Dora the receptionist and professors Ana and Miguel"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"I would recommend one intensive week and then as many one-to-one lessons as you can afford."
Details of the review
Other comments
"You should be able to switch or choose your teachers if you want or need, spending that kind of money. It's difficult to learn from someone if you don't like them or their style of teaching."
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12. Nov. 2015
Roxane (84 years) Canada Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 8 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Cultural program was excellent
However, the first group Portuguese class in which I was enrolled proved to be a disaster. One student interrupted the teacher and other students throughout the sessions, totally disrupting the class. As a result, our group fell badly behind and only one of the original 8 students passed the examination at the end of 4 weeks. At this point, I transferred to single lessons and not only caught up the work we missed the first month, but also passed that exam and the next one by the end of my second four weeks. Those students who stayed in the group class had a different teacher for two weeks, then passed the exam and got their old teacher back. As a result, they remained two weeks behind schedule and were less than happy with the last part of their class."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Be careful of enrolling in the group classes and workshop, as recommended -- you may get a good teacher in a good group, or you may get one who does not keep the class moving ahead on schedule. Seriously consider individual lessons, or getting a small group of 2 or 3 people together."
Details of the review
Other comments
"The area is very noisy. At one classroom location, we had ambulances, police cars, and fire engines screaming past every few minutes. At the other, there frequently were jack-hammers and other building noises outside. When classes finished at different times, students in the hallways also contributed massively to the noise level."
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28. Sep. 2015
Itamar (27 years) Israel Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Paulo and Verjilio my teachers"
Details of the review
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1. Sep. 2015
Florian (32 years) Germany Course: Combined 25 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Short distance to apartment. Good mixture of younger and older students. English possible if you are a beginner in Portuguese. Activities to get to know other students."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Get in touch with students at school. Most activities outside the school are organized in whatsapp groups aso."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Pretty strict concept for group lessons. I would recommend one private lesson per Day for your own style of learning and faster progress. You must not take less than 4 weeks. 1 Level (e.g. A1) = 4 weeks. Otherwise it gets pretty stressful."
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Student Residence
18. Aug. 2015
Sara (31 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers"
Details of the review
Other comments
"It is great."
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Student Residence
10. Aug. 2015
Françoise (67 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Good atmosphere, good location"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The Gulbenkian museum"
Details of the review
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Homestay
3. Aug. 2015
Ronald (50 years) Netherlands Course: Combined 25 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Knowledgeable teachers"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"One week is not enough. Also, if you want to get to know people, book at least two weeks."
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23. Jun. 2015
Wido (24 years) Netherlands Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The location, the teachers, the students."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Location in Lisbon was for me by far more fun than Faro, because there were more students and there was way more things to do."
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Homestay
16. Jun. 2015
Barbara (51 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teaching is very good (especially the teachers) and well structured; very good teaching material; rooms very nice - unfortunately only one week, so too little used ...."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Organization can be improved ... received no certificate of attendance on site (will be sent)."
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1. Apr. 2015
Rin (23 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 3 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 3 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"I loved the people there the most. The teachers were amazing. They were very sophisticated, know so many things (I was in awe in hearing Paulo's stories of his past jobs and experience) humorous, and just beautiful. Every week there would be new students, but the teachers knew how to welcome the new comers without changing the speed of teaching. Thus, it was good for both new comers and students who were there before.
NOt only the teachers, the students there were very nice and ambitious. Perhaps because CIAL is not that cheap, students who go there are very interesting people with their diverse backgrounds. They were all humble, nice, and very caring."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"I would advice you to try to apply the course on the first week of the month if you are new to the language because that is when you start doing the workbook from the start. Since, portuguese was new to me, it was good that I went in the first week.
Also, you learn a lot in just three weeks. You learn the basics in the first three weeks. (But, because I don't speak Spanish and I only know English and japanese, I cannot understand what the portugese people are saying etc)However, I think if I stayed there for another two months, I would have been able to speak more fluently and understand Portuguese ."
Details of the review
Other comments
"I am very happy I went to CIAL in lisbon.
Everybody who was there all liked lisbon as well. It is a beautiful city. There are so many things to do. The night never sleeps in Lisbon as well.
Everybody is very kind. If you do try to speak portuguese, they would make time to listen to you. My friends and I used to go to this one cafe shop a min away from the school during the breaks, and the waiter there would sometimes teach us simple portuguese.
Also, many people there speak English which can be both pros and cons.
I would recommend you to take some classes outside of school as well! It is very cheap to learn things in Lisbon. I went to the gym nearby the school and my other friends were learning yoga and going to dance classes (jazzy) I think this is good because you can interact with the local people more."
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16. Mar. 2015
Staffan (66 years) Sweden Course: Standard Course 20 lessons/week - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Informal, swift proceedings"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The get-together port wine tasting."
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Homestay Executive
12. Feb. 2015
Gina (18 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 20 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 20 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The individually tailored lessons with nice and extremely competent teachers."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Visit the museum "Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian""
Details of the review
Other comments
"Altogether a very pleasant and personal atmosphere."
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Homestay Executive
5. Jan. 2015
Michael (52 years) Germany Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very nice atmosphere"
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Student Residence
30. Dec. 2014
Laura (22 years) France Course: Standard Course 20 - 12 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The very nice teachers"
Details of the review
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Accommodation
Homestay Executive
29. Dec. 2014
Chloé (28 years) Course: Summer Group Course - 2 weeks
Course: Summer Group Course - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Relaxed atmosphere, pleasant space."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Museums, old town!"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Openminded and hospitable teachers"
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Student Residence
24. Nov. 2014
Dirk (63 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teacher"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Don't worry, just do it."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Very good language school and an immediate sense of home"
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Homestay
10. Nov. 2014
Staffan (65 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Relaxed and friendly atmosphere with the teachers."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"They should clearly illustrate the degree of differences between the courses + what it takes to move up the next time."
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Homestay
13. Oct. 2014
Bodo (71 years) Course: Combined 25 - 1 week
Course: Combined 25 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very friendly, open atmosphere. Teachers as well as secretary's office extremely helpful."
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24. Sep. 2014
Nicole (48 years) Canada Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Sunny classroom. A good mix of students of all ages from all around the world."
Details of the review
Other comments
"It is not easy to practice Portuguese in Lisbon as almost everyone in the city - and even the receptionist at CIAL - will respond to us in English even when we address them in Portuguese."
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Homestay
9. Sep. 2014
Rudolf (56 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The outstanding individual support by the language teacher and their spontaneous willingness to specifically respond to my "learning needs". The recreational activities at school were also remarkably well organized and very instructive."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Not to miss the city of Lisbon with its multi-faceted architecture, its history, but also pubs and restaurants."
Details of the review
Other comments
"It was my first contact with CIAL and I can recommend it with an easy conscience."
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8. Sep. 2014
Gordana (20 years) Course: Summer Group Course - 2 weeks
Course: Summer Group Course - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The friendliness of the staff (teacher, secretary)"
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Homestay
18. Mar. 2014
Shiho (29 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 4 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 4 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"I was impressed with the breadth of knowledge of the teachers. One is specialized in history, another is from Angora and so on. As I could hear the useful information not only of Portugal but also of what is happening in a Portuguese colony, I learned a lot."
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Homestay
24. Feb. 2014
Hayashizaki (43 years) Japan Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Staff are all kind and helpful."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Teacher's skills may differ. They stick tight to textbook and grammar. You can make friends if you stay at the school's accommodations."
Details of the review
Other comments
"It was a great and enjoyable experience. Thank you so much to all of staff and students."
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27. Jan. 2014
Fionnuala (30 years) Australia Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The course material and teachers were very professional."
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Homestay
25. Dec. 2013
Guy (63 years) Course: Combined 25 - 1 week
Course: Combined 25 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Professionalism"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Tour of Lisbon by bus"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Very nice welcome"
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Homestay
16. Dec. 2013
Natalie (29 years) United Kingdom Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"My accommodation was very conveniently located and my host was kind and friendly."
Details of the review
Other comments
"I was very disappointed with the course at this school- classes involved working through a text book- focusing mainly on grammar exercises which were done alone and then reviewed as a class. I had hoped for more interaction among students and more interesting and varied classes. During my second week I asked to change classes because I was not satisfied that I was being asked to spend a lesson taking an exam on grammar points which I had not been taught, and I felt that I would benefit more from returning to a lower level, and I found the reaction of my teacher incredibly rude- I was shouted down like a naughty child rather than treated like a student whose progress she was interested in supporting."
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Homestay
5. Dec. 2013
Anne (56 years) Canada Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 4 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"How welcome I felt, the friendliness from everyone, students and teachers. Well located also."
Details of the review
Other comments
"Sometimes, evaluations are not precise enough. You find different levels in one level. For example, someone who was evaluated at a higher level and cannot follow in the workshop."
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27. Sep. 2013
Barbara (36 years) Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teacher Ana Cristina Dias has been very professional, competent and her approaches were personalized."
Details of the review
Other comments
"I found the staff especially at Cial very nice, the school has a very friendly and open atmosphere. I can only recommend the school."
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5. Sep. 2013
Roger (66 years) Course: Combined 30 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The class was thorough and comprehensive"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The Uganda restaurant dinner was great
fado
Jeronymos, ship museum, azulejos museum"
Details of the review
Other comments
"The book could use some updates on the reading selection. Also, more grammar examples would help some."
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Homestay
27. Aug. 2013
Hilde (32 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Variation in teachers, good distribution attention among the students. Nice diverse group."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Homestay works well for practicing the language, especially when they don't speak any English at all. Participate in the activities, offered in Portugese, as it is a great exercise to practice your language skills. I did 2-to-1 lessons, which was off great benefit to me."
Details of the review
Other comments
"3 locations is a bit much, I would choose one large one if possible. Might be good to improve your induction, as it was a bit too short and I couldn't get a clear picture of what activities were on offer outside the classes."
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Homestay
26. Jul. 2013
Michaël (22 years) Belgium Course: Combined 35 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"My private classes with Janaina were really good and I learned a lot."
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Homestay
1. Jul. 2013
Renate (60 years) Course: Combined 25 - 2 weeks
Course: Combined 25 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers were very patient, explained tirelessly, repeated when requesting, worked professionally and with commitment!"
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14. Jun. 2013
Francine (60 years) Canada Course: Standard Course 20 - 3 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Staff friendly and helpful"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Students should be given the EXACT address of where the classes are held-"
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3. Jun. 2013
Davy (40 years) Germany Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers."
Details of the review
Other comments
"A very good school."
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Homestay
9. May. 2013
Sonoe (60 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 weekOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The school can accept a student who takes a short course. In my case, I took one-week course. It was great that the host family was selected according to my request. I had a valuable experience."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"I recommend that you study a bit before a course starts, even if you're a beginner level. I was in a beginner class and used a textbook for the beginners though, other students from Italy and Columbia could make progress much faster. I didn't imagine such a circumstances. If you don't have the previous knowledge, it should be very difficult to keep up with the pace of a classroom."
Details of the review
Other comments
"The school organized the activities every day. It's normal that they explain in Portuguese though, it'd have been better they gave us the directions in other languages as well."
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Homestay
25. Dec. 2012
Laura (26 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Quality of courses, teaching, listening"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Belem, Lisbon city and all its monuments"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Very good school"
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11. Dec. 2012
Karin (49 years) Netherlands Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"I think the teachers weer very good, we learned very much in just one week. The organisation of the school was also perfect, very personal"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"It is nice to join the Social activities of the school in the afternoon."
Details of the review
Other comments
"It is à very nice institute, with good teachers"
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Homestay Executive
3. Dec. 2012
Anthony (74 years) Course: 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very experienced and lively-minded teacher, happy to adapt her 1:1 teaching to my priority needs."
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6. Nov. 2012
Agnieszka (29 years) Poland Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"A very multinational and friendly environment; teachers and reception always friendly and helpful"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Visit the city by yourself, you can easily move around with the metro, go see the museums. I would recommend to join the school activities"
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Accommodation
Homestay
1. Oct. 2012
Rahul (27 years) Netherlands Course: Standard Course 20 - 3 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Many different ages."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"You have to sign up for the 4-week course to be able to take a proficiency test. I only took a 3-week course, and was not given an opportunity to test for proficiency. I found this frustrating and not well communicated."
Details of the review
Other comments
"The course attendees are not set. Each week some students in your class will leave, and new ones will join. This affects the pace of the class. You either go very fast or slow depending on the entire mix. While I understand that this may be necessary if the school is not well-resourced, I find this absurd to do for students that are paying nearly 1000 euros. CIAL can easily solve this problem by having to "enrollment" dates, e.g. 1st and 15th of each month, rather than ongoing admissions. Many of the teachers at CIAL were equally frustrated by the poor management and found the administration of the school to have deteriorated in quality over recent years."
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Homestay Executive
13. Aug. 2012
Ghislaine (66 years) France Course: Combined 30 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"The teachers."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"The outings accompanied by a teacher and included in the price are organized around 14h45 or 15h."
Details of the review
Other comments
"The first day."
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---
Quality of teaching / language progress
5. Jun. 2012
Merl (49 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Clean, friendly with good classrooms."
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"Walk around Lisbon and study before you go."
Details of the review
Other comments
"The evaluation test to allocate students into classes is a good idea, but the reality is more luck of the draw as students are placed into classes depending on which level class has the space. My class had 5 students; all with very different abilities. Perhaps, after the test the staff could explain which class they thought the student should be in and show them the study book; the student could then judge if they thought this was right for them."
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Homestay
26. May. 2012
Kelly (25 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 1 week
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"I loved that everyone there was studying because they truly had an invested interest in the language. My professor, Orlando, was really great, and I loved the quick pace at which he taught."
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Homestay
27. Mar. 2012
Richard (50 years) Canada Course: Standard Course + Workshop - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Very well organized"
Details of the review
Other comments
"I had my own apartment and did not participate in any social activities"
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10. Jan. 2012
John Course: 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Paperwork done efficiently.
Friendly reception from teachers and staff.
Clean atmosphere."
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7. Nov. 2011
Joseph (57 years) Ireland Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Continuity of learning, high standard of tuition, excellent material to study, very friendly and positive approach to studying"
Insider tips about what future students should not miss
"It is important to bring a dictionary and buy a book which contains the verbs in Portuguese"
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Other comments
"I always do all the homework"
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Accommodation
Homestay
25. Sep. 2011
Mikiko (48 years) Course: Combined 25 - 2 weeks
Overall rating
Value for money
Positive aspects of school
"Good teachers and pedagogy"
Details of the review
Other comments
"Accommodation - because there were 5-6 people staying at the apartments, I did not benefit from much interaction with the host family. Limitations on gas/electricity also created some inconveniences."
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Accommodation
Homestay
24. Sep. 2011
Hedda (33 years) Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeks
Course: Standard Course 20 - 2 weeksOverall rating
Value for money
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Positive aspects of school
"That my teacher always took some extra time after the individual lessons."
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