Language Studies International

History

Language Studies Ltd was founded in 1965 by an ex-army education officer, who opened the inaugural language school in Kensington, London in premises previously occupied by the Thai Embassy. A few years later the company was purchased by the Thomson Corporation, former owners of The Times and Sunday Times magazine, who expanded the company adding a second school in Paris. Both schools provided one-to-one tuition in a range of languages to private individuals. In 1970 Language Studies Ltd was bought by the Immanuel family. The new owners relocated the London school to Oxford Street and recognising a niche in the market began providing language training to large corporations and government departments. New mini group courses, ‘Group 5’, were set up in larger premises opened in Hampstead in 1975 and a few years later in Brighton.

In the late 1970s Language Studies (or Language Studies International as it became known in 1987) began to focus on ESL teaching and the provision of study abroad programmes . In 1980 LSI started a joint venture with The Two Cities Club in Zurich, Switzerland and in the same year opened the first US school in Berkeley, California. According to Language Studies International’s CEO, David Immanuel, LSI was one of the first British language schools to expand into North America and to offer study abroad programmes with a homestay option. This decision to expand into the North American market was prompted by the availability of cheap ‘walk on’ air fares offered by the airline TWA. “I thought that this might be the time for young Europeans to diversify from UK schools when preparing for the [Cambridge] FCE and so it proved when we opened in Berkeley, California,”.

During the late 80s and the 90s LSI experienced rapid growth with the schools opening in Cambridge (1987), San Diego (1988), Boston and Auckland (1991), Vancouver (1992), Toronto (1995) and Brisbane (1996). In 2000 LSI opened a school in Manhattan, New York inside the Metropolitan College of New York building.

LSI opened a school in Christchurch in New Zealand in 2006 but following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake many buildings in the surrounding Central Business District were designated as unsafe, preventing access to the school. Students were relocated to the school in Auckland but the long term viability of the school was severely affected causing the permanent closure of the school in 2011

In September 2016, following a partial merger with LTC, LSI acquired additional school premises in Brighton and closed down the LTC schools based in London.

Study abroad language programmes

Study abroad programmes at Language Studies International (LSI) involve language training only in locations where the language is the primary language spoken. LSI’s motto “learn and live the language’ outlines the fully immersive approach to foreign language acquisition; students acquire knowledge of the language and culture of the host country.

English courses

Study abroad programmes teaching English are provided at LSI schools in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Malta. Courses taught include general English, university and exam preparation courses (TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE, BEC), English for Specific Purposes (Aviation, Nursing, Teaching), English for Juniors, mini-group and one-to-one classes.

French courses

The Language Studies International school in Paris offers courses in general French, French for business and exam preparation courses (TEF, DELF and CCIP), and one-to-one classes.

German courses

Study abroad programmes teaching German are provided at LSI Zurich. Courses taught include general German, exam preparation programmes (Goethe-Institut exams) and one-to-one classes.

Other language courses

LSI works alongside partner organisations to offer language training in a variety of languages including Spanish, Russian and Italian.

New trends: language training for juniors

From the late 2000s, in response to growing demand for language programmes for juniors, LSI developed specially adapted programmes targeted at younger learners. Following the success of the initial programme run at the London Hampstead school, the programme was rolled out to include all US and Canadian schools and Cambridge offering both residential and non residential options to students. Some ESL schools, including LSI, have also rolled out Family programmes to cater for the recent demand in family language courses where both parents and children can study in age appropriate classes in the same location.

Partnership with the Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY)

LSI New York is one of MCNY’s designated ESL Language Centers. Entry requirements for international students to many US Colleges and Universities require submission of TOEFL scores as proof of English language level. The LSI and MCNY partnership allows international students studying at LSI to take course modules and gain course credits at MCNY while studying at LSI, and offers LSI students conditional acceptance onto MCNY’s undergraduate and graduate degree programmes on the successful completion of LSI’s advanced course. The accelerated design of MCNY’s courses means that students can complete an MBA in as little as one year of study. LSI also is listed as a partner for MCNY’s International Practicum Course part of MCNY’s MBA programs

LSI schools

Language Studies International (LSI) currently owns and operates fourteen all-year round schools in seven countries.