How many people are in a class?
Classes normally contain about 6-10 students. Sometimes it may be necessary to start the class with only 4 students.

Where are the classes?
Classes usually take place at Classroom 601, level 6, 250 Pitt Street Sydney.

Is there a minimum age?
You must be over 18 years old to be able to attend our classes.

Do I require a student visa to attend your courses?
All our courses are short so a student visa is not required. A student visa is only needed if the course is 20 hours per week for a minimum of 10 weeks.

What level of English should I have to attend your Courses?
You must have at least intermediate English to be able to attend. These classes are for people who already have a good understanding of English but find they have trouble moving to the next level because they only know text-book English. If this is you then you are perfect for our classes. Please note that the Business English Conversation Course is ideal for people who have recently arrived in the country and are still having trouble talking with Australians. If you've already been in Australia several years, it is not recommended.

When do I pay for the course?
The full course fee must be paid at least a week before the course begins.

If I missed the first lesson, can I join?
If a course has just started and there is space available, you can still join. Exercises from missed lessons can be given to you. Please contact us to find out more.

Do I need to buy any textbooks?
You need to bring a pen and a notebook but a lot of printed exercises and homework will be provided.

When is the next course?
Courses start approximately every 4 to 6 weeks. Please visit each course page to find out the latest details. See above.

If I need to cancel can you refund my money?
Course refunds can only be given if you cancel at least one week before the course begins. This is because the course will only run if we have enough students to cover the cost of the teacher. Once the course starts we cannot give a refund, but we can offer a transfer to another course or give you private lessons in exchange. Due to increasing prices you must use your transfer within two months of cancelling.

If you attend a seminar and stay to the end, even if you're unhappy with it, you won't get a refund. If you leave within the first hour and return your pages of exercises we can give a partial refund less an administration fee.

What if the course I paid for is cancelled before it starts?
This is very unlikely but, if we do have to cancel a course, we will give you a full refund or offer you a place in another course.

Can you get me a student visa?
As we only offer short courses we do not organise student visas.

Can you create a course specific for me and my friends?
Yes. Please contact us with your needs and we'll send you a quote.

Do you have any beginner courses?
We recommend private lessons for beginners.

What courses do you have?
General English Conversation Course
Business English Conversation Course #1
Business English Conversation Course #2
General IELTS Preparation Seminar

Do you have any other courses?
We create our own courses so, as needs and demands change, courses change. We've had a number of different courses over the years. Australian English Conversation Course, Social English conversation course, English Study Tours course, IELTS preparation course and more. Our main focus is private tutoring but if you have 6 friends who want a specific course, we can do our best to create it!

Can I get a free trial lesson?
If we were running courses that ran for months or years we could do this but as our longest course is only 5 lessons long, it's not possible.

Are you sure you don't have any free lessons?
TESOL International runs a course which teaches people to be ESL teachers. Every month TESOL International requires their trainees to have 3 x 1 hour lessons with a student to practice their skills. If you would like to be added to the waiting list regarding the next TESOL trainee teacher practice event and attend 3 x 1 hour lessons, email us and we'll contact you when we have the next dates. The next dates are likely to be the 2nd week of next month 4pm to 5pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. To participate you MUST commit to all 3 of the 1 hour lessons. The lessons happen at the same time with other teachers and students in the same room.

I have a wife and 3 kids to feed. I'm a poor student. I don't have any money. I want to negotiate a price with you. Can you give me a discount?
We understand that in some cultures, negotiating a new price for low cost services is a standard part of forming a business relationship. Our services are set at very low non-profit prices already so there is no further discount possible for course prices. Our price takes into account the cost of the teacher, city classroom rent, utilities, advertising, photocopies and printer toner, GST and other charges. We really can't go any lower!

Can you organise a student card for me?
Student cards can only be organised through large institutions like Government public schools and universities. We're a small, friendly group of teachers running a flexible private English centre in Sydney city. Far too small to organise student cards!

I want to ask you some more questions. When can I visit your office?
It's best to ask any questions online as we're usually teaching so can't interrupt the class to answer questions. If the answers are not on any part of this website, please email us and we'll contact you.

When is the best time to call you?
It's best to ask any questions via email as we're usually teaching so can't interrupt the class to take a phone call. If the answers are not on any part of this website, please email us and, if the question is easy, James will contact you quickly. It's best to contact us by email as we might need to send you prices, lists of information and schedules as well as research your answers - difficult to do while on the phone.

How do I pay for the course?
Credit Card
You can register online and pay via PayPal. You don't have to have a PayPal account to pay online, the system gives you the option to use a normal credit card interface.

Bank Transfer
After registering online you'll be sent a email with details of payment options. If you would prefer to pay by bank transfer these details can be sent to you.

Cash/Eftpos
After registering online you can organise with us a time for you to come to our office for a couple of minutes to pay by eftpos or cash. All the people who manage Adult English School are also teachers, so you need to book a time to make a payment as we might be teaching and not at the office. 

How much does it cost?
Lessons start from $90 for 2 hours. Each tutor has a different rate. Please visit the English teachers page to find out more

I don't want 2 hours. I only want a 1 hour lesson. How much does an hour lesson cost?
We don't normally do 1 hour lessons as it disrupts our set 2 hour lesson schedule and, as all teachers are casuals, it is unlikely they will come in to the office just for 1 hour. Having said that, James, the Principal of Adult English School, is usually in the office so can make time for 1 hour lessons. James is usually available for 1 hour lessons 12pm to 1pm Monday to Friday. The cost of a 1 hour lesson with James is $70. (It is more cost effective and convenient to do a 2 hour lesson with one of the other teachers!)

I'm a student. How do I pay?
You can pay cash at the end of each lesson. We also have eftpos facilities at Suite 807, level 8, 250 Pitt Street Sydney. Or you can pay in advance for any number of lessons online here at $90 per 2 hour lesson. 

I run a business and want to send you one of my staff members for several lessons. How do I pay?
We can invoice you and you can pay the invoice by bank transfer or credit card before the lessons start. We also have a page with further details for Corporation clients here

Do you have an age restriction? I notice you use the word Adult in your business name.
You must be over 18 to attend our classes and have private lessons with our teachers. Teaching English to adults is completely different to teaching English to children. All our lessons have been written for people over the age of 18 and include such subjects as clubs and pubs, politics, love, relationships, war, renting, mortgages and finance and other subjects relevant to adults.

What if I need to cancel a lesson?
We understand that various problems regarding family, work and health can cause you to cancel a lesson. It's okay to cancel or reschedule if you give us a few days notice. However, please note that, for whatever reason, if you cancel within 24 hours of the lesson you will need to pay the full price. Teachers who take bookings to teach you in the evening or on the weekends, and especially those who decide to teach on public holidays, change their plans and give up their time to see you, so please consider them when cancelling and give plenty of notice if you wish to avoid the cancellation fee. This is not the same as cancelling a hairdresser's appointment or doctor's appointment as the teacher only comes in to the office to teach you! All our private teachers work on a casual basis. Vivien, for example, travels in from Cronulla to teach. Imagine if you'd travelled for 2 hours to meet someone and they'd cancelled when you got there. How would you feel? So, please consider our teachers. If you're unsure whether you want a lesson or not, please don't book one until you're sure! If you've had to cancel a lesson at the last minute and can't move the lesson to the next day, you can pay your cancellation fee online here.

Do you have any other times available?
Contact us with the time and day you would like and we'll see if we can find a teacher available at that time.

Can you teach me at my home?
Our prices are low in comparison to other private tutoring companies as we don't visit people's homes. If you would like one of our teachers to visit you at your home there is an additional travel and insurance fee of $1 per minute public transport, walking and waiting travel time both ways. So if you live an hour from our office, prices for a 2 hour lesson would start from $210.00. It's much cheaper to have a lesson at our office or at a cafe near our office.

Do you offer any discounts for buying lots of private lessons?
Yes we do but there are some conditions. You can buy 10 lessons and only pay for 9. So, for example, if you pay in advance for 10 lessons at $90 per 2 hour lesson ($900) it will only cost you $810. The conditions are:
1. You must set the exact times and dates you plan to have the lessons in advance. It would be just like paying for a course. Courses have set times and dates so your 10 lessons would be at the same time on the same day of the week that you choose. Once paid for it is unchangeable.
2. If you can't make one of the set times and dates, you lose it. There are no make-up or replacement lessons. Just like paying for a course at college. If you miss a day, the course doesn't give you a make-up day. Same with this system.
3. This discount is only possible if you pay for all 10 lessons in advance.
You'll probably find that, especially in July when students get sick, it would be cheaper and easier to just pay the fee at the end of each lesson. That way you can reschedule with ease.

Can I get a trial lesson?
You are not committed to a series of lessons in any way. If you plan to have just one lesson that's fine. Standard rates apply. We don't give free lessons

Can I come and talk to you about my English problems and find out what I need so that I can decide what to do next?
Part of your first English lesson is a consultation with your teacher. Some companies charge a special consultation fee of at least $200. We don't charge extra for consultation, we just include it in the first lesson.

I want to ask you some more questions. When can I visit your office?
It's best to ask any questions online as we're usually teaching so can't interrupt the class to answer questions. If the answers are not on any part of this website, please email us and we'll contact you.

When is the best time to call you?
It's best to ask any questions online as we're usually teaching so can't interrupt the class to take a phone call. If the answers are not on any part of this website, please email us and, if the question is easy, James will contact you within 2 hours of receiving your email. It's best to contact us by email as we might need to send you prices, lists of information and schedules as well as research your answers - difficult to do while on the phone.

I want to come to your office and negotiate a special price.
Sorry, the prices are already low. We're not overcharging so there's no room to negotiate. If you're an agent wanting to send us a 1000 students, please email us with details.

Are you sure you don't have any free lessons?
TESOL International runs a course which teaches people to be ESL teachers. Every month TESOL International requires their trainees to have 3 x 1 hour lessons with a student to practice their skills. If you would like to be added to the waiting list regarding the next TESOL trainee teacher practice event and attend 3 x 1 hour lessons, email us and we'll contact you when we have the next dates. The next dates are likely to be the 2nd week of next month 4pm to 5pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. To participate you MUST commit to all 3 of the 1 hour lessons. The lessons happen at the same time with other teachers and students in the same room.

I'd prefer to do a course that teaches me the basics of spoken English. What have you got?
We recommend our General English Conversation Course.