How to Study English in Malta

Education First students in Malta (photo: EF Blogbook)

Malta is a popular place for those people who want to learn English and hang around in the sun at the same time.  And who wouldn't prefer a sunny island in the Med to one of the wet and grey ones on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean?  Last year about 70,000 students came to Malta to learn English, (with Italy Germany and Russia providing the most arrivals), and greater numbers are expected in the future.

If you decide to study in Malta you have a selection of about 40 schools to choose from.  The bigger ones are places like IELS (Sliema & Gozo) and EC English (St Julians), but there are plenty of options to choose from on the island, big and small.  If you are young and like going to bars and meeting other young people who also like going to bars, you will probably want to find a location somewhere near Paceville.  Valletta is nice to visit, but not exactly filled with exciting nightlife.  The best beaches are in the North of the island if that's your main interest, and you can find schools like BELS in St Paul's Bay nearby.


Most classes are in the morning, leaving your afternoons free to do what you wish.  The cheapest school I found was offering classes for about €70 per week (off-season) but most charge at least double this.  To find the best deals, you need to be here in winter and go to different small private schools where they may be willing to make you a good offer.  The smaller schools are generally cheaper in general, but won't have the same resources as their larger competitors.  Many schools offer home-stay with Maltese families, but students here for longer than a few weeks usually prefer the freedom of a hotel, apartment or residence.

Students from member states of the EU can stay here for as long as they like - that's how the European Union works!  If you are from outside the EU you will be able to study for up to 3 months on a regular tourist visa.  If your course is longer than this you will need to apply for a residence permit to cover the duration of your studies.  You will need to go to the Department for Citizenship with the following: application form; passport; 2 photos; proof you have at least €48 per day for the length of the course and health insurance documents.  Your school should be able to help you out with this and generally if you have the paperwork above there's no problem extending your visa.

All in all Malta is a fun place to learn English and students have a good time here.  It's a small island but there's a lot to do, and the sun is usually shining.

Check out this list of schools & shop around to get a good deal: English Schools in Malta.