1. When should I register? 2. What are the regulations and requirements regarding visas? 3. Are students tested before starting a course? 4. Will I be given a certificate? 5. What is a Homestay and how much does it cost? 6. Is medical insurance available through The Language Circle? 7. What if I decide to extend my studies at The Language Circle? 8. How can I get from Pearson International Airport in Toronto to Hamilton? 9. What are custom-designed courses? 10. What is TOEIC? 11. What is the cost of living in Hamilton? 12. Are city buses accessible in Hamilton and what is the cost of a monthly bus pass? 13. What is the weather like? 14. What clothes should I bring to Canada?    1. When should I register? It is strongly recommended that you register at least four weeks before your start date if you require homestay or a student visa. It is advisable to check with your local consulate to find out how long it takes to get a student visa. If you do not require homestay or a student visa, you must send your fees and registration form at least 2 weeks prior to your start date.   2. What are the regulations and requirements regarding visas? According to Immigration Canada, if students come to Canada to study English for less than 3 months, they do not require student visas. A visitors visa may be sufficient. However, you should consult your local consulate since some countries do not even require a visitor's visas. If students wish to study English for longer than 3 months, they require student visas and need to show Immigration Canada a letter of admission as proof of their intention to study full-time.   3. Are students tested before starting a course? Yes, students must arrange to be tested at the latest on the Friday before they start. The school is closed on weekends. Contact the school if you need to schedule another time to be tested. There will be an additional fee of $50.00 CDN if you arrange to be tested outside of regular office hours (Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).    4. Will I be given a certificate? Yes, we can issue you a certificate after 100 hours of study at The Language Circle.   5. What is  Homestay and how much does it cost? Homestay is accommodation with a Canadian family that includes a single room, 3 meals per day (breakfast, a packed lunch for school, and dinner)and laundry facilities for  $550.00 CDN per month (one month minimum charge). A monthly rate of $550.00 or a weekly rate of $150.00 CDN is available after the first month. If you would like homestay (a minimum one month stay), you must send a non-refundable homestay placement fee at the same time as your tuition and homestay fees. Homestay requests must be finalized at least two weeks prior to your start date. Accommodation in a homestay is available from the Thursday immediately preceding the course start date and ends on the Saturday immediately following the course end date. Homestay programs are designed specifically for full-time students and any exception to this policy should be discussed with the school's homestay co-ordinator at least 4 weeks prior to arrival.    6. Is medical insurance available through The Language Circle? Students must show proof of medical insurance coverage before being admitted to class. It is advisable that medical insurance be purchased before coming to Canada so that the student is covered at all times while abroad, including the period in transit. However, it is possible to purchase medical insurance here after you arrive. Please note that your coverage will only begin when the insurance company receives the funds. The insurance premium rate is $60.00 CDN per month.   7. What if I decide to extend my studies at The Language Circle? Extending your studies will not be a problem once you are here as long as your passport and visa are valid. You should re-register at least 2 weeks in advance to be guaranteed a seat.   8. How can I get from Pearson International Airport in Toronto to Hamilton? It is a one-hour drive from Hamilton to the airport. You can get to Hamilton by taking Airways Transit (a limousine service). The cost for a one-way trip is about $53.00 CDN. You can make reservations yourself on the Internet (their website address is www.airwaystransit.com). The company has a desk at each airport terminal. You do not have to make a reservation, but it is better to do so. It is also possible to take a taxi to Hamilton, although this is more expensive. If you require The Language Circle to arrange airport reception for $150.00 CDN, you should forward all flight details at least 2 weeks before arrival. Any last-minute changes in flight arrangements should be sent immediately. If these changes do not arrive at least 3 days before you arrive, The Language Circle will not be responsible for airport reception and the airport reception fee will not be refunded. Notification of any changes must arrive during office hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 to 4:30 p.m.   9. What are custom-designed courses? Students can request any of the following: private lessons or small study groups for all ages; courses of any length for special interests or needs such as TOEFL, TOEIC, Business English, vacation programs (for example, ESL plus in-line skating) and more. We will be happy to quote a price for you.   10. What is TOEIC?   TOEIC stands for "Test of English for International Communication". It is similar to TOEFL since students have to use the same strategies in writing the test. However, the TOEIC  focuses on Business English. The Language Circle is an official TOEIC testing site. Students can easily arrange to write the TOEIC test at our school. The fee is $86.50 CDN (taxes included).       11. What is the cost of living in Hamilton? Hamilton is a small city, so the cost of living is lower than in larger cities. You can buy a cup of coffee for a dollar. You can go to a movie theater for as little as $5.25.    12. Are city buses accessible in Hamilton and what is the cost of a monthly bus pass? City buses are very accessible and a monthly bus pass is approximately $56.00 CDN. 13.  What is the weather like? You can enjoy four seasons in Hamilton: snowy white winters, mild springs, warm to hot summers, and pleasantly cool and colourful autumns.  The weather is frequently a topic of conversation. 14. What clothes should I bring to Canada?  Students can wear casual clothes to school.  As for the weather, it is very changeable, so you should be prepared for a variety of temperatures at any time of the year.  If you are coming in the summer (June -August) bring short sleeved shirts, shorts, light pants or jeans, a sweater or light jacket for cool periods. In the winter-time (late October to the end of March) make sure you bring a winter coat, scarf, gloves, woolen hats, boots, warm sweaters, and long pants. In spring and fall, you should bring fairly light clothing but with sweaters, light jackets, and some short and long-sleeved clothing.