Application Process

IMPORTANT - You must ensure that you keep in contact via email even outside of term time, as you may be required at any time to complete and return documentation.

As mentioned on the main British Council page, the BC is a third-party organisation. This means that, although we essentially endorse and promote their ELA schemes, organisation of your placement and then the contract itself will be between you and them, hardly involving the University at all.

For the same reason, all deadlines and application guidelines and requirements are stipulated by them and can in no way be influenced or amended by us - the College or University. 

How to apply

First things first, visit this section of the British Council website and read through the application procedure. The information on this page is quite comprehensive and we would encourage you to take time to read through it carefully, so you are fully informed of the application process.

The above pages not only give you a wealth of information about the process, but there are also links to blogs and videos that highlight the benefits of undertaking a British Council English English Language Assistant scheme. We encourage you to use your time wisely to read and watch these as they will also prove useful.

Please remember that as part of the British Council application process, you will need to provide details of someone who can give you a reference. This would usually be your tutor. Please ensure that you have contacted your referee prior to submitting their name and contact details as they will be automatically sent an email asking them to provide a reference for you once you have completed the application. As such, we strongly suggest you discuss your application with them before you start the application process.

Once you have all the information you need, you can begin the application process. You do not need to complete the application in one session; it is possible to save your application and return to it later. However, once you have submitted it, that is it and it is not possible to amend it.

Finally, please remember to treat the process as you would any job application. Be professional, explain clearly, and do not miss the deadline. 

When to apply

The deadline for placements is usually late January/early February but more information can be found on the British Council website. Please ensure that you have completed the application fully in advance of this deadline to allow for any unforeseen issues that sometimes arise.

What happens next?

Once you have submitted your application, there is usually quite a lot of waiting, so we ask you to be patient.  The British Council should inform any students whose applications are rejected of this fact by May - don't worry, this does not happen so frequently, but in the extremely unlikely event that you are rejected, we will support you in finding a placement elsewhere.

You should expect to start hearing where you have been placed from May onwards. This process of informing students can carry on, easily, through the summer. This is another reason that you should be prepared to be flexible - you may not hear until the last minute (August/September) where you are destined to spend your time teaching and then there is no appealing the decision. You should, therefore, be happy to be placed anywhere.

Once you know where you will be placed or when you arrive at your host school, the British Council will provide you with a list of any other students who will be placed in a similar region and will also give you the contact details of the ELAs who were there last year (if any). This is very useful when starting out, when you are beginning to make new acquaintances and when you are looking for places to socialise or perhaps live.