Summer ESL

Appleby College’s Summer ESL Program is ideal for students who have an interest in improving their English communication skills, or for those who plan to attend secondary school or university in English speaking countries.

Every day students participate in an engaging classroom experience, specific to their English level, focusing on the academic aspects of the English language, including reading and writing. English language learning also continues in other formats with experiential activities, both inside and outside the classroom. These activities provide students an opportunity to put the skills learned to practice as they communicate with peers and teachers. Activities will vary, but will include games, debates, leadership programming, and of course, our annual student film festival!

Our program focuses on the acquisition of language through communication. Students are encouraged to speak freely in English and make mistakes as they apply their English language skills in real life situations. Throughout the program, students will benefit from learning about Canadian culture and authentic Canadian expressions.

Students are strongly encouraged to bring their own laptops for projects and classwork.

Appleby Summer ESL students reside on campus in our air-conditioned student boarding houses, with two students to a room. Each boarding house offers common rooms for students, providing a casual and comfortable social space to hang out with friends or complete homework if they need some help from our amazing boarding staff. Students are separated by gender, and linens and self-service laundry facilities are provided. Wi-fi is available throughout our campus.

Three nutritious buffet-style hot meals are served daily in our beautiful lakeview dining hall, centrally located on campus. All foods are freshly prepared on-site by Appleby’s excellent year-round catering team. Fruits and snacks are also prepared and provided daily. All dietary restrictions are easily accommodated, with the exception of Kosher.

We are excited to offer off-site excursions, providing students with the opportunity to experience the local sites and Canadian culture.  All meals, transportation and entrance fees are included in the program price, and our staff supervise all excursions. Staff are trained in off-site safety and risk mitigation, ensuring a safe and fun experience for all participants. Some examples of our excursions include:

• Niagara Falls, Clifton Hill, and surrounding attractions
• Toronto City trip including the CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
• Visits to Canadian post-secondary institutions such as the University of Toronto and Humber College, accompanied by their classroom ESL teachers
• Toronto Zoo
• Canada’s Wonderland theme park
• Fort George National Historic Site
• Lake and waterpark visit
• Local shopping malls
• Bowling

Please note excursions are subject to change due to weather and availability. 

Our boarding staff make sure the students are immersed in English language learning in, and outside of the classroom. Our afternoon and evening on-campus programming is designed to both be fun, and to also provide students with ample opportunities to practice communicating in English and continue learning about each other and Canadian culture and history. Some examples include:

• Regular reflective journaling, supported by classroom teachers
• Team building games and activities by boarding house, and whole program
• Classic camp games and activities like capture the flag and camp song sing-alongs!
• Opportunities to utilize our incredible facilities, playing tennis, basketball, soccer, dodgeball, and frisbee golf, just to name a few!
• Campfires by the lake, complete with marshmallows and storytelling!
• Comedy Night
• Semi-formal farewell dinner and dance
• …and more!

With the health and safety of each student as our utmost priority, we provide 24/7 supervision from arrival in Canada to program departure. All students receive airport transportation upon arrival and departure days, as well as all ground transportation during the program.

Our caring and supportive boarding staff live alongside students in the boarding houses and attend all activities and excursions. Our trained and experienced team is passionate about international education and are certified in Standard First Aid and CPR-C. They are thoroughly pre-screened and participate in Appleby's rigorous pre-summer orientation and training program.

Students also receive support from additional on-campus staff and security. Medical staff are present on campus daily at Appleby College’s Health Centre to treat or care for students, if needed.

The total 2023 ESL Program fees are $7,350.00.

Boarding program fees include:

• Tuition and study materials
• Individual Study Report and Certificate of Completion
• On-campus shared accommodation
• Three buffet-style meals daily plus snacks and fruit.

Also, included is emergency medical insurance, off-campus excursions, all programming, 24-7 supervision, airport transportation on arrival and departure dates, and custodianship documentation (if required).

Boarding program fees do NOT include: Airfare, fees for travel permits, notarization of custodianship (if required), arrival and departure COVID-19 tests if required, replacement room key/fob cost of $100CAD if lost, or personal spending money.  

Fees can be paid by wire transfer or credit card. Credit card payments for all summer boarding programs are subject to a 2.5% non-refundable surcharge.

Withdrawal and Refund Policy: Cancellations or session changes received on or after May 1, 2023, are not eligible for a refund.

Notice of student withdrawal must be made in writing to the Summer ESL Program office at summerESL@appleby.on.ca. All refunds are subject to a $200 administrative fee. A full refund will only be issued with proof of visa denial or medical emergency, supported by certification from a legally qualified medical practitioner not related to the student. All other cancellations before May 1, 2023, are eligible for a 50% refund. Please note custodianship notarization fees are non-refundable. Program fees paid cannot be transferred to another individual.

COVID-19: In the event that Appleby College is unable to run any of its summer boarding programs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, or if a student is unable to depart their home country and/or travel to Canada due to a COVID-19-related medical issue, official government mandate or extenuating quarantine requirements on either end of travel, a full refund of program fees will be issued. Substantial and irrefutable proof supporting the respective medical or government travel mandate is required.

Apply Online: Applications are now open!

Click To Apply

Offer of Admission: After submitting your application, an offer of admission will be sent within approximately 1-2 business days once it has been reviewed and approved.

Program Payment & Forms: To confirm the student’s placement in the program, full payment is due within five (5) business days after the applicant has been contacted and accepted into the program. Program fees can be paid by credit card in the online application system or by wire transfer. Please put student’s name in the wire transfer form and email us a copy of wire transfer receipt as payment confirmation.

A Letter of Acceptance will be issued by email following submission of all required forms and documentation.

Please also submit the following information through your online profile:

Upload:

• Participant Photograph
• Copy of Passport
• COVID-19 Immunization Records (if applicable) - Please refer to the Government of Canada website for the complete list of approved COVID-19 Vaccines.
• Immunization Record - If possible, please upload as ONE document. If you have difficulty doing this, please email summerESL@appleby.on.ca. Documents do not need to be translated into English.

Download and fill out:

The following combined forms MUST be signed by the parent/guardian and cannot be signed by an agent. Upload the signed document.

• Walking Excursion Waiver
• Offsite Excursion Waiver
• Parental Declaration Form - Only required when registering through an agent

Fill Out:

• Action Plans - Anaphylaxis / Diabetes / Asthma/ Epilepsy ONLY if applicable to student
• Travel Information- Fill out as soon as travel is arranged, form required 4 weeks prior to arrival.
• Letter of Acceptance: A Letter of Acceptance (LOA) in PDF format will be sent via email upon completion of the application process after all required documentation has been received, the application has been approved, and the program fee has been paid in full.

If you require an original and/or notarized copy of the Letter of Acceptance, and/or any other documents for visa purposes, please indicate this request at the time of application. Fees associated with notarization and/or additional documentation may apply.

If you have questions about the process, please email cec@appleby.on.ca. We look forward to welcoming you to Appleby College this summer!

As of June 2023:

Appleby Summer Boarding is committed to offering quality summer programs in 2023 that follow all Canadian Public Health and Government COVID-19 guidelines and safety protocols. We are strongly encouraging all summer boarding students and campers to be fully vaccinated, including eligible booster shots. As per the guidance provided by Health Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO) with respect to approved vaccines, Appleby accepts the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines approved by Health Canada, and the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines approved by the WHO. We are prepared to support students in all instances during the program and:

• Nursing staff are available on weekdays, Monday to Friday.
• Students and staff will be required to follow all current mandated COVID-19 guidelines throughout their program, if applicable.
• Arrival and departure PCR testing can be arranged through Appleby as required, however relevant fees will be the responsibility of the family.
• After the boarding program end date, should isolation be required in order for the student to return to their home country, both the fees and off-campus facilitation will be the responsibility of the student's family.
• In the unlikely event that a student should require additional medical attention, our team would support them in the process.