Frequently Asked Questions

General


What are the benefits of attending summer programs?

Summer Camps are an excellent opportunity for young learners from the age of 3 to 18 to truly gain an experience that would be difficult to obtain back home. In this day and age, it's vital for young children to become global citizens that can adapt to different cultures and backgrounds while accumulating the knowledge and experience that helps cultivate their passions for their future. Camps help promote life skills, independence, teamwork, resiliency, responsibility and self-esteem. Academically, it helps get a glimpse of the subject they want for university studies and what they want to do for their career in the future. In the end, it's happy memories from childhood that truly changes the outlook of our lives.


Who is this programme suitable for?

Summer Camp programs are best suitable for students wanting to branch out of their comfort zone to experience a new country, friends & culture from around the globe and experience a wide range of educational and activity based curriculums in a short period of time to discover their true strengths and passions for their future.

Arrival & Departure


Do I have to book airport transfers?

Airport transfers are optional that you can book with the schools. When students arrive at the airport, he/she will be greeted by a school representative after passing through immigration. Parents traveling with their children are free to book Uber or any other transportation services on their own.


When should I arrive for the program?

Most Summer Camps start on either Sunday or Monday. That means, the day of arrival at the Campsite will always be the start date of your booking confirmation. It is best that you arrive before 16:00 that day so that your child doesn't miss the welcome reception.


What happens on arrival day?

Upon arriving in the city you are planning on attending Summer Camp, you will be going from the airport to the Summer Camp site. Upon arrival, you will be guided to the accommodation where you can unpack your belongings and get settled in. During this time, parents and students can tour the Summer Camp site.


What happens at the end of the program & when should we depart?

All camp participants will depart usually after breakfast, and staff will stay on campus until 15:30 in most cases to help facilitate the departures. All the camps have pick up services to the airports. It can be included in the camp fee or extra according to the airports you are flying. For younger learners under 14 Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service can be asked.


Do I need to bring my own money, if so, how much?

All Summer Camp programs are all inclusive and only would need money for souvenir shopping, meals at the airport when arriving or departing and emergency purposes. Students are allowed to bring cash (kept at a safe) or an ATM card, and staff will assist the students in withdrawing the cash they would need upon request.

Info about Programs


What's included in the program fee?

All Summer Camp programs are generally inclusive, meaning during the Summer Camp program, very little extra cost would be required. The program fee includes tuition, accommodation, activities/excursions & 3 meals per day for the entire Camp program. There are sometimes additional fees for pocket money, insurance, enrolment and transport. We make a best effort to include them all in one invoice for your ease and convenience, and we make a good faith effort to present this total at checkout to minimize surprises. Some specific camp activities may require additional fees, such as horseback riding, golf, etc.


What is not included in the program fee?

Air flights, travel insurance (some are included in the program), laundry card (depending on the campus), extra meals outside of the program, souvenir shopping during excursions.


When is the enrollment deadline?

All Camps are rolling admissions, meaning you can apply for a Summer Camp program with us as long as the seats are open and your travel isn't hindered. However, Summer Camps do get filled months in advance, so the program you may want may not be available near the start of Camp. Please check with our advisors and we will guide you to the right place! You can see the availability on our website. Your seat is not secured until you fill the enrolment form and complete the full payment.


What is the daily schedule of a Summer Camp?

Most Summer Camps will offer English or Academic lessons in the morning, sports or excursion based activities in the afternoon and fun social activities in the evening at the Summer Camp residence. For meals, breakfast will be served anywhere from 7:30am to 9am, lunch at 12:30pm to 1:30pm and dinner at 6pm to 7pm.


How long are my classroom sessions?

Most of the Camps typically offer 15 hour per week of either English or Academic courses. That's 45 minutes x 4 sessions per = 3 hours of lessons per day. You may increase the lesson times depending on your needs or 1:1 private lessons at an extra cost.


What type of activities are offered at Summer Camp?

There are normally 2 types of activities offered at Camp. One is sports-based and art activities and the other is excursion based activities. Sports based activities are centered around keeping students active and learning different activities to see what interests them. On the other hand, excursion based activities are when the students go visit famous tourist cities and historical sites. Both provide immense value in learning and it all depends on the student's interests and needs.


Can Summer Camps accommodate dietary requirements?

In almost all cases, yes. If you have very special dietary requirements, it is recommended that you let us know 60 days in advance to fully accommodate your needs. However, we do want to let you know that this is not guaranteed but we will certainly try our absolute best to meet your needs. Your child's health comes first so please fill the health form on our enrollment portal in a detailed way.


What do students eat on full day excursions?

Students are given lunch boxes during full day excursions along with beverages. Any purchases outside of the lunch boxes can be made at appropriate times but will be at the student's personal expense. Young learners are not allowed to bring chocolate and candies with them to the accommodation.


What happens in the case of an emergency?

All Summer Camps will have 24 hour supervision of the students. There will also be a 24 hour emergency phone number for each campus. Family members will also be able to reach their children by contacting the campus offices in case of an emergency as well. Students under the age of 18 will be required to provide a contact detail of a parent or guardian.

Accommodation


Where will I be staying?

You will be staying at the designated school residence, whether your program would be taking place at a boarding school, international school or a university campus, meaning all of your classes and stay will take place on one site. For homestay programs, you will be staying at a local homestay carefully selected by the school through rigorous background checks and experience dealing with international students.


Will I be sharing a bedroom?

Yes, unless you are in the older age group of 15 & above, you will be staying in twin rooms or rooms up to 4 students per room depending on the program, providing an opportunity to cultivate friendships with fellow students from different parts of the world. We take individual requests which can cost extra to your final invoice. The accommodation differs in campus facilities.


Are boys and girls housed separately?

Yes boys and girls will be separately housed within the residence, or in other circumstances in different residence buildings.


Can I stay with my friend if we are coming together?

Yes, if you book the course in advance, you may have a chance to stay with your friend in the same residence room. However, these are on-request basis depending on availability so please contact the Best Parents advisor at advisor@bestparents.com for more information.


Are there any laundry facilities at the residence?

Yes, there will be laundry facilities at all Summer Camp sites. However, please be aware every campus facility is different in how they handle laundry. Please be noted Camps taking place at university campuses may require students to purchase a laundry card for the use of laundry machines.


How safe are the campuses?

At all Camps, safety is our top priority for all of our students. All Camps will have a 24 hour supervision at all times. We also have campus security throughout and have all the emergency measures prepared. Safes are located in the offices for important items students may bring. All Summer Camps also have evening curfews. We take this very seriously so that our parents can rest assured.

Preparation


What should I bring?

We will have a welcome pack ready for every Summer Camp attendant that will list all the belongings you should bring before arrival. Essentials are clothing that is suitable for the location in which we will advise, mobile device for staying in touch with the family, emergency funds in case. We will guide the rest of the items for each student depending on the program.


Are parents allowed to visit?

Yes, parents traveling with their children are allowed to visit the campsite for unpacking at the accommodation & arrival orientation that takes place in the afternoon. Once the camp starts, parents are kindly asked to depart and can stay at a nearby hotel. You may visit your child on the weekend if they have free time but please check with your child or the school on the schedule so that there are no excursions taking place at that time.


Can I bring a mobile phone?

Yes, all students are advised to bring a mobile phone with them as a way to stay in touch with their parents. Please be noted phones are not allowed during classrooms or lessons. Summer Camp site offers Wi-Fi services that students can use to contact their parents during break time.

& More


How do I pay for my course?

You can pay for your course right on our website with a valid credit card. You will only pay the initial deposit (typically 10% or 20%) for the program. We will then process your admissions and ultimately, you will normally pay the remaining balance between your booking confirmation date and the course start date. We will send you an invoice at appropriate times in advance so that you are well informed. If it is less than 60 days to go before the course starts expect to pay the full amount as soon as your seat is confirmed.


Do I need a visa to attend Summer Camp?

Since Summer Camps are shorter term programs and are not full time classroom programs, you would only need a tourist visa to travel to the country that you are planning to attend Summer Camp in. We have programs in the UK, US & Switzerland and depending on your nationality you may need to apply for a tourist visa to these countries. Our Best Parents advisors will make sure you have the most up to date information on your visa requirements.


What kind of insurance do I need?

Generally, families will purchase travel insurance for the duration of the Summer Camp. Parents can book it on their own or at Best Parents we can arrange Travel Insurance for you at a very low cost. Some programs, however, do include travel insurance within their program. Either way, do not worry, Best Parents advisors will check these criterias with you during the admissions process.


If I have to cancel, will I get my money back?

Summer Camps featured on BestParents.com are always fully refundable prior to confirmation of full enrolment. Once a seat is confirmed, Best Parents will make a best effort to get a full refund, and they are generally available until 6 weeks before the camp start date, but not necessarily guaranteed. Please see our terms and conditions for more information.

Online Programs


How many students are there in each online class?

The average class size is 5 students with a maximum cap number at 10.


What platform is used for online program?

Most online classes are delivered through Zoom's educational platform or another web video platform. You will only need a laptop or mobile device, with access to the internet and download the Zoom software. That's it!


What time is Stream A? Stream B? in UK language courses.

These are generally two live courses that take at two different times of the day to cater to different time zones. Stream A generally starts at 10am UK time and Stream B generally starts at 3pm UK time. Please check the exact course details for specifics.

Still need help?

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