Frequently Asked Questions

When was Intensive Business English founded?
The school was established in 1980.

Who are our clients?
Our client base is extensive and covers some of the world’s leading financial, insurance, pharmaceutical, entertainment and IT companies.

Does the school teach any other languages?
Yes. In addition to English, the school also offers courses in Italian, French, German and Spanish.

How many teachers work for the school and where do they come from?
We currently have approximately 30 fully-qualified mother tongue English teachers working for Intensive Business English, most of whom are full-time. They come from the British Isles, Ireland, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

What teaching methodology does IBE use?
All of our courses are tailored to meet the individual or group needs of our students. The course objectives set at the start form the basis of what is taught every lesson and this is re-enforced through repeated follow-up and testing at the mid- and final stages of the course.

What types of courses and services does Intensive Business English offer?
Most of the courses that we provide take place in company and vary from 20 to 60 hours in duration. In addition, the school offers semi intensive courses and a variety of business modules and multimedia courses. We also provide a translation service and often arrange courses for our students abroad.

What papers or documentation do I need?
Teachers who have a valid EU passport are required to have an Italian tax code (Codice Fiscale or Partita IVA). Non European Union citizens must also obtain a visa and/or “Permesso di Soggiorno” (or permission to stay/work) from a local immigration office. Unfortunately, we cannot offer any kind of assistance or sponsorship to help you obtain these documents.

What type of contract does the school offer?
The most common type of contract is the “contratto a progetto.” Under this type of freelance contract, teachers are contracted to undertake a “work project” for a fixed amount of time and fixed salary. In effect, it reflects the duration of that course and the gross salary that the teacher will receive by the end of this course. It is a very common type of contract for freelance employees in Italy.

What length of commitment does the school expect?
The school expects a commitment of at least 1 year from all new teachers.

What is the salary range and how is it paid?
Our salary rates (euros per hour taught) are competitive and are finalized at the interview stage of the recruitment process. The salary offered to all new teachers depends on experience, qualifications and the type of tax code they have chosen to work with. Salaries are always paid on the 15th of every month by cheque or bank transfer.

Are holidays paid? What about sick leave?
Holidays and sick leave are not paid. This is usually not a frequent or major issue because the main holiday period in Italy is August when many companies close for two or three weeks. Teachers often take advantage of this slow period to go on holiday themselves, return home or arrange temporary teaching positions in summer camps.

Is it necessary to do a training/induction session or can a teacher start immediately?
All new teachers require induction to the school before they can start teaching. Normally, three induction sessions are arranged to cover the school’s general procedures, our teaching methodology and semi intensive courses.

How many hours/days per week do teachers work? Is there a guaranteed number of working hours?
As a policy, we don't guarantee a minimum number of working hours. The number of hours a teacher works depends primarily on their availability: most often Monday to Friday from about 09.00 to 19.30. It is common for our teachers to do over 100 teaching hours per month.

What is the cost of accommodation in Milan?
The average price for renting a room in Milan naturally varies according to location, but 350 euros for a shared room and 500 for a single room in the city centre would be a good guideline. Obviously, the further away from the centre you go, the lower the prices.
For couples, renting an apartment can be relatively cost effective. Bear in mind that the monthly rate is based on the number of rooms (excluding the bathroom) and the size of the apartment. It is quite common for landlords to ask for 3 months rent and 3 months deposit in advance. In some cases, this can be negotiated down 4 months. If you find an apartment through an estate agency, they will charge approximately 10% of the yearly rent for the service they have provided.

Does the school arrange accommodation for new teachers? If not, where is it advertised?
Unfortunately, we are not in a position to arrange accommodation directly for our teachers. The obvious places to look are in the magazine Easy Milano (available in hardcopy or online), or by going directly to an estate agent. A sometimes worthwhile activity for those already in Milan is to simply walk around the area you have chosen as a lot of rooms/apartments are advertised outside of properties by landlords or estate agents.

What teaching materials does the school use?
The school currently uses course books published by MacMillan, Longman and Oxford. The titles include International Express, In Company, Language Leader and Market Leader. In addition, supplementary and audio/visual materials are available for use in order to meet specific student needs.

Is it necessary to be able speak Italian? Does IBE offer free Italian classes?
Although sometimes beneficial, it is not absolutely necessary to be able to speak Italian. While we are unable to offer free Italian lessons, teachers are more than welcome to make use of the Italian language resources that we have here at the school.

How do I get to my lessons? What is public transportation like?
Most teachers use public transport, which in Milan consists of metro (underground/subway), buses, trams and rail services. It is relatively cheap and easy to move around without any major difficulties.

Why is IBE different?
We believe that our long-standing relationship with many clients reflects our reputation for quality, professionalism and the level of support that we provide to students, clients and teachers.