Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The training plan has been approved, the team is on board, and then finance asks the inevitable question: “What is this going to cost?” You open a few language training providers’ websites and find… almost no prices anywhere. Every page says “request a quote”. Frustrating, because all you want is a number to put in your budget request.
In this article we list every pricing factor and use an example to show how to make a realistic estimate for your team. So you can assess any quote without budgeting with your finger in the air.
Why are there so few prices online?
Not because providers have something to hide, but because “a language course” is not a fixed product. An individual crash course in Legal English for a lawyer costs something very different from a group course in business Dutch for six warehouse employees. The price depends on a handful of variables, and those same variables determine whether a programme actually works.
The good news: the variables are easy to grasp. Once you know them, you can make a realistic estimate yourself and properly assess any quote.
Which factors determine the price of language training?
1. Group or individual. This is the biggest lever. Private training is priced per participant per hour, while group training is shared across several participants. Per person, group training is easily half the price or less, provided the levels are well matched.
2. Starting level and goal. Going from B1 to B2 is a different journey than going from A2 to C1. The bigger the gap between starting point and goal, the more lesson hours are needed. Our blog on language levels from A1 to C2 [CHECK-EN] explains how to determine the level your team really needs.
3. The training format. Classroom-based, online, or blended learning [CHECK-EN]: a combination of live sessions with a trainer and self-study in an online learning environment. Blended programmes often deliver more learning per euro, because the expensive trainer hours are focused where they add the most value.
4. Specialisation. General business English is more widely available than Legal English or technical German. Specialised training costs more, because the trainer brings domain knowledge on top of language expertise and the materials are tailored to your field.
5. Intensity and duration. A five-week crash course requires more planning and trainer capacity per week than a twenty-week programme. The total investment may be similar, but the rhythm is different.
6. Location. In-company at your office, at a training venue, or fully online. Travel time and room hire are part of the price.
7. Intake and customisation. A good programme starts with an intake or baseline assessment per participant. That costs a little upfront, but prevents you from paying for lessons at the wrong level. This is where cheap quickly becomes expensive.
What does business language training cost on average?
An honest answer: it depends on the levers above, which is why we deliberately don’t list amounts here that would turn out to be wrong for your situation anyway. What we can say about the proportions:
Group training is by far the most economical per person. The price per group is shared by four to eight participants, so the cost per person is a fraction of an individual programme.
Blended delivers more learning per euro. You pay the trainer for the sessions where a trainer truly makes the difference, while the self-study in between costs no trainer hours.
A complete programme takes eleven to fifteen weeks. On top of the tuition, count on a one-off intake and start-up fee per participant. A good quote lists those items upfront, so the invoice is never higher than the proposal.
Want a concrete figure for your team? Based on the number of participants, their levels and the goal, a quote is arranged within two working days, with no strings attached.
Want to know what a programme would cost for your team?
Request a quote, free of obligation. You will receive a tailored proposal within two working days, including our advice on the smartest training format for your situation.
Example: a team of six moving to better business English
Imagine six account managers who speak reasonable English (B1+), but who visibly struggle in international client conversations. The goal is a solid B2, focused on conversation skills and presenting.
A suitable programme would look like this: an intake and baseline assessment per participant, eleven weeks of blended training with a weekly group session, online self-study in between, and a final assessment. Because the six participants share the group training, the investment per person comes out far lower than six separate individual programmes, while the team also gets to practise together in situations taken from their own work.
Now compare that with what “almost good enough” English is costing you today: longer conversations, missed nuances in negotiations, colleagues who avoid meetings. Our blog on the ROI of business language training [CHECK-EN] runs those numbers in detail.
How do you keep control of your training budget?
Four ways to get the most out of your budget:
Start by measuring. A baseline assessment prevents you from buying lesson hours at the wrong level. For English you can start for free with our Business English Team Scan [CHECK-EN]: within a few minutes you know where your team stands.
Compose groups smartly. Putting participants with the same level and goal in one group significantly lowers the price per person, without compromising the result.
Go blended where you can. Self-study for vocabulary and grammar, trainer hours for speaking and feedback. That way you pay the trainer for what only a trainer can do.
Secure the result. A programme without a final assessment is an expense; a programme with one is an investment you can justify. Our blog on how to know whether language training really works [CHECK-EN] shows you how.
Frequently asked questions about the cost of language training
Is business language training subject to VAT?
[CHECK: complete according to LP’s situation, for example CRKBO registration and VAT exemption for certain training programmes.]
Can language training be paid from the training budget or a sector training fund?
In most organisations, language training falls under the regular training and development budget. In addition, some sectors have a training fund (O&O-fonds) that reimburses part of the costs. Check your collective labour agreement or your sector’s fund.
What happens if a participant drops out or misses a lesson?
This differs per provider and per agreement. Ask about it before signing, along with the conditions for rescheduling lessons. [CHECK: mention LP’s policy if desired.]
Want to know where your team stands first?
Budgeting starts with measuring. Take the free Business English Team Scan and see within minutes what level your team is at and where the biggest gains are.
