BELS English Language Schools has spent three decades building an English education and educational tourism business rooted in Malta and Gozo.

The company was founded in Gozo in 1995. Before the first students could be welcomed, however, two years were dedicated to the painstaking refurbishment and restoration of the traditional Gozitan farmhouse that would become the original school.

BELS Gozo opened its doors in 1997, establishing a distinctive English-learning experience within the quieter, more personal surroundings of Kerċem. Rebecca Bonnici joined BELS in 2000, bringing with her an academic background in English language teaching together with experience across school administration, accommodation, sales and international business development.

Following the retirement of the company’s founder, Ms Bonnici took over the ownership and leadership of BELS. In 2010, she led the opening of BELS Malta in St Paul’s Bay, extending the company’s reach and creating a second, distinct English-learning environment.

Today, the two schools serve different but complementary markets. BELS Malta provides a lively seaside location for adults, young adults, juniors, families and international groups. BELS Gozo offers a boutique, adult-only learning environment for students looking for a quieter and more immersive experience.

Across both locations, BELS’s approach extends beyond the classroom. Academic programmes, accommodation, activities, transport and student support are treated as connected parts of one journey. This reflects the company’s belief that the quality of a student’s experience depends on every part of their stay working well together.

BELS offers programmes for adult learners, young adults, juniors, families, mature learners, closed groups, professionals and companies. Its professional and corporate English provision supports organisations seeking to strengthen workplace communication across areas such as customer care, tourism, hospitality, administration and management.

Academic and operational quality remain central to the company’s direction. BELS is accredited by FELTOM and Eaquals, licensed by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority and accredited by Green Standard Schools. It also offers a portfolio of MFHEA-recognised MQF Level 5 professional English awards.

The company is now preparing for its next major chapter through the development of a new purpose-built residential language school in Buġibba.

The new development will bring classrooms, student accommodation and shared facilities together within one purpose-built operation. It will increase capacity while allowing BELS to maintain the personal service, academic standards and attention to the complete student experience on which the business has grown.

For BELS, expansion is not simply about increasing student numbers. It is about strengthening the company’s long-term contribution to Malta’s educational tourism sector while ensuring that growth remains sustainable, quality-driven and true to the principles that have shaped the organisation since its beginnings in Gozo.

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