IELTS Preparation Course

What is IELTS?

IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is the language of communication.

IELTS is recognised internationally by English speaking universities, colleges, research institutes, professional bodies, multinational corporations, immigration authorities and other government agencies.

After taking the examination, candidates are given a mark for each paper: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, plus an overall average band score. The overall band scores range from 1-9 and are classed as follows:

Academic and General Training

IELTS is available in two formats for the reading and writing part of the exam - Academic and General Training.

Academic modules assess whether a candidate would be able to cope with studying or training in English at an undergraduate or postgraduate level. Those therefore interested in applying for a place at a British university should choose this option.

General Training modules are suitable for those who are going to English speaking countries to complete their secondary education, to undertake work experience or training programmes not at degree level, or for immigration purposes to Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Who is IELTS for?

• INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WHO WANT TO APPLY TO STUDY AT A BRITISH UNIVERSITY take the IELTS in order to provide evidence to the universities that their competence in English is proficient enough to cope with their future studies. Most British universities require an IELTS score of between 5.5 and 7.5 although it is advisable to check with each university you are interested in applying to for specific course requirements.
• IELTS is also required by overseas-qualified doctors, dentists and nurses.
• Those wishing to gain an internationally recognised qualification in English. This includes professionals as well as students who can use the qualification to enhance their future career prospects.

Intensive IELTS preparation course

We aim to provide you with comprehensive guidance and practice in all 4 areas of the exam - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking - so we can help you raise your IELTS score to the band you need. Through using the latest IELTS textbooks you will be fully aware of what to expect when you take the IELTS exam, and subsequently you can improve your examination technique and develop strategies for succeeding in each paper. By practising each skill in timed practice sessions, we will pinpoint where your weaknesses lie and give you useful feedback so you can improve in the areas you need to most.

Course Information

Costs

Summer IELTS course with Academic English

During the summer we will be offering an intensive IELTS with academic English course which will last 5 weeks. Of course you may stay longer if you wish! (Please see our Academic and IELTS preparation courses for more information). Class sizes will be kept small to ensure you receive high-quality, specialised English tuition and a great deal of individual attention.

The course is aimed at those students who need to achieve an IELTS score of between 5.5 and 7.5 in order to be able to study at a British university. As this course is very intensive it is important that you already possess at least an intermediate level of English (ideally IELTS 4.5 or higher).

Cost of tuition: £200 per week

Easter IELTS course with academic English

A shorter version of the summer course will be running over the Easter period. (Please see our Academic and IELTS preparation courses for more information).

Cost of tuition: £200 per week

Course Information

Costs

Academic English

Our intensive Academic English course is aimed at providing students with the skills they will need to successfully pursue an academic career at an English speaking university. The emphasis throughout the course is placed on improving and developing your language skills for academic purposes so that you will be able to communicate effectively in both spoken and written assignments at degree level.

The course concentrates on improving all aspects of your English through using academic level materials as well as providing you with comprehensive IELTS examination practice. Through the introduction of interesting topics and themes you will build on your existing reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, as well as increase your range of vocabulary in a contextualized manner.

Course Objectives

• To achieve a high level of spoken and written fluency
• To develop technical aspects of language, such as complex sentence construction, advanced grammar and accurate punctuation
• To decrease technical errors in written English and enable students to write more descriptively, critically and analytically
• To promote confidence and effectiveness in spoken contexts through examining pronunciation and intonation
• To deal with more advanced aspects of English such as idiomatic English

In addition to the above course objectives, you will develop the more specific language and academic study skills you need for university.

Academic Study Skills

• Planning and writing essays with a good structure
• Essay conventions, for example, how to use bibliographic citation, footnotes etc
• How to avoid plagiarism
• Research skills
• Making effective presentations
• Participating in seminars
• Listening comprehension techniques for lectures and taking notes
• How to read academic papers and develop effective reading comprehension skills
• Summarising
• Revision techniques and strategies
• Examination techniques

We are also more than happy to provide advice and guidance on how to apply for entrance to UK universities (UCAS applications) and can assist you in finding a suitable course. If required, we can also help you with:

• Preparing for university / job interviews
• Applying for jobs in English, including:
  - Preparing a CV (Curriculum Vitae)
  - Writing covering letters
  - Filling out application forms

Course Information

Costs