Adult courses · IELTS · Cambridge · TOEFL · SELT
Exam preparation
Many students need a specific score — for a job, a university place or a visa. Preparing for these tests is stressful, and our experienced teachers are here to help you get the best result you can. For exam preparation we recommend Intensive English 30: grammar and vocabulary in the morning, then afternoons on reading, writing, listening and speaking, with the specific techniques you need on exam day. Add one-to-one lessons if a single skill is holding you back. How long you need depends entirely on your starting level and how hard you work.
- Exams
- IELTS · CambridgeTOEFL and SELT too
- Recommended
- Intensive 3030 lessons a week
- Add
- One-to-oneFor a weak skill
- Start
- Every MondayAll year round
Which exam
Most students arrive knowing which test they need and what score. If you do not, tell us what the score is for — a university, an employer, an immigration application — and we will help you work out which exam to sit.
IELTS
The most widely required test, and the one most of our exam students are working towards. Preparation covers all four papers and the technique each one rewards.
Cambridge First and Advanced
B2 First and C1 Advanced. Unlike IELTS these do not expire, which makes them worth having if you expect to need proof of your English for years rather than months.
TOEFL
Required by many universities in the United States and Canada. Tell us your target score and your deadline when you enquire.
SELT
Secure English Language Tests, for a UK visa or immigration application. Expert-led preparation with practical exam practice and personalised support, so you are prepared on test day.
IELTS, Cambridge and TOEFL are sat at their own approved test centres — we will help you find and book the right one, and prepare you for it.
How we prepare you
If you are preparing for an exam, we recommend our Intensive English course. The length of your stay depends on how much you need to improve to reach your target score.
Mornings · 09:00–12:15
Building the English
Grammar and vocabulary, in a class of 8 to 12 students at your level. No exam is passed on technique alone — the underlying English has to be there first, and this is where it gets built.
Afternoons · 13:30–15:00
The four skills, and the exam
Reading, writing, listening and speaking, worked separately and to exam conditions. These lessons give you the specific tools and techniques you need to succeed on exam day.
Add one-to-one if one skill is the problem
Most students have a paper that lets them down — usually writing, sometimes speaking. A group class cannot spend a fortnight on your particular weakness. If you need extra help with a specific skill, you can add one-to-one tutoring to your programme, either as a combination package or booked separately.
The best way to prepare
Two routes, depending on whether you need general improvement or targeted work on one paper.
RecommendedIntensive English 30
Thirty lessons a week, 09:00 to 15:00. General English in the morning, afternoon skills lessons and IELTS or Cambridge exam preparation. Classes of 8 to 12 students, starting every Monday, from £335 a week. This is the course we recommend for anyone working towards an exam.
See General and Intensive English →Combination courses
Intensive English 30 plus 5 or 10 private lessons a week, pointed at whichever paper is costing you marks. Combination 30+5 is £695 a week and 30+10 is £995. The most adaptable option if you have a specific target and a deadline.
See combination courses →You can also book one-to-one lessons on their own if you want nothing but exam work, or add them to a course you have already started. See the full price list or build a total with the fee calculator.
Your commitment
To reach your goals you will need to be dedicated to your studies. Thirty lessons a week is a full timetable, and exam preparation adds work outside it — practice papers, writing to redraft, vocabulary that will not stick until you make it.
Students who treat the course as a job tend to hit their score. Students who treat it as a holiday with lessons attached tend not to, however good the teaching is. We would rather say that plainly now than commiserate afterwards.
What we can and cannot promise
English levels improve at different speeds depending on where you start and how hard you work. For that reason, we cannot guarantee a specific score in a set amount of time, and you should be cautious of any school that does.
What we do guarantee is that you will be taught by qualified, experienced teachers, on a course designed for the exam you are sitting. We have a long record of helping students reach their exam goals, and we will tell you honestly at the start whether your target and your timescale look realistic together.
Where you are, and where you need to be
The single most useful thing before booking is knowing your current level. The table below maps our levels against CEFR and approximate IELTS bands, so you can see the distance between where you are and the score you need.
| Level | CEFR | IELTS | Trinity GESE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | A1 | 1.0–2.0 | 2 |
| Pre-intermediate | A2 | 2.0–4.0 | 3–4 |
| Intermediate | B1 | 4.0–5.0 | 5–6 |
| Upper intermediate | B2 | 5.0–6.0 | 7–8 |
| Established upper intermediate | B2+ | 6.0–7.0 | 9 |
| Advanced | C1 | 7.0–7.5 | 10 |
| Established advanced | C1+ | 7.5–8.0 | 11 |
| Established proficient | C2 | 9.0 | 12 |
These are approximate guides, not promised scores. Take our free online placement test before you enquire and tell us the result along with your target — it makes the advice we give you far more useful.
Practical details
Exam entry fees are separate
Examination fees for Cambridge examinations, IELTS and similar are not included in the course price and are charged separately. They are paid to the examination board or test centre, not to us. We will help you book the right test on the right date.
| Age | 16 and over |
|---|---|
| Recommended course | Intensive English 30, with one-to-one lessons added if needed |
| Class size | 8 to 12 students, grouped by level |
| Start dates | Every Monday, all year. Tuesday when the Monday is a bank holiday. |
| Length | Depends on your starting level and target score — we will advise honestly |
| Exam fees | Not included; paid separately to the examination board |
One thing to know in advance: if fewer than five students on Intensive English 30 want to follow a published IELTS or Cambridge skills session, we reserve the right to run alternative skills sessions instead. In those rare cases we also provide an extra programme of supervised self-study so that exam students are not left short.
Common questions
Which course is best for IELTS preparation?
Intensive English 30. Mornings build the grammar and vocabulary the exam assumes; afternoons work the four skills and the exam technique. If one paper is letting you down, add one-to-one lessons through a combination package. Intensive English 30 starts at £335 a week; Combination 30+10 is £995.
How long will it take me to reach my target score?
It depends on your starting level and how hard you work, so we cannot promise a number. As a rough guide, moving up a CEFR level usually takes a sustained period of full-time study rather than a fortnight. Send us your current level and your target and we will tell you honestly whether the timescale is realistic.
Do you guarantee a particular score?
No, and neither should anyone else. English improves at different speeds depending on where you start and how much work you put in. What we guarantee is qualified, experienced teachers and a course built for the exam you are sitting, and we have a long record of getting students to the scores they need.
Are exam fees included in the course price?
No. Examination fees for Cambridge, IELTS and similar are charged separately and paid to the examination board or test centre. We will help you find and book the right test on the right date.
Can you prepare me for a SELT for my UK visa?
Yes. Our SELT preparation is designed to help you achieve the English level required for a UK visa or immigration application, with experienced teachers, practical exam practice and personalised support. Tell us which test your application requires when you enquire, as requirements differ by visa route.
Should I take IELTS or a Cambridge exam?
If a university or employer has specified one, take that. Otherwise the practical difference is that IELTS results are generally treated as valid for two years, while Cambridge First and Advanced do not expire — so Cambridge is often the better investment if you expect to need proof of your English for years to come.
What if I am not sure of my level?
Take our free online placement test before you enquire. You will also take a full test on your first morning — multiple choice, a short piece of writing and a one-to-one interview — which decides your class. More about your first day.
Tell us your target and your deadline
Those two things, plus your current level, are all we need to tell you what is realistic and how long it will take. Reserve a place in about two minutes without paying anything yet.
Accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK · Trinity College London registered examination centre · Prices valid for courses starting in 2027 · Last updated August 2026.