University · Undergraduate
University IELTS tutors
Preparation is most effective when it starts from a scored practice test and targets the specific band descriptors that are holding the score down, rather than treating all four skills equally. A half-band is usually one fixable habit away.
- USD 25-35 per hour
- One-to-one, online
- Free 1-hour trial class
What University actually demands
First-year modules move at several times school pace and assume prerequisites that are often shakier than students realise. Support here is usually about closing a specific gap quickly rather than working through a syllabus.
A four-skill English proficiency test scored in bands, where the marking criteria are published in full. That last point matters more than anything else: IELTS is a test you can prepare for precisely, because the examiner's rubric is not a secret.
Where University IELTS students lose marks
- Writing Task 2 essays that are fluent but do not fully address every part of the prompt, which caps Task Response
- Task 1 reports that list every figure instead of selecting and comparing key features
- Reading run as a comprehension exercise rather than with the scanning technique the time limit demands
- Speaking Part 2 answers that run short because the one minute of preparation was not used properly
Is this the right subject at this level?
Students applying to universities abroad, and professionals needing a band score for immigration or registration. Academic and General Training are different tests and the choice depends on what the score is for.
What it costs
USD 25-35 per 60-minute one-to-one lesson at University, the same rate in every city we teach in. Billed monthly against lessons actually taught, with no prepaid blocks and no minimum commitment.
Paired lessons (2 students) are USD 18-25 per student. Small group lessons (up to 6 students) are USD 13-18 per student. What each format is good for is here.
How we teach it
One-to-one, online, with a shared whiteboard. The first thing we establish is the exact syllabus the student is entered for: schools do not always publish the version they actually enter, and preparing for the wrong paper structure wastes a term.
After that the work is diagnostic: a past paper under timed conditions, marked together against the published scheme, to find out where the marks are genuinely going. That is almost always more useful than covering the syllabus again more slowly. The full process is here.
IELTS: questions parents ask
How quickly can a band score improve?
A half-band is often one fixable habit away, particularly in writing, where the criteria are published in full. Larger jumps take longer and depend on underlying language level rather than technique alone.
Academic or General Training?
It depends entirely on what the score is for, university study generally requires Academic, while immigration and some professional registration accept General Training. Confirm with the receiving institution before booking.
What is the most common writing mistake?
Not addressing every part of the prompt. A fluent, well-organised essay that answers two thirds of the question is capped on Task Response regardless of how good the English is.