About this course
IELTS Academic Preparation is a specialist test-preparation course, not a general English course. It is for learners who already have the language foundations and now need the format, the strategy and the deliberate practice that turn them into a score. If your English is not yet at B1+, preparation is the wrong thing to buy first, and we will tell you so at the placement test rather than after you have paid.
The course combines explicit instruction, deliberate practice, feedback, reflection and timed simulation. It develops the four IELTS skills while systematically strengthening vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, academic discourse and digital test-taking fluency.
Written against the official test parameters. Listening: four parts, 40 questions, about 30 minutes. Academic Reading: 40 questions in 60 minutes. Academic Writing: 60 minutes, with Task 1 at least 150 words and Task 2 at least 250. Speaking: three parts in 11–14 minutes. Listening and Speaking are common to Academic and General Training; Reading and Writing differ, and this course follows the Academic stream.
No score is guaranteed, by anyone. What is guaranteed is the teaching, the practice and the feedback set out below — and an honest band estimate after the first mock test, in time to change your test date if you need to.
Academic integrity. Assessments are completed independently and under timed conditions. Any use of AI must be declared; it may support brainstorming or language noticing where a task permits, and may never generate an assessed response.
Who it is for
- University and pre-university applicants who must meet an admission language requirement
- Working adults preparing around a job, who need an evening or weekend schedule
- Foundation students bridging a gap between general and academic English
- Candidates overseas who need serious preparation without travelling to a centre
- Institutions and sponsors funding a cohort and needing progress reporting
Entry requirements
Approximately IELTS 5.0–5.5, or CEFR B1+/B2. The ELOQUA placement test or recent IELTS evidence is required before you are enrolled — it is what your target plan is built from.
Scope & sequence
Printable versionThe full teaching map — what is covered, in what order, and how each unit is assessed.
| Unit | Focus | Language | Resources & activities | Skills | CLOs | Assessment | Hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Orientation, baseline & goals | Test structure; diagnostic across Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking; digital platform routines. | Test-language vocabulary; sentence accuracy review | Live orientation; diagnostic; speaking sample; reflective goal plan | ReadingWritingListeningSpeaking | CLO1, CLO8, CLO9 | Diagnostic profile and individual target plan (baseline only) | 5 |
| 2. Listening I — detail & prediction | Parts 1–2: forms, notes, tables and maps; spelling conventions and distractors. | Numbers, dates, names, locations; word forms; prepositions | Predict–listen–check cycle; transcript noticing; map task breakout | Listening | CLO2, CLO7, CLO8 | Auto-marked practice and error log | 5 |
| 3. Reading I — efficient information search | Skimming and scanning; sentence and summary completion; short answer; True/False/Not Given. | Paraphrase families; reference words; noun phrases | Timed text navigation; evidence highlighting; peer explanation | Reading | CLO3, CLO7, CLO8 | Reading set with evidence annotation | 5 |
| 4. Listening II & Reading consolidation | Parts 3–4: matching, multiple choice and lectures; headings and information matching. | Signposting; stance; academic collocations; complex noun groups | Lecture notes; distractor analysis; timed mixed practice | ListeningReading | CLO2, CLO3, CLO8 | Skill Checkpoint 1 — 15% | 5 |
| 5. Writing Task 1 I — charts & tables | Task analysis; writing an accurate overview; selecting and grouping key features; comparison. | Trend and change language; comparatives; approximation; data accuracy | Model deconstruction; planning; shared writing; individual draft | Writing | CLO4, CLO7, CLO8 | Task 1 draft with criterion feedback | 5 |
| 6. Writing Task 1 II — processes & maps | Sequencing stages; describing change, location and transformation. | Passive voice; sequencing; spatial language; relative clauses | Diagram annotation; overview clinic; timed 20-minute response | Writing | CLO4, CLO7 | Revised Task 1 and self-assessment | 5 |
| 7. Writing Task 2 I — position & development | Prompt types; thesis; paragraph unity; developing and supporting an idea rather than restating it. | Stance; cause and effect; concession; complex sentences; cohesion | Prompt sorting; outline sprint; paragraph workshop; teacher conference | Writing | CLO5, CLO7, CLO8 | Essay plan and untimed Task 2 | 5 |
| 8. Speaking Parts 1–3 | Direct answers; structuring the long turn; abstract discussion; managing the interaction. | Topic vocabulary; discourse markers; hedging; stress, rhythm and intonation | Rotating interviews; 1-minute planning; recording analysis; pronunciation clinic | Speaking | CLO6, CLO7, CLO9 | Skill Checkpoint 2 — 15% | 5 |
| 9. Full Mock Test 1 & feedback | Complete Listening, Reading and Writing under conditions; speaking simulation; interpreting your scores. | Individualised remediation based on your section profile | Secure timed mock; marking; one-to-one feedback; action planning | ReadingWritingListeningSpeaking | CLO1–CLO10 | Mock Test 1 — 20% — plus an individual action plan | 5 |
| 10. Targeted clinics I | Flexible groups on your weakest task types; Writing coherence and accuracy; Speaking fluency. | Your own error patterns; lexical precision; grammar repair | Adaptive stations; mini-lessons; peer coaching; deliberate practice | ReadingWritingListeningSpeaking | CLO2–CLO9 | Portfolio evidence of corrected errors | 5 |
| 11. Targeted clinics II & test readiness | Advanced mixed practice; pacing; anxiety management; fluency on the computer-delivered test. | Paraphrase consolidation; editing symbols; pronunciation repair | Timed rotations; screen-based navigation; rehearsal; readiness checklist | ReadingWritingListeningSpeaking | CLO2–CLO9 | Final writing and speaking rehearsal | 5 |
| 12. Final Mock Test & transition plan | Full simulation; comparison against your week 1 profile; the independent study pathway after the course. | Consolidation and individual next-step language targets | Final mock; portfolio conference; post-course plan | ReadingWritingListeningSpeaking | CLO1–CLO10 | Final mock and portfolio review — 30% | 5 |
Scroll the table sideways for every column, or open the printable version to see the whole map at once.
Course hours & duration
Where the guided hours go
| Component | Hours | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Live online instruction | 36 | Teacher modelling, guided practice, discussion, breakout tasks, feedback |
| Structured asynchronous practice | 18 | Platform tasks, timed practice, vocabulary and grammar work, recordings, revisions |
| Assessment and conferences | 6 | Diagnostic, checkpoints, mock-test feedback, portfolio conference |
| Total guided learning | 60 | 5 guided hours per week |
Total learning time is about 90 hours, with 30 hours of independent study recommended beyond the guided hours. Group intakes run with 10–16 learners — small enough that every speaking and writing task gets individual feedback. One-to-one students cover the same map at their own pace — most finish in 36–60 hours because the whole session is theirs. Course completion is awarded at 70% overall with at least 80% participation, the digital portfolio submitted, and both full mock tests completed. Your estimated IELTS bands are reported separately from the course grade.
Course learning outcomes
On successful completion you will be able to:
How you are assessed
Published in advance, in full. Nothing is marked against a criterion you have not seen.
| Assessment | When | Covers | Weight | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic test and goal plan | Week 1 | All skills | baseline | Section profile; initial writing and speaking samples |
| Weekly online practice portfolio | Weeks 1–11 | All skills | 20% | Quizzes, recordings, writing drafts, vocabulary and grammar log, reflections |
| Skill checkpoint 1 | Week 4 | Listening + Reading | 15% | Timed selected sections; strategy analysis |
| Skill checkpoint 2 | Week 8 | Writing + Speaking | 15% | Task 1/2 writing sample and recorded speaking interview |
| Mock Test 1 and conference | Week 9 | All skills | 20% | Full simulation; individual action plan |
| Final mock test and portfolio review | Week 12 | All skills | 30% | Full simulation and evidence of response to feedback |
| Total | 100% | |||
Course completion is awarded at 70% overall with at least 80% participation, the digital portfolio submitted, and both full mock tests completed. Your estimated IELTS bands are reported separately from the course grade.
Pricing
Small group
The registration fee is non-refundable and confirms your learner record. A 30% deposit reserves your seat; the balance is due before Week 2.
10% off tuition for a limited number of seats in each cohort. Fees are unchanged.
Tuition split across two payments with a 3% surcharge. The full balance is still due before Week 2.
Per learner, minimum 20 sponsored learners from one institution. A reduced service scope may apply; cohort progress reporting is included.
One to one
Private coaching on the same map, at your own pace. Minimum block of 10 hours; writing and speaking marked to the public descriptors at no extra charge.
All prices in USD. A 30% deposit reserves your seat and the balance is due before week 2. Talk to us before you register if you need to spread it further.
Upcoming intakes
Questions
Do you guarantee a band score?
No, and be careful of anyone who does. We promise the teaching, practice and feedback set out in the curriculum map — and an honest band estimate after Mock Test 1 in week 9, while there is still time to move your test date.
Academic or General Training?
This course follows the Academic stream for Reading and Writing. Listening and Speaking are identical in both tests, so General Training candidates still get full value from those strands — tell us at registration and we will say honestly whether the course fits your test.
How big is the class?
Ten to sixteen learners. That is deliberate: below ten the speaking practice thins out, and above sixteen no teacher can give every writing and speaking task the feedback this course promises. The absolute cap is 30, with additional academic support added above 25.
When is a cohort confirmed?
When 15 learners have paid. Until then your deposit holds your seat and is fully transferable to the next intake if the cohort does not reach the threshold.
What do I have to do to complete the course?
70% overall, at least 80% participation, the digital portfolio submitted, and both full mock tests completed. Your estimated IELTS bands are reported separately from the course grade — they measure different things.
Can I use AI to help with the work?
For brainstorming or noticing language, where the task permits it and you declare it — yes. To generate an assessed response — no. Assessed work is completed independently under timed conditions.
How much work is it outside class?
Five guided hours a week (three live, two on the platform), plus two to three hours of independent study. That independent time is adjusted after your diagnostic and again after Mock Test 1.
Official reference points
This course is written against the published sources below. Check them — they are the authority, not us.
IELTS is a registered trademark of its owners. This independently developed course and curriculum map are not endorsed by or affiliated with the IELTS Partners. Practice scores are indicators of readiness, not a prediction or guarantee of an official result.