London: English Language Schools & English Courses 2025
If you’re looking to take an IELTS course in London, or prepare for another confident English test, these 3 English Schools in London are here for you!
Find out more how to successfully apply to a British university. In this post I will give you some information about 3 prominent English learning schools in London, including information on their courses and pricing:
1. The London School of English
If you’re thinking about studying English, what better place than London, the capital of England? From the Queen’s English to the local dialects.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or simply want to improve your grammar, English can be useful for work, studying, traveling, or simply conversing with the new friends you’ll meet on your course. All you need to do now is choose the right course. We hope the following information will help you to make that choice.
The London School of English is a highly-rated institution with over 100 years of experience, known for its professional environment and small class sizes. England is considered the home of the English language, and with more international students than any other city in the world, London is a fantastic place to study. London is a magnificent city, and there’s so much to explore.
Location: Central London, they offer in-person courses
Key Features:
Rated #1 on Trustpilot.
Small class sizes for personalized attention.
Experienced and highly qualified trainers.
The school offers both immersive in-person and virtual one-to-one courses.
Courses Offered (2025):
General English 20+: Focuses on fluency and accuracy in everyday English for adults.
Business and Professional English 25+: Intensive, dynamic, and skill-based courses tailored for motivated professionals.
Legal English 30+: Specialized courses for legal professionals.
English for Human Resources & English for Banking & Finance: Professional English courses.
Academic IELTS Preparation Course: For students aiming to achieve a specific IELTS score.
One-to-One Training: Personalized lessons.
Corporate Training: Tailored solutions for businesses.
Summer Programme for Young Adults (15-18): Career-focused residential program.
Prices (Weekly, 2025 fees – examples):
General English 20+:
Full-time (20 lessons/week): £675/week (1-4 weeks), decreasing for longer durations (e.g., £595/week for 13+ weeks).
Part-time (mornings only): £440/week (1-4 weeks).
Business and Professional English 25+: £1375/week (full-time).
Individual English Training: £99 per person/hour.
Academic IELTS Preparation Course: £2750 for a 4-week course.
Additional Fees: Registration fees apply (e.g., £60 for online booking, face-to-face in London).
2. West London English School (WLES)
WLES is a private, family-run, British Council accredited school, offering the highest quality courses at affordable prices with a longstanding reputation for excellent standards of teaching.
Offers a variety of English language courses and is known for its value and good teaching quality.
Location: West London.
Key Features:
British Council accredited.
Provides student accommodation options (student residence, homestays, flat shares).
Offers a free, mixed-level conversation club for enrolled students.
Courses Offered:
General English: Available in mornings, early afternoons, and late afternoons, with varying hours per week (e.g., 15 hours).
Intensive English: More hours per week for quicker progress (e.g., 27 hours).
IELTS & Cambridge Exam Preparation: Courses specifically designed to prepare for these exams.
Business English: Focuses on language skills for professional environments.
Medical English: Specialized course.
Conversation Class: A supplementary class for fluency practice.
OET (Occupational English Test) Exam Preparation.
Junior Programme: Courses for younger learners.
Private Lessons: One-to-one tailored instruction.
Online General English: Remote learning options.
Prices (Weekly, based on 1-4 weeks duration – examples):
General English Morning (15h): £175 per week.
General English Early Afternoon (15h): £125 per week.
Intensive English (27h): £260 per week.
IELTS (Afternoon): £195 per week.
Business English (Saturday, 3h): £65 per week.
Conversation Class (Thursday, 3h): £25 per week (£15 for enrolled students as an add-on).
OET (15h): £250 per week.
Private Lessons (General English): £65 per hour.
Online General English (15h Morning): £120 per week.
Details: Prices may decrease with longer course durations.
3. Islington Centre for English (ICE)
ICE is a well-located school in central London, offering a range of English language courses for various levels and purposes.
Location: Islington, Central London (opposite Angel underground station).
Key Features:
British Council accredited.
Qualified, native-speaking teachers.
Offers a free ICE English learning app.
Good nationality mix among students.
Courses Offered:
General English: Available in mornings, afternoons, and evenings, for all levels from Beginner to Advanced. Focuses on fluency, pronunciation, and everyday English.
Cambridge First (FCE) & Advanced (CAE) English Courses: Preparation for internationally recognized Cambridge exams.
Business English Evening Course: For improving English in a professional context.
English Accent Reduction: Specific training to improve accent and pronunciation.
Intensive English Course: For rapid improvement.
IELTS Preparation Courses: Various options including Day, Evening, Full-Immersion, Super-Intensive, and IELTS PLUS!
Prices (Weekly – examples, note that specific 2025 prices vary):
General English Morning Plus (15 lessons per week): Around £351 (offer price found).
Standard General English (20 lessons per week): Around £423 (offer price found).
IELTS Preparation (15 hours per week): Ranges from £230 – £270, with price decreasing for longer durations (e.g., £184 for 24+ weeks).
Business English (15 hours per week): Ranges from £395 – £420.
Intensive English (25 hours per week): Ranges from £362 – £425.
Registration Fee: £65.
Details: Offers a variety of student accommodation options, including homestays and student residences.
Important Notes on Pricing:
Prices are generally listed per week and often decrease with the duration of the course.
Many schools offer discounts for longer commitments.
Additional fees may apply for registration, course materials, accommodation booking, and insurance.
Seasonal price differences might occur, with higher prices in peak seasons (e.g., summer).
It is always recommended to check the official websites of the schools for the most up-to-date pricing and course schedules.
International Students at a British university
If you’re an international student who wants to study at a British university, you’ll need to meet certain English language requirements. While you’ll need to take the IELTS, you can study in the UK without it! Many universities require a certain level of English proficiency. The language requirements you must meet vary depending on the school and the program you choose. One way to demonstrate your English proficiency is to take the IELTS test, which requires you to achieve the score required by the university you wish to apply to. Some universities waive the IELTS test and conduct online interviews to assess your English language skills. Here are some popular UK universities that accept international students without IELTS:
Northumbria University
University of Bolton
University of Northampton
University of Plymouth
University of Portsmouth
Aston University
University of Warwick
Birmingham City University
University of Bristol
London South Bank University
Once you’ve made it, you’ll need an official letter from your university confirming that you meet the English language requirements to apply for a student visa.
If English was the primary language of instruction at your school or university, you can also prove your English language skills with your school grades if the university you’re applying to accepts them.
Also, keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need the IELTS. You can also take another English language test, such as the Cambridge English Test!
Cultural aspects
Mystical stone circles, ancient castle ruins, rugged landscapes, and crazy, cosmopolitan metropolises – visitors can find all of this on Europe’s largest island: Great Britain. It consists of three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales, each with its own unique culture.
The English are known for their understatement and dark humor. In Wales, the Celtic language Cymraeg is the second official language. Scotland is often associated with bagpipe music and unusual sports such as log throwing. You can experience all of this firsthand while studying in Great Britain.
Selecting the best courses
This naturally varies from person to person. For a broader understanding of the language, we recommend taking a General English course. General English courses are designed to train your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. These courses are ideal as a “basic” course for a few weeks while you gain confidence in London and communicate with the locals. After completing this course, you can then continue on to the General English course to specialize in either a qualification or a practical (e.g., business) course.
You can also choose between group lessons or private lessons. If time and budget allow, we recommend studying in a mix of both options. This allows you to have the advantage of meeting and studying with new people of a similar level in a group class (making friends is one of the best and most fun ways to learn any language) with one on one lesson that complements your group lessons, allowing you to focus on the areas of English you want to improve.
For those short of time or who want quick results, most schools offer ‘intensive’ or ‘super intensive’ course options. Although expensive, this can be a good way to study a lot in a short space of time. Please bear in mind that learning a language takes practice and time therefore for best results we would recommend a longer, less intensive course at a school with a busy social program.
English Level test
On your first day, you will likely take a placement test. Afterward, you will expand your knowledge in a class with other students of the same language level.
If your course is too easy or too difficult, the school staff will be happy to help.
Most schools require the following levels to divide classes:
Beginner – No prior knowledge of the language
Elementary – A basic understanding of the language
Intermediate – Able to communicate on a daily basis
Advanced – Advanced level
Student visa
Depending on your situation, you may need to demonstrate sufficient English language skills to apply for a student visa. To do this, you can take a
Secure English Language Test (SELT)
such as the IELTS SELT, IELTS Life Skills, or IELTS for UKVI. For more information, see the links on visa requirements.
Whether you need a visa or not depends on your country of origin.
You can quickly check if you need a visa here.
If you need a visa, the type of visa you need depends on the length of your course:
- Less than 6 months: Standard Visitor Visa
- More than 6 and less than 11 months : Short-Term Study Visa
- More than 11 months: Student Visa
If you do not need a visa, you will need to apply for an ETA instead. A factsheet about ETAs can also be found here: Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) factsheet – 2 April 2025 – Home Office in the media. In addition, here is a useful video about how to apply for an ETA: How to Apply For a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – YouTube.
To check if people of your nationality can apply for an ETA now, please see the following webpage: Check if you can get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) – GOV.UK.
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