IELTS Coach by British Council Review (2023 Update) 

Without a high IELTS score, your chances of getting into your dream university or landing your dream job in an English-speaking country are almost non-existent. So, it's critical to invest in an IELTS prep course or class that gets you the IELTS band score you desire. 

One of the IELTS prep courses that makes it into our selective top picks is the IELTS Coach by British Council. A course created by the makers of the IELTS exam - The British Council - if you couldn't tell by the name.  

In this review, we will uncover what to expect when you sign up for this course, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the course in various areas.

Unlike other reviews on the web, we give you an honest opinion of this IELTS prep course based on our first-hand experience purchasing and using it. This way you can be confident in determining if the course is best for you.

Course Overview

The British Council IELTS Coach is an online prep course that offers 48 live classes covering all four sections of the IELTS. You can choose to attend private or group classes.

You can also book a tailor-made combination of private and group classes, speaking practice tests, and writing tutorials.

Unlike other IELTS prep courses that provide unlimited access to the entire content, each live class requires payment using class credits. A group class requires 1 credit, whereas a private class requires 2. 

Main Features

• Developed and endorsed by the creators of the IELTS exam - The British Council
• 15 self-access short video lessons each for the reading and listening sections, followed by a quiz or graded assignment.
• 3-month access period from the date of purchasing the package.
• 12 hours of live classes by internationally qualified instructors 
• 30 hours of guided online activities.

IELTS Coach By British Council Video Review

Check out our in-depth video review, where we show you what using the IELTS Coach by The British Council feels like. We also point out the major pros and cons of the course using footage from the course platform. 

Lesson Quality

The quality of lessons can be the difference between a poor band score and your desired IELTS score. So, we took our time to experience the live classes offered in the British Council IELTS coaching course.

The classes are conducted in a very interactive environment. The instructors make sure that all students feel comfortable throughout the session. 

These live classes are conducted via Zoom meetings, and the maximum number of students per group class is 20. This allows each student ample time to practice in class and get individual attention from the instructor.

The live classes are available all week, with four time slots available for each class. This means you can pick a slot that suits your schedule. The private classes are 25 minutes long, whereas the duration of group classes is 55 minutes.

All topics are discussed in detail. Some lectures might even include an assignment during the online class. This gives you a chance to test your understanding of the concepts taught right away.

The teachers are open to answering any questions related to each topic discussed. In fact, they encourage students to ask questions. 

Our only complaint is that past recordings for the live classes are not accessible to students. This could be a problem for students with internet connectivity issues or those who miss a class. 

This course also offers a 55-minute live webinar discussing tips for both the Academic and General IELTS. This webinar shows you the test format, including question types and scoring rules.

There is also a self-access section of the course, that has 30 hours of online exercises from the reading and listening sections. However, we found nothing special about these lessons.

As the content appeared very generic and a bit outdated. The video lessons can be improved by replacing the animated instructor with a real instructor and including more detail using real IELTS practice questions as examples. 

Support Quality

Upon signing up for the course, you will get a mandatory personal needs analysis with one of the expert IELTS teachers. 

In this one-off session, you’ll receive an action plan with suggestions and resources to improve your band score. 

You get access to a live chat facility that allows you to ask questions from an IELTS expert. You also get a feedback email within 24 hours of attending the mock test and tutorial lessons. 

The email will include a summary of the things you did well, areas that need improvement, and study tips from the instructor. You also get additional helpful resources.

Pricing

There are 3 packages to choose from, ranging from $175 to $681. The $175 Express package has 10 class credits, and the $681 Intensive package has 50 credits. The only difference between the three packages is the number of credits. 

On occasion, the British Council runs sales on their website with price discounts of up to 30% on all three packages. So, be on the lookout for those.

Practice Material Quality

Regular practice is one of the most effective methods for familiarizing yourself with the study material. This means your success or failure may depend on the course practice material.

The British Council IELTS prep course provides 6 speaking mock tests and 6 writing tutorials. 

Both sessions require 2 credits and can only be conducted in the private mode, allowing the instructor to effectively evaluate your performance.

For the speaking section, the instructor will conduct a mock test following the same format as the official IELTS speaking test. 

Then, you will be given feedback discussing areas that need improvement. 

For the writing tutorial, the instructor will evaluate your essay from writing task 1 or 2. For this class, you are required to have a sample essay ready for assessment. The IELTS instructor will analyze your writing skills and suggest improvements as well.

The main limitation of this course is the unavailability of any official IELTS practice material apart from the speaking mock test and writing tutorials.

Apart from the self-access lessons, there is no official practical material for the reading and listening sections. This means you get no score prediction nor the opportunity to test yourself before the test day.

So, this course is not ideal for those who learn best by completing several IELTS practice questions or taking several full-length practice tests. 

Customer Policies

There is no free trial offered by the British Council. Furthermore, the British Council does not provide any score increase guarantees for students who’ve completed the course, nor do they provide a money-back guarantee if you cancel the course after purchasing it.

Also, there is no option to pause your subscription anytime during the course. So, users must use up their credits within the 3 months of access. Compared to other platforms like the Magoosh IELTS prep course, that gives users the option to pause their subscription during long periods of inactivity.

Our Best Recommendation

This course is perfect for those who learn best in small live group classes or one-on-one with a teacher. 

Overall, the IELTS Coach By British Council is an excellent choice for learning in an interactive environment with internationally qualified instructors to help you reach your desired IELTS score.

I hope this has given you all the information and answers to your questions about the IELTS Coach By British Council course before purchasing it.