Progression and outcomes

The speed at which a student can be expected to improve their English language skills can vary widely from one individual to another. There are a number of factors that will influence the rate of progress, such as age, educational background, cultural background, previous language learning experience and the student’s motivation to learn. In particular, rates of progress can be faster at the lower levels, becoming increasingly difficult to maintain at the higher levels. This is especially the case for students whose first language differs significantly from English; with rates of  progress  for  writing, proving particularly challenging.

Guidelines on length of study can only be taken as approximate. In our experience, as a rough guide, students may expect to study for an average of approximately 10 weeks, to increase their level by 0.5 of an IELTS band.