IELTS Preparation
IELTS Preparation
This course is designed to prepare you for the IELTS academic English exams, with focused training in exam strategies and techniques to allow you to maximise your potential and achieve the grade you need. As a university language centre, we are committed to supporting our students in reaching the level they need to successfully apply to university.
This course runs all year round and the exam can be taken at regular intervals at a local test centre. Courses can be combined with afternoon electives in an Intensive or Semi-intensive course, and many of out more academically focused students take IELTS preparation in combination with our English for academic purposes course. The course can be quite challenging, so be prepared!
IELTS Standard
On the standard IELTS preparation course you will study 20 lessons a week from 9.00 to 13.00. The course will focus on training exam strategies in the skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
- Quick Guide
- Timetable 9.00 to 13.00
- Maximum Class Size 14
- Lessons per Week 20
- Lesson Duration 50 Minutes
- Coursebook Included
- Levels Upper int to Advanced
- Start Date Every Monday
- Minimum Age 18
IELTS Intensive and Semi-Intensive
The morning IELTS course can be combined with electives in the afternoon, where you can practice more specific skills like reading and writing, or listening and speaking.
- Quick Guide
- Timetable 9.00 to 16.00
- Maximum Class Size 14
- Lessons per Week 20
- Lesson Duration 50 Minutes
- Coursebook Included
- Levels Upper int to Advanced
- Start Date Every Monday
- Minimum Age 18
About IELTS Academic
The IELTS Academic exam is designed for university admission at undergraduate or postgraduate levels, and also for certain professional registrations. It assesses whether you are ready to begin studying or training in an environment where English language is the language of instruction, and tests the features of language used in academic study.
There are four sections: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The first three sections take place on the same day, and the Speaking section is usually scheduled for the following day. You should try to book your exam date at least a month in advance.
An IELTS certificate is recognised as evidence of proficiency in English by more than 10,000 education and training providers worldwide.
Applying to UCT
As the premier university on the continent, UCT is home to over 4000 international students from Africa and around the world. Many students take the our IELTS preparation course with the aim of getting admission to UCT when their English language proficiency reaches the level required to be considered for admission.
Admission to UCT is highly competitive and to be successful as an international undergraduate applicant you need to have excellent high school grades. As a research-intensive university, UCT particularly welcomes applications from international students for its postgraduate programmes.
One of the challenging aspects of the exam is completing the tasks in the time allowed. On this course you'll learn strategies to approach the exam more efficiently, giving you a better chance of completing in time.
The writing section of the IELTS exam requires you to write two different essays. The course will train you to use different types of essay structure, so you can select the most appropriate structure to answer the question
The course will introduce you to the concept of critical thinking so you can engage critically with advanced topics and give thoughtful, logical responses to questions in the Speaking and Writing sections of the IELTS exam.
Academic English
Our Academic English (AE) programme at the UCT English Language Centre equips you with the skills needed for academic excellence. Through a mix of interactive classes and personalised support, we help you achieve the language proficiency and academic readiness required for university study.
While the IELTS preparation course emphasises tips and strategies for the IELTS exam specifically, the AE course focuses more broadly on the language skills and competencies you need to succeed in an English speaking academic environment.
| Lessons per week | 20 Lessons | 25 Lessons | 30 Lessons |
| 1-3 Weeks | R 5 660 | R 6 740 | R 7 690 |
| 4-7 Weeks | R 5 390 | R 6 470 | R 7 280 |
| 8-11 Weeks | R 5 120 | R 6 070 | R 6 880 |
| 12-23 Weeks | R 4 580 | R 5 390 | R 6 200 |
| 24+ Weeks | R 4 180 | R 4 850 | R 5 660 |
