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General English + IELTS (2025)

IH Bristol
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Course description

We prepare students for both General IELTS and Academic IELTS, the exam required by many universities and academic institutions worldwide.

In addition to General English morning classes, you have 8 IELTS classes in the afternoon + opportunities to take practice tests every week. These classes help you to:

Practise the different tasks you have to do for each part of the exam
Learn personal strategies to do the tasks more effectively
Learn the large amount of new vocabulary required for the exam
Organise your learning

Course topics

Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities

Class schedule

Course duration
1-48 weeks
Start dates
Every Monday (except for beginners)
Classes per week
30 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 45 min)
Class days
Monday - Friday
School holidays
25 Dec 2024 - 01 Jan 2025

IH Bristol does not hold classes on the holiday dates above. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

Elementary
Pre-intermediate
Intermediate
High intermediate
Advanced
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level. You may also take this test before your arrival in Bristol.

Class size

Average 9 students
Maximum 12 students

Student age

Age range 16 years old and older
Average 23 years old
(20 in the summer)

Certificate

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course.
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school

School description

Named “Best place to live in the UK 2017” by Sunday Times Magazine, Bristol is a friendly, safe attractive city with a long and colourful history.

With a population of 500,000 it’s the cultural and commercial capital of the South West.
It’s home to a diverse community of artists, musicians, media, financial and high tech companies.
Bristol has two excellent universities, hundreds of pubs and restaurants both modern and traditional, museums, cinemas and green space. Bristol was European Green Capital in 2015.

For “shopaholics” Cabot shopping centre and St Nicholas Market has everything you need
There’s always something going in Bristol - music festivals, europe’s largest hot air balloon festival, a harbour festival, food festivals and more.

For sports and outdoor activity fans, Bristol has two football teams, a rugby club, gyms, swimming pools, climbing, horse riding, mountain biking and a watersports centre in the harbour.

Bristol is surrounded by places of interest: Bath, Oxford, Cardiff, Stonehenge and Stratford-Upon-Avon are all close and London is just 90 minutes away by train.

The two IH centres offer light and airy classrooms, a well-stocked study room, wi-fi and internet access and even private gardens. The School is the IELTS and Cambridge Exam Open Centre for the South West of England and it has exceeded expectations of independent inspection bodies. The School is also a teacher training centre which leads to continuing improvement.

Year opened
1987
Number of classrooms
16

Accreditations

Facilities

  • Library
  • Social Activities
  • Cultural Trips
  • Cambridge Exam Center
  • IELTS Test Center
  • TV Room
  • Wheelchair access
  • Eating Area
  • Free Internet
  • Wireless Internet
  • Computers
  • Studying Area
  • Sports Activities

Teacher qualifications

Native English speakers
All
Teachers with English teaching certification
All
Teachers with college degrees
All

Nationality and age mix

The nationality and age mix at IH Bristol varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 23. In the summer, the average age is 20.

teaches students from all over the world, including:

France
19%
Italy
14%
Spain
13%
Switzerland
13%
Saudi Arabia
6%
Brazil
5%
Germany
4%
Kuwait
4%
South Korea
3%
Argentina
2%
China
2%
Other
15%

School holidays

does not hold classes on the holiday dates below. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.

Open dates
Year round
School holidays
25 Dec 2024 - 01 Jan 2025

School location

IH Bristol is based in a vibrant, affluent area of Bristol famed for its fine buildings, green open spaces and a wide choice of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars to help you get the best experience of living in England.

Bristol is a friendly, safe city with a rich history as a trading port which is now a centre for creative, financial and high technology industries. With two thriving universities, it is a young and lively place. Big enough to offer great shopping, places to see and lots of cultural entertainment but still small enough to get around easily and not feel lost.

Bristol is also the cultural and commercial centre of the South West of England with its unspoiled countryside, rugged coastline and famous ancient monuments like Stonehenge. Bristol is surrounded by interesting places, such as Cardiff, Bath and Oxford. Even London is only a 90-minute train ride away.

Take a video tour

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Photos

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reviews

Reviews

100% recommend

based on 4 reviews
5 stars
2
4 stars
2
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"I really enjoyed the time in Bristol learning and meeting new people"

Aina Ribes, student from Spain

It was a great experience that allowed me to learn a lot of new english vocabulary. Also, you can make a lot of friends and that helps to improve your speaking and get more comfortable with the language.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
31 Jul 2023 - 11 Aug 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I had an amazing time with amazing people."

Sophie Pietroboni, student from Switzerland

The classes, teachers and fellow students were all really nice, yet i feel like I haven't really been challenged in class. The availability of activities was great and I enjoyed participating.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
23 Aug 2021 - 27 Aug 2021
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Work as a team or die as an individual"

João Manuel Correia dos Santos Silva, student from Portugal

I really enjoyed my experience in Bristol. Teachers are amazing, the classes are practical and useful to our daily life if we want to live or study abroad. The Accommodation office isn´t the best one, it could be more organized. Overall it was amazing, the students are really open minded and friendly. Thank you IH Bristol

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
19 Jun 2017 - 30 Jun 2017
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
Mark Stephens, Sales & Marketing Manager at IH Bristol responded to this review.
14 September 2017

Thanks for the feedback, we're glad to hear that the teachers and classes met your expectations. Thanks also for your feedback on the accommodation - we'll take that on board and try to improve!

"If you can think of the most positive words which you can find in any vocabulary, that is, how my trip was."

Jana Gmuca Konecna

Truly everything was awesome! The location of the school is near the best places in Bristol ( Clifton Suspension Bridge, city center, shops, Bristol docks and great restaurants) and still it managed to be in a quiet street, so you can fully focus on absorbing the new language skills served by very experience and patient teachers. When it comes to the accommodation, it was fantastic! The family, where I stayed, were great at every aspect of daily life. They helped me with everything I needed and gave the most precious gift, homey feeling. Thank you guys.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
7 Nov 2016 - 11 Nov 2016
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
Dave Hancock, Sales & Marketing Manager at IH Bristol responded to this review.
26 January 2017

Thanks for your great review. We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your time in Bristol and at the school!

housing

Housing

IH Bristol offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay - Single-person room - Self Catered

232 €
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: Outside the city center of Bristol
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Distance to school: 10 - 30 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 12:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
232 €
Most of our students stay in homestay accommodation with a British host family. This allows you to share family meals and experience English culture first hand.

Our homestay hosts are families, couples and single people. We have chosen them for you because they have clean, comfortable homes near the school, and they offer a friendly welcome to our students. We want you to feel like one of the family. This is a great way to help you practise your English naturally.

We visit all our host families regularly to make sure the accommodation they offer is of the highest standard.

When you arrive, your host will show you how to get to school on the first morning. Most hosts live within 20-30 minutes of the school on foot or by public transport.

Homestay families provide two meals a day, included in the price of your accommodation. You have a private bedroom with somewhere to put your clothes, and a table to work at. Every day you eat with members of the host family at breakfast and in the evening, and you can have meals together at weekends. We never put two students who speak the same language in the same home, so you will have plenty of opportunity to practise your English and get to know more about the English way of life.

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast and dinner

280 €
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: Outside the city center of Bristol
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner (14 meals per week)
Distance to school: 10 - 30 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 12:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
280 €
Most of our students stay in homestay accommodation with a British host family. This allows you to share family meals and experience English culture first hand.

Our homestay hosts are families, couples and single people. We have chosen them for you because they have clean, comfortable homes near the school, and they offer a friendly welcome to our students. We want you to feel like one of the family. This is a great way to help you practise your English naturally.

We visit all our host families regularly to make sure the accommodation they offer is of the highest standard.

When you arrive, your host will show you how to get to school on the first morning. Most hosts live within 20-30 minutes of the school on foot or by public transport.

Homestay families provide two meals a day, included in the price of your accommodation. You have a private bedroom with somewhere to put your clothes, and a table to work at. Every day you eat with members of the host family at breakfast and in the evening, and you can have meals together at weekends. We never put two students who speak the same language in the same home, so you will have plenty of opportunity to practise your English and get to know more about the English way of life.

Homestay - Single-person room- Under 18 - Breakfast and dinner

296 €
weekly
Age range: 16 - 17 years old
Location: Outside the city center of Bristol
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner (14 meals per week)
Distance to school: 10 - 30 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 12:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
296 €
Most of our students stay in homestay accommodation with a British host family. This allows you to share family meals and experience English culture first hand.

Our homestay hosts are families, couples and single people. We have chosen them for you because they have clean, comfortable homes near the school, and they offer a friendly welcome to our students. We want you to feel like one of the family. This is a great way to help you practise your English naturally.

We visit all our host families regularly to make sure the accommodation they offer is of the highest standard.

When you arrive, your host will show you how to get to school on the first morning. Most hosts live within 20-30 minutes of the school on foot or by public transport.

Homestay families provide two meals a day, included in the price of your accommodation. You have a private bedroom with somewhere to put your clothes, and a table to work at. Every day you eat with members of the host family at breakfast and in the evening, and you can have meals together at weekends. We never put two students who speak the same language in the same home, so you will have plenty of opportunity to practise your English and get to know more about the English way of life.
student-residence

Unite House - Single-person room - en-suite

316 €
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Bristol
Housing type: Student residence
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, wireless internet, free internet, tV room, carpet, heating, and 24/7 supervision
Distance to school: 15 minutes by walk
Availability: 15 Jun 2024 - 31 Aug 2024
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
316 €
Unite House is a modern, comfortable university residence, in close walking distance of the school. IH Bristol rents 'IH Bristol-only' flats for our students each summer. Students from other schools will also be in the same building but in seperate flats. Flats have en-suite bedrooms with shared kitchen facilities. Each flat has 6 or 7 bedrooms.
visa

Visa support

We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.

If you are studying in the UK for over 11 months, you will receive a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that you need to submit to the UK embassy along with your General Student Visa application. Students who have successfully booked a language course and have paid their fees will receive a CAS from . Please note that UK law states that a CAS can only be issued to students who intend to pursue English language studies for over 11 months.

If you are studying in the UK for 11 months or less, you have to apply for a special visitor visa called a Student Visitor Visa. As a student visitor, you will not be able to work part-time while studying. If you plan to study in the UK for 11 months or less, a letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you. If you wish to receive your paperwork by express mail, you will be charged £ 60 when you register.

Learn more about how to get a UK visa »

Flights and airport transfer

Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Bristol based on your budget, schedule and preferences.

Travel insurance

Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.

Learn more about our insurance plan »

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questions

Questions and answers

Have questions? Get answers from IH Bristol staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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