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Intensive IELTS (22.5 hours per week)

Live Language
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Course description

This IELTS course is designed for students who are preparing for the IELTS exam over an extended period. The course helps you to pass the IELTS exam with the score you need. It is most suitable for students who need the strategies and techniques for the IELTS exam but who also require additional input on grammar and vocabulary. The course focuses on preparing you to meet the marking criteria of the writing and speaking parts of the exam and improves your technique for the reading and listening tests.

The IELTS course is offered at 2 levels, Pre-IELTS Preparation and IELTS Preparation. The courses have the same components but are graded to your level.

Pre-IELTS Preparation - Intermediate B1 level (IELTS 4.0 – 5.0)
IELTS Preparation - Upper Intermediate B2 level (IELTS 5.0 and above)

The Pre-IELTS Preparation and IELTS Preparation programmes comprise 2 components:
Pre-IELTS Preparation / IELTS Preparation (15 hours per week)
General English skills (7.5 hours per week)

IELTS Course outline

1. Pre-IELTS Preparation / IELTS preparation class

The IELTS preparation component focuses on developing vocabulary, grammar and techniques to help students improve their score in the IELTS exam. The courses will introduce the vocabulary and grammar, which will enhance your performance in the IELTS exam, covering the essential exam tasks such as describing a graph, writing an essay or discussing your opinion. You will be expected to continue to enrich your vocabulary outside of the school if you wish to achieve success in the IELTS exam. Your teacher shows you essential study techniques to help you expand your vocabulary effectively. The classes follow a core course book with supplementary materials to suit the needs of the group.

The courses focus on techniques and coping strategies to deal with all sections of the exam: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Each component is dealt with in great detail, including analysis of the marking criteria used by the examiners and provides you with extensive practice time using exam papers to improve their score. You will be able to see your improvement as you take a full practice test each week.

2. General English Class

The course is designed to be run in conjunction with the IELTS class to give our students a balance of exam and General English tuition. The class focuses on the grammar, vocabulary and skills, which are relevant to everyday life, and provides practice for these key areas. The class follows a course book but supplementary materials are used to match the needs of the students. Materials include CDs, DVDs and computer-based lessons.

Testing and Assessment

You will be continually assessed on your performance in the classroom and be given at least one piece of written assessment per week. Homework is given on a daily basis but the most successful students invariably complete further independent study.
Tutorials are also carried out each month and are an opportunity to discuss academic goals, pastoral needs and level progression on a one-to-one basis with your tutor.

Included in this IELTS preparation course;

Placement test on your first day
Free Wi Fi access
Fun and varied Social Programme (entry fees to activities are extra)
Live Language Certificate of Achievement, showing final level and study dates.
Use of Materials

Course topics

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

Class schedule

Course duration
1-52 weeks
Start dates
Every Monday
Classes per week
22 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 60 min)
Class days
Monday - Friday
School holidays
22 Dec 2025 - 04 Jan 2026

Live Language 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 times

You can choose from the following class times:

Morning session
09:00 AM - 02:30 PM

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

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 Glasgow.

Class size

Average 6 students
Maximum 14 students

Student age

Age range 16 years old and older
Average 24 years old
(22 in the summer)

Certificate

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

School description

What Makes Us Different

Live Language is located in the vibrant heart of Glasgow at 20 Buchanan Street – the centre of the city's famous "Style Mile". Our central location puts you steps away from Glasgow's best shops, restaurants, and cultural landmarks, making your English learning experience truly immersive.

Quality and Accreditation

We are British Council accredited with 8 Areas of Excellence, an OET Premium Preparation Provider, an SQA Accredited Exam Centre, and a member of English UK. All our teachers hold a minimum CELTA qualification, with many holding Dip TESOL, Masters, or PhD qualifications. We are committed to continuous professional development and maintain the highest teaching standards set by the British Council and BAC.

Small Classes, Big Attention

With an average class size of just 6 students (maximum 14), you get the personal attention you need to progress quickly. Our teachers know your name, understand your goals, and adapt their teaching to your learning style.

Historic Building, Modern Facilities

Our school occupies a historic listed building featuring original Charles Rennie Mackintosh design elements – Glasgow's legendary architect. We provide 6 multimedia classrooms, a computer room, and a stunning 23-metre student lounge with library, games, and free tea, coffee, and snacks. The building offers full disabled access and modern facilities.

Comprehensive Support and Student Success

We believe in transforming lives through language. That's why we offer 24/7 support, a free Career Club, help with job and university applications, and a rich cultural programme. Our core values – respect for all, student success, continuous improvement, and inclusivity – guide everything we do.

More Than Just English

We also offer foreign language courses (Japanese, Spanish, Italian, French), teacher training (CELTA and soon DELTA), and special programmes like the Outlander Tour, English + Jewellery Making, and our unique Glasgow Patter Passport – your guide to speaking like a local Glaswegian!

Unbeatable Location

Our school is located directly above Nike, next to Zara, opposite Frasers, and near the famous Sloans. We're minutes from St Enoch and Buchanan Street subway stations, Central and Queen Street train stations, and easily accessible from three airports: Glasgow International, Prestwick, and Edinburgh.

Exceptional Value

Living costs in Glasgow are 40% lower than London, making us one of the most affordable options for high-quality English language education in the UK. We offer competitive pricing, advance payment discounts, and flexible payment plans.

A True International Community

Our team is multicultural, with staff from Russia, Brazil, America, Libya, Syria, and more. We understand the challenges of learning a new language and living in a new country because many of us have been on the same journey. You'll find a welcoming, inclusive community where diversity is celebrated.

Join us in Glasgow – where eager minds find their second home. Your drive to learn drives us forward.

Year opened
2002
Number of classrooms
6

Accreditations

Facilities

  • Library
  • Social Activities
  • Cultural Trips
  • Cambridge Exam Center
  • TV Room
  • Elevators
  • Wheelchair access
  • Eating Area
  • Free Internet
  • Wireless Internet
  • After-Class Seminars
  • Studying Area
  • Audio Learning
  • 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 Live Language varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 24. In the summer, the average age is 22.

teaches students from all over the world, including:

Saudi Arabia
20%
Italy
10%
Spain
10%
China
7%
Czech Republic
5%
Other
48%

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
22 Dec 2025 - 04 Jan 2026

School location

A Prime Location in Scotland's Vibrant Capital of Culture

Live Language is perfectly positioned at 20 Buchanan Street, right in the historical heart of Glasgow city centre. Our school occupies a stunning listed building featuring beautiful Charles Rennie Mackintosh architectural elements, placing you at the epicentre of Glasgow's famous "Style Mile" – one of the UK's most exciting shopping and cultural districts.

Step outside our doors and you'll find yourself surrounded by an incredible array of cafés, restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues. We're located directly above Nike, near Zara, and opposite Frasers, with the iconic Sloans restaurant just moments away. Whether you fancy a quick coffee between classes or want to explore Glasgow's renowned food scene, everything is right on your doorstep.

Scotland's Biggest City, The World's Friendliest

Glasgow isn't just Scotland's largest city – it's been voted the world's friendliest city time and time again. This reputation isn't just talk; it's something you'll experience from the moment you arrive. Glaswegians are famous for their warmth, humour, and genuine willingness to help. Scotland's people are renowned worldwide for their hospitality, and nowhere embodies this spirit more than Glasgow.

As a student at Live Language, you'll quickly discover why our city feels less like a bustling metropolis and more like a welcoming community. The friendly "patter" (local chat), the helpful strangers, and the inclusive atmosphere make Glasgow the perfect place to practice your English and feel truly at home.

Exceptional Connectivity

Getting to Glasgow couldn't be easier. The city is served by three international airports:

Glasgow International Airport – Scotland's busiest airport with connections across Europe and beyond

Glasgow Prestwick Airport – offering budget-friendly flights and excellent transport links

Edinburgh Airport – just an hour away, providing even more international connections

Once you're here, our central Buchanan Street location means you're brilliantly connected to everything Glasgow offers. We're just steps from:

St Enoch and Buchanan Street subway stations

Glasgow Central and Queen Street train stations

Numerous bus routes

Taxi ranks and car hire facilities

Our building features full disabled access and facilities, ensuring everyone can study with us comfortably.

Why Glasgow? Why Live Language?

Choosing to study at Live Language means immersing yourself in authentic Scottish culture whilst enjoying all the advantages of a modern, cosmopolitan city. Glasgow offers world-class museums (many free!), stunning architecture, vibrant nightlife, beautiful parks, and a thriving arts scene – all whilst being up to 40% more affordable than London.

Our location isn't just convenient; it's transformative. Every day, you'll walk the same historic streets, practice your English with friendly locals, and create memories in one of the world's most characterful cities.

Come and discover why students from over 40 countries have chosen Live Language as their gateway to success.

Take a video tour

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reviews

Reviews

100% recommend

based on 6 reviews
5 stars
3
4 stars
2
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"Nice staff and people, but I came at the wrong moment."

Judith Brun, student from UK

My first week of class were taught by Jane and very focused on the IELTS skills. However, after that week her parental leave started, so Kenny took over, also a very skilled IELTS teacher. Unfortunately, he had a holiday planned already, so the last two days I had yet another teacher, who also had little knowledge of the skills needed for the IELTS. I still had a good time in class and learned a lot, but the second week was not as much on point as the first.

Read more...

My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
21 Mar 2022 - 1 Apr 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I really liked the atmosphere of the school, everyone was very friendly and helpful."

MARIA EIRINI ASPOUGALI, student from Greece

I studied at Live Language only for 4 weeks and it was a great experience. There was a small number of students in every class (8-12 students) and the teachers were really helpful and tried to do their best for my preparation for the IELTS exam. I had the opportunity to enjoy some of the facilities and the activities that the school organized for the students and I met a lot of people from around the world. I made some good friends and I spent a lot of time with them. Also, people from the Liberty Park helped me a lot with my room and they answered me all the questions I had about the accommodation. It was a great experience and I would like to do that again.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
24 Jun 2019 - 19 Jul 2019
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"It was a very satisfactory experience and I learned even more than what I expected."

Ángela Mayoral Mamolar, student from Spain

From my personal experience, I liked a lot the way of teaching and taking the classes. Besides, we put into practice all the theory we were studying, and it was a very good fact.

The relationship between students is amazing and specificly in my class, the teacher was very close to the students, in order to provide us the enough confidence in the classes to talk about almost everything. The activities in class were very instructive as well as educational, and we all enjoyed with most of it.

Also, the location was nice because it had a lot of tourist destination near the school.

I did not hired the housing, so I do not really know about it.

I do not really have a negative fact to say about it. In my experience everything was quite good, although the course in general is a little bit expensive.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
13 Aug 2018 - 17 Aug 2018
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Better than I expected"

Claudia Marinho Virtanen, student from Finland

I liked the teachers in general and the IELTs preparation teacher in particular. Individual tutorial was important for realizing the weaknesses and strengths, and understand how best to develop. The school is very organized. It is also well localized in relation to services.

The housing was very nice. Good location, few minutes from a beautiful park and next to a train station. But the best thing was hospitable and friendly landlady, who prepared excellent food. The accommodation was recently refurnished, clean and comfortable.

One notable thing is that the school has a specific person who informs about interesting activities and events in the Glasgow region and around, such as visiting the Highlands.

I expected to receive an assessment of my current level in English language.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
7 May 2018 - 25 May 2018
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Instructive"

Massimiliano Malvezzi, student from Italy

I can' t give You a full review of my experience because I didn' t partecipate to all the activities.

However, I can Say that the teachers were Very good and I think That my english has improved a lot in just 3 weeks, I can also Say that the classes were clean and comfortable, also the location was easily reachable from every point of the city.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
7 Aug 2017 - 25 Aug 2017
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"It was one my best experiences in my life."

Ildiko Maria Bene

I liked the small classes, because we had time and opportunity to speak in English and the teacher could help me personally. It was great to know new people from all over the world. I loved that I could choose the social program if I had time. These activities were the best opportunity to make friends and to use our English. I also liked that the school was nearby to the Kelvingrove Park and the Sukiehall Street, too.

Just one thing that was a bit strange - the school had two buildings. It was not disturbing but it was unusual for me.

Read more...

My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
27 Jul 2015 - 7 Aug 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
housing

Housing

Live Language offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast and dinner

$355
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: Glasgow
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner (14 meals per week)
Facilities: Kitchen, laundry, wireless internet, free internet, carpet, hardwood, and heating
Distance to school: 1 - 60 minutes by other
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Sunday, anytime
$355
Live Language English School in Glasgow offers host provider accommodation throughout the year for students aged 16 or over. Students can live with a host and their family while they study English. It is a great way to improve your English and also learn about Scottish culture.
All our hosts live around Glasgow, within 60 min travel time to the school.

Room: single or shared (single can be requested)
Bathroom: shared
Meals: breakfast and dinner (packed lunch can be arranged for £5 a day)
Travel to school: max. 60 min (walking or by public transport)
Bedding: Included
Wi-fi: yes (mostly)
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 £ 35 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 Glasgow 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 Live Language staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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