FAQs | International House Bristol

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about English courses at IH Bristol:

Bristol’s location. Bristol is in the south-west of England. London is about 1 hour 30 minutes away by train, and the beautiful old city of Bath is only 15 minutes away. Bristol Airport is 20 minutes from the city by bus, and it has regular flights to many European cities.
Our two schools. Our Oakfield Road school is on a quiet street in Clifton. Our Queens Avenue school is a few minutes’ walk from the Clifton Triangle and Bristol University. See a map and how to find us. Clifton is a beautiful, well-known part of Bristol, with old Georgian houses and nice restaurants and cafés. It is close to some of Bristol’s main sights, and you can walk to College Green and the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Bristol is a lively, exciting city with something for everyone – culture, food, nightlife, scenery and music. There are festivals and events all year. In winter there is the Christmas market, and in spring there is the Bristol Light Festival. The city is busiest in summer, with events like the Balloon Fiesta, the Harbour Festival, and music festivals such as Love Saves the Day and Tokyo World. Bristol has 450,000 people and two large universities. It has a busy city centre, but also beautiful countryside nearby – for example Ashton Court, which you can walk to across the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Visit our About Bristol page to find out more.
The price depends on which course you choose, how long you study, and whether you take an exam. You can see all our prices on our dates & fees page. If you would like us to work out the cost for you, send us your details and we will send you a price (we call this a ‘quote’). Please tell us:
- your name
- your age
- your nationality
- your English level
- your study dates
- your exam (if you want to take one)
- the type of accommodation you want
Email this information to info@ihbristol.com and we will send you a quote for your course.
We are an exam centre for Cambridge, IELTS, OET and Trinity. This means you can take these exams:
Cambridge:
- B1 Preliminary (PET)
- B2 First (FCE)
- C1 Advanced (CAE)
- C2 Proficiency (CPE)
IELTS:
- IELTS Academic
- IELTS General Training
OET
Trinity GESE exams (on certain dates only)
This is a difficult question! It depends on your level now, the level you want to reach, and how much time you have to study. Cambridge has made a guide that shows how many hours it takes to reach each level – you can see it here(Opens in a new tab/window). There is also an interesting article about how long it takes to learn a language here(Opens in a new tab/window).
For IELTS, the British Council says it takes about 13 weeks to move up half a band – for example, from 4.5 to 5.0. You can read more about this here(Opens in a new tab/window). Everyone learns at a different speed, so this is only a guide.
Different people learn at different speeds so this information is for guidance only.
If you want to take a holiday during your course, you must tell us when you apply. We will add the holiday to your course. If you have a visa, you can take one week of holiday for every 10 weeks of study in a row. If you are already on a course and want a holiday, you must tell us two weeks before. We can then add the holiday time to the end of your course, if there is space. Note: extra charges may apply.
Our standard course (General English, mornings) has classes only in the mornings, and you do 20 lessons a week. Our intensive course has classes in the mornings and afternoons, and you do 30 lessons a week. On Friday afternoons, everyone can come to Conversation Club, whichever course they are doing.
Adult students can choose between a Student Residence and a homestay (staying with a host). Junior students always stay in a homestay. Visit our accommodation page for more details. If you have friends or family in Bristol, you can stay with them, or you can arrange your own accommodation.
We will send you a Student Handbook with lots of information about your course, your accommodation, and Bristol. Please read it carefully so you know what to expect. Remember to bring an umbrella, to be ready to speak and listen in English from the first day, and to have fun while you reach your language goals.
For Cambridge and IELTS exam package courses, the cost of the books and materials is included. For all other adult courses, we add the cost of materials to your invoice or quote. There is no charge for materials on one-week courses. On junior courses, all materials are included in the price.
You can pay in these ways:
Preferred international payment method: Flywire transfer
Flywire - how it works(Opens in a new tab/window)
IH Bristol works with Flywire to make international payments safe and easy. You can pay from almost any country, in almost any currency, by bank transfer, credit card, or other local payment methods.
- Avoid surprise fees: sometimes bank fees mean your payment arrives short. Flywire makes sure your full fees arrive every time.
- Pay in your own currency: this helps you avoid extra bank fees and get good exchange rates.
- For help, see Flywire help & FAQs(Opens in a new tab/window).
Flywire help & FAQs - www.flywire.com/help(Opens in a new tab/window)
Credit/Debit card payment
You can pay with a non-UK card through Flywire (above), with no extra charge. For a UK card, please call the school on +44 (0)117 909 0911 or +44 (0)117 906 7660. If you are in Bristol, you can also pay by card at our school office. Please have your invoice number and/or student name ready.
Cheque - UK Sterling (£) only
Please make cheques payable to International House Bristol Ltd. Write the invoice number and the student’s name (if it is different from the name on the cheque) on the back.
Direct bank transfer
Flywire - above - is International House Bristol's preferred method of payment for international payments.
If you still want to pay by direct bank transfer, please add £6.00 to the amount you owe, to cover our bank’s charge for international transfers. Your own bank may also charge you for an international transfer. Please use the invoice number, and then the student’s name, as the payment reference. You will find our bank details on your invoice, or you can ask the school for them.
It depends on your nationality and how many weeks you want to stay in the UK. You can check if you need a visa on this UK government website(Opens in a new tab/window). Click ‘Check if you need a UK visa’ on the right, and follow the steps. If you need a visa, we can send you the documents you need to support your application.
All visitors to the UK need an ETA https://www.gov.uk/eta(Opens in a new tab/window)

There are 8 levels at IH Bristol:

IH Bristol	CEFR	Cambridge English	IELTS bands	Trinity levels	Summary of abilities
Level 1 Beginner	A1		1.0 ‒ 2.0	Grade 2	You can communicate at a basic level and can deal with some simple situations in English. You understand a little English and you now have a good base to learn more.
Level 2 Elementary	A2	KET	2.5 ‒ 3.0	Grade 3	You can communicate at a basic level and can manage everyday situations in an English-speaking country. You understand simple English and you are ready to learn much more.
Level 3 Pre-Intermediate	A2	KET	3 ‒ 3.5	Grade 4	You can communicate well in simple everyday situations. Your grammar and vocabulary are growing and you understand more spoken and written English every day.
Level 4 Lower Intermediate	B1	PET	4.0	Grade 5	Your vocabulary and grammar are still limited, but you can communicate in most everyday situations. You are starting to read and listen to real English with confidence.
Level 5 Mid-Intermediate	B1	PET	4.5	Grade 6	You can speak quite fluently in most everyday situations. You are starting to express more difficult ideas, but your English is not always correct.
Level 6 Upper Intermediate	B2	FCE	6.0	Grades 7‒ 9	Your level is near the Cambridge B2 First exam. You know all the basic grammar and have a good range of vocabulary, and you can use English in many different situations.
Level 7 Lower Advanced	C1	CAE	7.0	Grades 10 ‒ 11	You can use a wide range of English effectively in many situations. You easily understand natural spoken and written English.
Level 8 Upper Advanced	C2	CPE	8.0 ‒ 9.0	Grade 12	You understand and can use even very difficult English, although you still need to work on small mistakes. At the end of this level, your English is close to a native speaker's.

When you register with us, we send you a link to our level test, so we can see which class is right for you. We also test your listening and speaking on your first day, to check your level again. If you want to test your level before you apply, you can do our free level test here.
Before you start, we test your English level with an online test. On your first day, we check your speaking and listening. This means we know your exact English level when you start.
During your course:
- Every Friday morning there is an end-of-week quiz. You do a short test on your own for each of your two morning classes (your teachers prepare these). You check the answers with your teacher, then tell them your score for each test. This helps you and your teacher see how much new language you remember from the week.
- If you study for more than 4 weeks, you have a one-to-one meeting (tutorial) with your teacher once a month. You talk about how your English is going, and agree learning goals together. Your teacher also gives you feedback and advice.
- When you are ready to move up to the next level, you can take a 45-minute end-of-level test. If you pass, we move you up the next week. If you do not pass, we give you a one-to-one feedback session with a teacher, who will tell you what to work on.
- Every two weeks, our teachers meet to talk about all our students. If a student needs more help or advice, we act quickly to help them improve faster.
- Our classes are small (12 students maximum for adults, 16 maximum for juniors), so your teachers can watch how you are doing in each lesson and give you feedback on your mistakes and how to improve.
- At the end of your course, you can take a final 1-hour ‘progress check’ test to see how much you have improved. It is your choice whether to take this test.
You can also get advice on your progress from a teacher in the daily Study Room time (3.30–4.30pm, Monday to Thursday), and from the school’s Director of Studies.
Yes, of course. On adult courses, there is homework every day, and you can ask for extra homework too. You can also go to the supervised study room after class to work on your English with help from a teacher.
We strongly advise you to buy personal insurance. Good insurance covers: lost or stolen things (like laptops and phones), medical costs, and your course fees if you have to cancel or go home early. IH Bristol works with guard.me to offer students an insurance policy made specially for students in the UK. You can find out more on our insurance page.
Learn with International House Bristol in a positive, enjoyable place, reach your goals, and discover new things.
- We will help you learn and make progress, with well-planned courses and good support.
- Before you enrol, we will listen to what you need and help you choose the right course. This may include a level test and an interview.
- We will give you clear, correct information about your course, exam or other service.
- Your teachers and trainers are qualified, and they keep their skills up to date with regular training. Younger learners are taught by teachers trained to meet their needs.
- Skilled managers look after your course. They make sure the content is up to date and the school has the right resources, and they want you to have a good experience.
- We check your learning regularly during your course to help you progress, and you can talk to us about how to improve.
- We will ask you for feedback while you are still studying with us, so we can keep improving.
- We welcome people from all backgrounds, and we treat everyone fairly and equally.