For many people the IELTS is not about a university place. It is the score standing between them and a work visa, a family move or permanent residence abroad. Al Khawarizmi Institute is a certified IELTS training centre and exam venue in Lebanon. We prepare students for both IELTS General Training — the version many immigration routes ask for — and IELTS Academic, and we help applicants prepare for the visa interview itself.
Applying soon? Message us on WhatsApp with your destination, the score you need and your deadline, and we will advise whether your target is realistic in the time you have.
General Training or Academic: which one you need
IELTS General Training tests English for everyday life and work: reading notices, letters and workplace documents, and writing a letter and an essay. It is the version many migration and work-visa routes ask for. IELTS Academic uses university-style reading and a writing task built on a chart or diagram; universities and professional bodies ask for it. Listening and speaking are the same in both.
Requirements change and differ by country and by visa, so the rule is simple: confirm which version and which band your programme asks for on the official immigration website before you book the exam. Booking the wrong version is a costly mistake. If you are not sure, ask us on WhatsApp. Our guide IELTS Academic or General Training explains the difference, and IELTS score for university and immigration explains how to read the band a programme asks for.
What a migration score usually demands
Many programmes set a minimum band for each of the four skills — listening, reading, writing and speaking — as well as an overall score, and the figures differ by country and by visa. Read the exact numbers on the official page of your programme. A strong overall band with one weak skill can still fail an application, so preparation has to find the weakest of the four and lift it, rather than polishing the skills you already have.
How we prepare you
- Writing, marked individually. Your essays and letters are marked with written feedback and an estimated band — an estimate, because only the official examiners give the real band, but close enough to show you what is holding the score down.
- Speaking with a teacher acting as examiner. Practised in the real format, with the teacher as your examiner.
- Section by section, then full tests. We train each section first. By the end you solve full sample tests on your own, then work through one or two full practice tests with your teacher before a mock exam.
- An honest target. We tell you whether your target band is realistic in the time you have, before you book the exam.
The visa interview
Some applications end in an interview, and an interview tests more than English. We help applicants prepare for it: spoken English and body language. Visa-interview preparation sits alongside the IELTS course, so you can work on both with the same team.
Sit the exam where you prepared
Because we are a certified IELTS exam venue as well as a training centre, you can prepare and take the exam in the same place. Our team can also help you register if you find the registration process difficult. Ask us on WhatsApp about the next available exam sessions.
Timing, format and fees
- Start at least two months before your exam — longer is better. Exam sooner? Crash courses are available.
- Group or private. Groups usually meet twice a week, 1 to 2 hours a session, including Saturdays. Private one-to-one preparation is charged per hour, in blocks of 20 hours.
- In person or online. At our main branch in Simkanieh (the Chouf), or live on Zoom from anywhere, with class times set around your time zone. We also have a branch in Aley — ask us which groups run there. Slides, PDFs and links are sent by WhatsApp or email.
- Fees. Group courses start from $150 as a reference figure; exam courses vary, so we confirm the fee for your course before you enrol. No registration fee. Cash, Whish or OMT.
Frequently asked questions
Which IELTS do I need for immigration — Academic or General Training?
Many immigration and work-visa routes ask for General Training, while universities ask for Academic. Some visas accept either. Always check the current requirement on your destination’s official immigration website before you book, and send it to us if you want help reading it.
Can I sit the IELTS exam at your centre?
We are a certified IELTS training centre and exam venue. Message us on WhatsApp for the next available exam sessions, and we will help you register if you find the process difficult.
How long should I prepare?
At least two months before the exam, and longer is better. If your exam is sooner, crash courses are available. We advise whether your target band is realistic in the time you have, before you book.
Do you prepare people for the visa interview too?
Yes. We help applicants prepare for their interviews — spoken English, and body language.
Can I prepare online from outside Lebanon?
Yes. Preparation runs live on Zoom with a teacher, and class times are set with the teacher to suit your time zone.
Can I practise speaking with a teacher?
Yes. In speaking practice your teacher acts as the examiner, so you rehearse the real format and receive feedback.
How is my writing marked?
Your writing is marked individually, with written feedback and an estimate of your band. It is an estimate, because only the official examiners give the real band.
Related courses and guides
- IELTS Preparation in Lebanon — Academic and General Training, for study and work
- IELTS or TOEFL: how to choose
- IELTS Academic or General Training — which version your file needs
- IELTS score for university and immigration — reading the band you are asked for
- English Language Courses — if you need to raise your level before preparing
- Private one-to-one lessons
Start with your deadline
Tell us the country, the visa, the band you need and the date you need it by. We answer on WhatsApp straight away, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. Message us on WhatsApp, call 00961 71 27 67 13, or fill in the registration form.