See open times in your own time zone
Check Google Meet first if you are in Shanghai
Lessons run on Google Meet, and Google services are generally not reachable in mainland China without extra tools. The UK government's China travel advice, read in October 2026, says some services are permanently blocked there, including Google. It does not name Google Meet, so this page cannot say whether Meet opens on your network.
Before you book, check that the booking page and Google Meet both open from where you will have the lesson, and message Mike if you are not sure. No other platform is promised. You can reach Mike at mkcenter007@gmail.com or +84 383 390 963 (Zalo, WhatsApp, Telegram); use whichever you can open from where you are.
How one-to-one lessons with Mike work from Shanghai
Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA, is based in Hanoi and teaches every session himself, live on Google Meet and in English. There is no classroom, centre or group class in Shanghai, and the lessons are not in Mandarin. In his own IELTS, Mike scored 7.5 overall and 8.5 in Speaking; About Mike has more.
A session can cover Listening, Reading, Writing (Task 1 and Task 2, marked against the public band descriptors) or Speaking (Parts 1, 2 and 3 in the real test format), with feedback during the session rather than days later. See IELTS Speaking coaching and IELTS Writing feedback. No band is promised: progress depends on your starting point and the work you do between sessions.
This page covers what is specific to Shanghai; online IELTS tutor for China has the booking steps and how prices are shown. Your price appears in your own currency on the booking page before you pay, and a paid 30-minute trial can be booked once, on your first booking. You can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot.
Searching for IELTS classes in Shanghai?
That search may bring up group classes. This is different: one-to-one coaching online, with no centre or classroom in Shanghai. A class can suit a fixed timetable and classmates; one-to-one lessons follow your own answers and essays but depend on which slots are open in Mike's calendar. Private tutor versus group course compares the two, using Hanoi as its example.
Where IELTS can be taken in Shanghai: what the providers' pages say
Band Booster IELTS is a private tutor: it does not register you for the test or set fees and dates, so this page quotes none. This section was read in October 2026; lists change and the providers' pages do not always agree, so confirm your centre and format when you book.
IDP China lists two Shanghai centres
On IDP China's test-centre page, choosing the province 上海市 (Shanghai) lists two centres: IDP IELTS Shanghai Yangpu Test Center and IDP IELTS Shanghai Xuhui Test Center, in the Yangpu and Xuhui districts. Both appear under the only exam type the page offers, IELTS on computer, Academic. IDP China's About page says it currently offers only IELTS Academic in mainland China, so do not assume General Training or IELTS for UKVI at these centres.
British Council China names some Shanghai venues; the full list is unconfirmed
British Council China's IELTS site says its test centres are in more than 40 mainland cities and sends candidates to its registration site, ielts.neea.cn, to look them up. Its britishcouncil.cn IELTS page says One Skill Retake began at British Council office test sites in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing, without naming venues, and its One Skill Retake page lists three Shanghai venues for that retake:
- British Council 上海雅思机考考点 (Changning district);
- British Council 上海静安区雅思单科重考考点 (Jing'an district);
- British Council 上海普陀区雅思单科重考考点 (Putuo district).
The page labels the first venue 雅思机考考点 (IELTS computer-test venue) but does not say whether full computer-delivered tests are held there. It is also unclear whether the two district venues are used only for One Skill Retake, although their names, which include 单科重考 (One Skill Retake), suggest so. This page cannot confirm the full list of British Council venues in Shanghai or which tests run at each, so use the test-centre lookup its site links to, or ask the provider.
Format on the day
Both China providers describe computer-delivered IELTS, with Speaking as an online video call with a live examiner, while ielts.org's Speaking format page calls it a face-to-face interview and its Guide for Test Takers says face to face or via video call; ask your provider how and where your own Speaking test is held. British Council China says IELTS and IELTS for UKVI in mainland China are entirely computer-based from September 2026, yet a page on britishcouncil.cn still says computer mode runs alongside paper. ielts.org says Writing on Paper will be introduced in selected markets and the China provider pages read here do not mention it, so do not assume handwriting. More is in computer-delivered IELTS in mainland China.
One Skill Retake and the Shanghai venues
One Skill Retake lets you retake one skill after a full computer-delivered test, once per full test, within 60 days (ielts.org). Our guide to One Skill Retake or a full retake compares it with retaking everything. What is specific to Shanghai:
- IDP China's FAQ, as read in October 2026, lists both IDP Shanghai centres among the places to register for it, for candidates who took a full IDP computer test at an IDP centre in mainland China, with the same ID, within 60 calendar days.
- British Council China limits its retake to candidates who took a full British Council computer test in mainland China, and lists the three Shanghai venues above.
- ielts.org and British Council China both say to check that the organisation receiving your result accepts it.
Shanghai is one hour ahead of Hanoi, all year
The IANA time zone database (release 2026e) records Shanghai at UTC+8, which it labels Beijing Time, with no daylight saving at present. A page on the Chinese Academy of Sciences website, reprinting a People's Daily article, says China's national standard time is the time of the eighth time zone east, called Beijing Time. The IANA database also records Vietnam, Hanoi included, at a fixed UTC+7 with no daylight saving.
With neither clock shifting, the gap never changes: 20:00 in Shanghai is 19:00 in Hanoi. You do not need to convert anything, because the booking calendar shows every slot in your own time zone. Mike's calendar decides which slots are open, and no particular hours are promised.
Check which test your organisation asks for
Academic and General Training differ in Reading and Writing, so check which one your university, employer or immigration body asks for before you book (see Academic versus General Training). IDP China's Shanghai centres are listed for computer-delivered Academic only; British Council China says it covers Academic, General Training and IELTS for UKVI, but this page cannot confirm which runs at which Shanghai venue. ielts.org's who accepts IELTS page has a search by organisation and country.
What to practise before test day
The suggestions below are general teaching advice for a computer-delivered test, not something either provider says.
- Practise typing and reading on screen. Both providers describe Reading and Writing on a computer, so practise typed Task 1 (at least 150 words) and Task 2 (at least 250 words) against the clock, and some timed Reading on a screen.
- Practise speaking to a camera. Both China providers describe a video call. In Part 2 you have one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the Speaking Part 2 timer helps with timing.
Using ielts.org's preparation materials alongside lessons
ielts.org's preparation resources page lists sample tests, Writing preparation, courses, apps, webinars, videos and books. Three of its pages suit use alongside lessons; they were read in October 2026, so check what is currently available.
- Sample test questions: practice and sample questions with answers for Academic, General Training and IELTS for UKVI Life Skills.
- Writing test preparation: videos on how Writing is scored, covering each scoring criterion.
- IELTS Trial Test: a familiarisation test for Listening, Reading and Writing at a participating location, marked by an examiner according to ielts.org, which says the scores cannot be used for academic, immigration or work purposes. ielts.org does not say whether any participating location is in China, so ask IDP China or British Council China first.
One way to combine them: sit a sample paper as timed practice, then bring a typed Writing answer to a session to be marked against the public band descriptors. Mike is a teacher, not an examiner: a lesson shows you what to work on and does not predict your score on the day.