How lessons work for learners in the UK
Lessons are one-to-one and run live on Google Meet, in English. Mike teaches every session himself, so you work with the same teacher each time. He holds the Cambridge CELTA (July 2017), is based in Hanoi, Vietnam, has 12+ years teaching English and IELTS in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran, and scored 8.5 in Speaking in his own IELTS. About Mike has more detail.
A session can cover Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking, on their own or mixed. Writing Task 1 and Task 2 are marked against the public band descriptors. Speaking Parts 1 to 3 are run in the real format, with feedback in the moment rather than days later. After each session Mike leaves written progress notes in your account. General English lessons are also available.
| Term | What applies |
|---|---|
| Lesson length | 60 minutes. A paid 30-minute trial is available once per student, on the first booking. |
| Commitment | No subscription and no package. You book sessions as you need them. |
| Rescheduling | At no charge up to 12 hours before the slot. |
| Payment | PayPal (cards work through PayPal), or USDT. Bank transfer is for Vietnam. |
| After you pay | A Google Meet link and calendar invite arrive by email right after payment. |
The time difference between the UK and Hanoi
Hanoi is on UTC+7 all year and does not change its clocks. The UK does. According to GOV.UK, in 2026 the clocks went forward on 29 March and went back on 25 October. While the UK is on British Summer Time, Hanoi is 6 hours ahead. While it is on GMT, Hanoi is 7 hours ahead.
- In winter (GMT), 12:00 in London is 19:00 in Hanoi.
- In summer (BST), 13:00 in London is 19:00 in Hanoi.
The gap moves by an hour twice a year, so a lesson you book across a clock change can fall at a different hour on your wall clock than the one before. The calendar on the booking page shows every slot in your own time zone. Which slots are open depends on Mike's calendar, and no particular hours are promised, so if you can study only at fixed times, check the calendar first.
Booking and paying for lessons
- Open the booking calendar and choose a slot in your own time.
- Check the exact amount shown on the booking page before you pay.
- Pay with PayPal or USDT. PayPal charges the US-dollar equivalent and states the exact amount at checkout.
- Receive the Google Meet link and calendar invite by email right after payment.
If you are under 18, a parent or guardian first agrees to a short consent letter before the booking is made.
Who takes IELTS in the UK
People in the UK take IELTS for several reasons, and the right test and score depend on the receiving body. One example from an official page:
- Work visas. GOV.UK says Skilled Worker applicants usually need to prove their English, at least level B2, and lists ways to do so, including passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) with an approved provider. Nationals of some countries are exempt.
- Study, professional registration and other routes. Check the requirement on the page of the university, regulator or immigration route concerned, because each sets its own.
This is general information, not personal advice. Check the named official page for the current rule, because rules change. For Academic or General Training, see Academic and General Training, and for scores in general, IELTS scores for study abroad.
Booking the test: use the provider, not Band Booster
Band Booster IELTS is not a test centre, does not register candidates and does not set test fees. It is not affiliated with UKVI, the Home Office, the British Council or IDP, and the receiving body decides what it accepts.
On ielts.org, the test-centre list for the United Kingdom showed 111 results when read for this page. Read the list yourself, because it can change.
For immigration, ielts.org says that UKVI will only accept tests taken in person at an official IELTS for UKVI test centre. That means lessons with Mike are preparation online, while the test itself is taken at a centre. GOV.UK's page on secure English language tests says a test used in an immigration application must have been sat at an approved test location, and it links lists of approved test centres. Approved tests are listed separately, so read that page for the current position. Lessons here cover IELTS only.
Fees and dates belong to the provider, so this page gives none. Check the provider page for the current figures. If you may need to improve one skill only, read about One Skill Retake or a full retake.
All guides for United Kingdom
- British citizenship English
- Computer-delivered IELTS, UK
- IELTS Life Skills A1, A2, B1
- IELTS Speaking tutor, UK
- IELTS Test Centres, Birmingham and Midlands
- IELTS Writing feedback UK
- IELTS centres, South West and south coast
- IELTS centres, northern England
- IELTS for GPhC and GDC
- IELTS for HCPC
- IELTS for NMC
- IELTS for UKVI test centres
- IELTS for UKVI vs standard IELTS
- IELTS score by UK visa route
- IELTS test centres in London
- ILR English: B1 or B2
- One Skill Retake UK
- Scholarships and IELTS
- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland centres
- Skilled Worker and Health and Care
- Test centres, East and South East England
- UK Student visa English
- UK partner visa English
- UK university IELTS rules
- UK visa English test exemptions
- UKVI cancel or transfer
- UKVI results and TRF
- UKVI test-day ID
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Lessons help you get used to the four parts of the test and to the way Writing and Speaking are marked. They do not register you for the test and cannot promise a band or a visa result. Progress depends on where you start and on the work you do between sessions.
- Practise Speaking Parts 1 to 3 in the real format with the Speaking Part 2 timer between lessons.
- Work out how your four skills average into an overall band with the band score calculator.
- Compare tutors with the questions in how to choose an online IELTS tutor.
When you are ready, open the booking calendar. A first booking can be the paid 30-minute trial.
