British Council Reviews 

If any private business tried to copy British council service with the same quality, it would go bankrupt very quickly. Normal businesses cannot afford so poor level with inadequate pricing due to market realities, they will never keep the client, reviews will kill their reputation. This is how it happens in a normal world.
But British Council is beyond this petty stuff. They don't care about their customers and can afford it, because their brand recognition is huge, no competitors! People hearing British Council for the first time will associate it with all romantics they feel about UK from books and films and will expect posh british clerks, beautiful language spoken on their courses, customer care like for inhabitants in Downton Abbey. Then they will face a reality..
I had a few episodes with BC over a few years.
1. My daughter took courses a few years ago, IELTS preparation - no alternative in the area. Way overpriced for 15 people in the group and a pathetic teaching, we fought to change the group and succeeded. The only teacher was recommended by a sales girl when we created a good communication, we got him, we were lucky that time
2. My younger daughter needed preparation course in a different country, no alternative again - BC only. The only course they had - was extended for a year! 3 hours lesson, once a week. Whose genius brain suggested that this is what people need? most of them planned to take exams in 3-6 months and so needed some intensive. We tried this just for curiosity and quit in a month. Russian teacher.. weird attitude and communication with the group, a few others also left the course after us. We hired private teacher instead - cheaper, clever approach, high result in the end.
3. Exam! Absolutely crazy organisation. It was happening in another city (again no choice), 2 parts: speaking 13-30, other 3 parts with no breaks at 17. (any idea why 5 mins break between part will kill you?) Obviously we booked the train tickets in advance. 2 days before the exam I received noreply-bc-com letter about the change in the time for the first part, it's more than an hour EARLIER! We had to change the train tickets and now we have 4 hours between the parts in a strange city, nervous. The LAST part was - guess? - of course Writing essays! What it says about people who are in charge or organising this? for 200 pound BTW! They don't care, no need to THINK and they just forgot how to do it.
British council, I wonder, how you feel to be in charge of this mess? This is what monopoly does...Sad story, no chance to improve

The management is incredibly hairy. Two days before my tests, I got an email informing me that they changed my speaking test date, making it a different day than the rest of my tests. I wrote back asking if they could change it back as I would have to change plans to accommodate the new plan. Good on them to reply within an hour, but the answer is super passive aggressive, and basically amounted to "tough luck, we can't/won't do anything about it." After I went to take my listening, reading, and writing test at the test center, the administrator there told us--all of the test takers that day--that the time and date of our speaking test is not the only thing changed, the location also changed, but no one told us. She gave us the information of the new location, and said there will be an email informing us of the same thing, but the email never came. The only saving grace is that the administrators and officiants at the test center are all very kind, which is why this is not a one star review.

I simply don't understand how this kind of issue could happen in an organization that is supposed to be official. Not only that, but many people who took this test had to take it because of some serious reasons (visa, academic or career progression). Mistakes on British Council's part can actually messed up someone's life, not to mention how expensive taking this test is. This is extremely unprofessional, and I hope British Council take this responsibility seriously and stop mocking about with people's lives.

Ma fille a vu son examen IELTS déplacé de 3h cinq minutes avant l’heure convenu. Sans aucune explication / excuses. Puis il lui a été demandé en plein jour de fermer tous ses volets, d’enlever des photos du mur, de changer la place de son bureau pendant 20mn !! La plongeant dans le stress avant son examen. Voici la réponse lunaire du British council. De la bouillie. Ils n’en ont rien à faire !

Thank you for contacting the British Council. We understand how important the IELTS Online test is for you and apologise for the inconvenience caused. We acknowledge the feedback shared by you and it will help us to improve our services in the future as we will take the corrective actions basis your feedback as we genuinely value your opinion.

We would like you inform that all the changes which were asked to make during the test were as per our test day requirement to maintain IELTS Online test integrity.

Your understanding is highly appreciated in this regards. Please be assured if you face any issue that our team will be always available to support you.

We wish you all the best for your exam.

I was requesting attestation of my daughter school certificates and I received a clear and prompt response of what to do which was impressive experience

Recently, I attended a British Council examination in Ibadan. My center was Adebayo Akande Hall, Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria.

Not only did the examinations start very late, the organization preferred to risk the lives of the students just to ensure that they didn't incur additional costs.

In addition to the above, I was given a faulty laptop to write with.I complained at the examination hall and they did nothing about it. This impacted my scores negatively because I did the CBT Test.

The organization rather than acknowledge their faults sent an email saying if I was not happy with the test, I could pay to have the papers re-examined.

The colonial attitude of Britain is exemplified in these circumstance and no one should be made to go through these kind of harrowing experiences.

There are other organizations organizing the IELTs. Better to go with those that British Council. They are not an organization of the future.

Stay away at all cost! There are other UK Home Office accredited institutions you can go to! Paid £155 only to feel so anxious and stressed! It all began during my test date on 09/09 in Birmingham when all test takers that day were sent an email with regards to the change of test venue. We all went to the venue only to be told that there was some error and the test is not there so we went to Hall Green. When I arrived in the venue the staff just told us about the error, they were not even apologetic! I waited around 2 hours for a same B1 applicant to arrive as I needed a partner for the test. The test only took less than 15 mins.

Fast forward after 15 days STILL NO RESULTS! I contacted them and they were unsure of what is happening. The lovely lady I have spoken to accidentally disclosed that there was a system error on that day I took my test and everybody whp took their tests that day's results were all delayed but I received an email about my results are being withheld and some sort of excuse!!!!!! I am days away from renewing my UK residency and my worries and stress are up the roof. UNACCEPTABLE! after paying too much this is not the service we should be expecting. Sheer incompetence and lack of knowledge!

British council staff is very rude. They do not know even abc of customer services. Treating others like slaves. Would recommend to go to trinity college to avoid these I D I O T S.

Quite recently I bought an IELTS test from British council in Islamabad. This was my my second time appearing in the test. The security and the management staff were very helpful. The test started on time and everything was on schedule. I had however reservations on the testing material and the methodology. The speaking test was a computer based so there were pings in the network. You would speak while the other person also had started something and this would go against you as unethical. Also the listening test comprised of things that were more for a computer test than a language test i.e the dragging and pasting of things using the mouse and the scrolling among pages. Even the reading had the same issue.
Overall it was a good experience so I am giving it five stars.

Hi good afternoon
This Azmat khan
I really think full to the british council the help me to improve my English
I'm very happy from Ms Oumri Imane
She is very professional and very helpful thanks so much for your support and help have a great day
Azmat khan.
Best regards ✨️

They only care about robbing you. Charge you GBP430 per hour for an exam and if you can't make it for an emergency they will only refund you 50% for giving you nothing. Utter robbing scallywags - use someone else, they don't care about you. Systematic robbery.

Thank you so much dear Nadhma Al Balushi for assisting me to register for the IELTS exam over the phone, very good service really appreciated

never seen irresponsible service. you gus still owe me after 2 months.refund my money

Be careful to conditions term. They play with 14 days cancellation period and trial period: they will not give you back your money if you attend a class during the trial period or during the 14 days. Furthermore the cancellation period ends 14 days AFTER you START the Trial. So you don't have a real cancellation period.

Then classes don't work. You speak with people who don't know English and teachers don't correct you and others. They stand there reading slides.

I was tricked. I lost money that i really need for my career and now I have to wait a lot before finding a new chance.

Hull city council just took the mick out of me for years left for to get I’ll and die haven’t fixed at problem I’ve reported which affected my mental health and may me ill one of the customers who name is Courtney works on the phone hull city council (HCC) has not been righting my complaint and repairs for how long I don’t know which I was unheard and my property is damaged I’m paying bill’s and debt and I don’t even live there . How can you do that to me I suffer doing daily things even against myself and HCC unacknowledged me like I don’t even exist or dead or something 🤔

They Never refund, despite the fact that you are totally eligible for that.

Their teaching quality is below the average

We came upon a very difficult time when we needed to register for the Oct/Nov 2022 Cambridge exams. My son needs to write his AS level Physics and Biology. Two practical subjects, as a private candidate because my children are homeschooled. This wasn't possible because the practical exams is not available for A level private candidates. I contacted different schools to ask if they could assist him in doing this exams. He is an A candidate and he received A+ for Physics and A for Chemistry (practical subjects) among others, last year. But even with this, no one could help us. The schools refered us just to the next one. Then after many emails and communications, and almost 2months past, just before registration closed, I received an email.
Ms. Ngosi Ann Okafor asked for a convenient time to call. What a blessing from there on. She personally helped us to register and made the writing possible by exemption of the practical component. It is people like Ann, who is an enormous benefit to the world, people who make impossible things possible. We appreciate Ann's help so dearly and hope that this review can help others in desperate need.

They changed my exam date two days before. When I called saying I couldn't go because I had a doctor's appointment booked two months in advance, they didn't care and said I needed five weeks in advance to reschedule (when they did it two days before). Don't recommend at all.

Terrible service!! Most of teachers are from non native english speaking country. All good teachers are already booked for week & weeks.

Very disorganised and chaotic, they messed up my IELTS test big time. In the future I'll try to avoid this brunch at all costs.

SO they failed to upload my pictures and fingerprints and only told me that a week after my test so I had to go to London again (with my husband and a small breastfed baby) just so they can take the picture again 😐 the test was £150 and my traveling costs were £160 plus 4 hours journey in total! So they promised me a refund as an apology for inconvenience but after two weeks of waiting and not receiving anything I messaged them again about my refund and that I still haven't got it and I got an email that they CANCELLEY the test!!!then I got another email saying that it was a typo. I had to email the management to find out what's going on.
Tried calling their call center but could never get through. It's just so messy! For the government related organisation it's not very organised at all

The British Council is not a government organisation. It is a charity that pretends to be an arm of the British Government. It has been given charity status and uses its name as a way to fool people into believing it’s validated by law.
Businesses verified by the British council have carte Blanche to operate as if they too are Government authorised organisations.