IELTS Formal Letter: Letter to a college requesting English course information

The task

You are planning to study English at a college in an English-speaking country. You would like some information about their courses.

Write a letter to the college. In your letter:

→ask about the course they offer
→ask about the cost of the course
→say what kind of accommodation you want in the college hostel

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ...,

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8185 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Admissions Team,

I am interested in enrolling in an intensive English language programme at your institution and would appreciate receiving further details regarding your curriculum.

Could you please provide an overview of the courses currently available for international students? I am specifically looking for an advanced-level programme that focuses on academic writing and professional communication skills. I would also like to know if your courses include preparation for the IELTS examination, as this is a key objective for my studies.

Regarding the financial requirements, please inform me of the total tuition fees for a twelve-week term. Additionally, I would be grateful if you could clarify whether this cost includes textbooks and access to campus facilities, or if these are charged as separate expenses.

Finally, I am planning to reside on campus and would prefer a single room with an en-suite bathroom in the college hostel. Please advise if such accommodation is available and whether I need to submit a separate application to secure a spot before my arrival.

Thank you for your assistance, and I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Write a letter, get a band free →

Examiner's view

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response addresses all three bullet points with clear, relevant detail and maintains a consistently formal register throughout. A common Band 6 error is failing to provide specific details or preferences, such as describing the type of accommodation, leading to an underdeveloped response.

→Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
→If you know the person's surname, use Dear Mr or Ms and close with Yours sincerely.
→No contractions, no slang; polite indirect requests such as I would be grateful if you could.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

enrolling
officially registering as a student in a course
curriculum
the subjects or topics taught in a course
intensive
concentrated effort or study over a short period
tuition fees
the money paid for instruction at a college
en-suite
a bathroom directly connected to a bedroom
adhere
to follow or comply with specific requirements

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Formal. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.

How many words should an IELTS General Training letter be?+

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

What does the examiner look for?+

Keep practising

More giving information letters

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