One-on-one IELTS & CELPIP coaching for immigration, university, and professional registration. I've helped 1,000+ clients from 13 countries reach their target score.
Book individual services without committing to a full programme. Each session is delivered to the same standard as a full package — just targeted at a single skill or task.
EPIC teaches you how to perform in a specific exam — on a specific day — to the exact standard the examiner requires. Most English instructors teach language. We teach task performance.
| Category | Generic Tutor | ✦ EPIC |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | General English practice | Your specific exam & target score — nothing else |
| Marking | Basic familiarity | Full command of IELTS & CELPIP band descriptors |
| Feedback | Right / wrong corrections | Coded feedback tied to each marking criterion |
| Immigration | No CLB awareness | Every plan built around your CLB & PR deadline |
| Format | Often group-based | 100% private, 1-on-1, every session |
| Certification | May have sat the exam | IELTS 9 · CELPIP 10–12 · Certified consultant |
| Progress | End-of-course notes | CLB-aligned scoring after every single session |
Originally from Cambridge, UK, I moved to Toronto with one goal: to build a consulting service that actually closes the gap between a candidate's English ability and their exam score. After 10+ years with clients from 13+ countries, EPIC is that service. Determined to help you achieve your immigration dreams through the completion and acquisition of your desired exam score — the life that lies on the other side of receiving that score card with the numbers you want will be epic. I promise.
I hold IELTS Band 9 and CELPIP 10–12 across all sections — not as a native-speaker advantage, but as proof that I understand the exam at the deepest level possible.
These are not statistics. Every number represents a PR application submitted, a licence granted, a future unlocked.
Real results from real clients — across Canada, Europe, China, and beyond.
"I highly recommend Ben for CELPIP preparation. His teaching style is engaging and effective. He provided thorough explanations of each section, helping me improve my skills significantly. He is extremely knowledgeable about the test format and strategies. Thanks to Ben, I feel more confident about taking the CELPIP exam. I'm grateful for his guidance and support throughout the learning process."
"I was positively impressed! Ben's supportive training is easygoing, and friendly! I highly recommend him. He is incredibly compassionate and devoted to his work. You will definitely pass!"
"Ben helped my husband and I pass the IELTS exam and receive our visas for the UK. His coaching took us through all sections of the exam and while we needed a band score of 6, he helped us score a level 8."
"Ben is so kind and friendly. He helped me cultivate a passion for natural communication. I'm very grateful for his kindness and patience tailoring the training course for me."
"Thank you Ben, I'm glad we met! I felt free in my conversation preparing for my exam because you are amicable, easy-going and gregarious! I wish you success in your coaching practice!"
"I highly recommend Ben! He is incredibly compassionate and devoted to his work. You will definitely be prepared for your IELTS exam. Thank you very much Ben!"
"It was a truly amazing learning experience with Ben. He had many effective teaching techniques to help me improve my skills and expand my vocabulary. I thoroughly enjoyed studying with him."
"I had great coaching with Ben! He is a very good teacher with the ability and natural talent to make the atmosphere of the sessions super comfortable and fun!"
"Ben was easy to talk to. In our first session he explained each part of the exam and showed me how the course would progress, and how he'd help me pass."
"Ben is a very good coach. It was a very good experience for me. He's very polite and helped me pass, preparing me for my masters in the UK."
"Comfortable to talk to, Ben will design the learning based on your level, you can improve your English skills and learn more vocabulary with him."
Book a free 15-minute discovery call. We'll review your situation, tell you the exact score you need, and recommend the right programme.
Everything you need to know before booking — answered honestly.
It depends on what you need the score for. If you're applying for Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program, both are accepted by IRCC — and the choice comes down to format preference. CELPIP is entirely computer-based, removing the stress of a face-to-face speaking examiner, which many clients find makes a real difference to their Speaking score.
If your goal is university admission, professional registration, a job placement, or a visa for the UK, Australia, or another country, IELTS is almost always the required test — and it's the one I'd recommend preparing for. I coach clients for both exams and both contexts. In a free discovery call, I'll confirm exactly which test and score you need and build a preparation plan around that.
It depends on your pathway. For Express Entry, the minimum is CLB 7 (IELTS 6.0 / CELPIP 7 per skill) to qualify, but CLB 9 (IELTS 7.0 / CELPIP 9) in all four skills maximises your CRS score and significantly improves your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply. Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Programs, and citizenship each have their own requirements. I'll confirm your exact target in your first session so you're never over- or under-prepared.
Most clients see measurable improvement within 4–6 sessions. A realistic timeline depends on where you're starting and how far you need to go. A one-band improvement on IELTS or a one-level jump on CELPIP typically takes 4–8 weeks of focused preparation. A two-band improvement — which is what many of my clients achieve — can take 8–12 weeks with consistent effort. I'll give you a clear, honest timeline after your initial assessment.
Yes — and this is the most common misconception I encounter. IELTS and CELPIP are skills-based exams, not measures of everyday English. I've coached engineers, doctors, and university professors who struggled below Band 7 on their first attempt, not because their English was weak, but because they underestimated the exam's structure. Knowing the format, the timing, and the exact scoring criteria is what separates a Band 6.5 from a Band 8. Strong English is the starting point, not the finish line.
All sessions are one-on-one via video call. Each hour is structured around your weakest skill area, with targeted practice on the exact question types that appear in your exam. I'll give you live feedback during the session and a set of tasks to complete before the next one. There's no generic lesson plan — every session is built around where you are and what you need to move forward.
Writing and Speaking are usually the bottleneck, because they're the most heavily criterion-referenced — the examiner is looking for very specific things, and general effort doesn't always translate to score improvement. Listening and Reading are more trainable quickly with the right strategies. That said, every client is different: some hit top marks in Speaking but lose points in Reading through poor time management. Your initial assessment tells me exactly where to focus.
I offer two core programmes. The Immigration Target Score package is a structured series of sessions designed to bring you from your current score to your immigration target — this is the most popular option for clients with a fixed deadline. The 30-Day Accelerator is an intensive programme for clients who need rapid results in a short window. Pricing is shown on this page and depends on the number of sessions. Book a free discovery call and I'll recommend the right programme for your situation and timeline.
All sessions are conducted online via video call, which means I can work with clients anywhere in the world — and most of my clients are based outside Toronto, reaching me from across Canada, the UK, Europe, and beyond. Online sessions are just as effective as in-person, and the flexibility means you can schedule around work and family commitments.
Absolutely — and honestly, clients who've already sat the exam are often the easiest to help quickly. You have real score data that tells me exactly what went wrong. Whether it's one skill dragging down your overall score or a timing issue on Writing, a previous result is the clearest diagnostic I can work from. Many of my clients come to me after one or two unsuccessful attempts and reach their target on the next sitting.
Book a free 15-minute discovery call using the contact form on this page. I'll ask about your immigration pathway, your current score (or estimate), your target, and your timeline. From there, I'll recommend the right programme and we can get your first session booked. There's no commitment required from the call — it's a conversation to make sure EPIC is the right fit for where you are.
Yes. While a large part of my client base is preparing for Canadian immigration, I regularly coach people working toward IELTS scores for university entry, postgraduate programmes, nursing and healthcare registration, teaching credentials, engineering licences, and job placements — in Canada, the UK, Australia, and elsewhere.
The required score varies significantly depending on the institution or body. A Russell Group university typically wants Band 7.0–7.5 overall with no skill below 6.5. UK nursing registration (NMC) requires Band 7.0 in all four skills. Some engineering and law programmes set the bar at Band 7.5 or higher. I'll confirm your exact target in the first session and structure coaching around it — the preparation strategy changes depending on what the score is for and which skills matter most.
If you're outside Canada, everything is done online, and I've worked with clients across Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond.
Absolutely. Single-skill coaching is one of the most effective things I do. If your Listening, Reading, and Speaking are already where they need to be but Writing is holding you back, there's no reason to work on anything else. We'll dedicate every session to that one skill until it's where it needs to be. The same applies to any individual section. Many of my clients come to me with a specific bottleneck — one skill sitting a band or level below the others — and that's often resolved faster than a full-programme approach because the focus is undivided. Book a discovery call and tell me which section is the problem. We'll go from there.