English Proficiency (C1 → C2)
Location: Online, Virtual Classroom
Level:
Do you want your English to be at native speaker level? Are you looking to learn and use a rich and complex range of English in your working or academic life? This fast-paced course will bring you to the very highest level of English proficiency (C2).
About the course
This course is for students who are at level C1. This means that you can already work effectively in English, and perhaps have even studied for a degree taught in English. You aren’t afraid of speaking or writing in English for general purposes. What you sometimes miss is how to use English more persuasively and creatively, or to write and speak in more formal settings. Perhaps you also simply love the language and want to enhance your vocabulary for your own pleasure!
In this course, our teachers will help you to take your English to level C2. You will look at areas like inversion, British and American English idioms, less common and formal vocabulary items, emphasis, and complex sentences, as well as some grammar.
You can start with this course if you have completed our English Advanced course or if you have attained C1 level via another route. Would you like to know your current language level? Try our free language level test!
Learning goals
This course takes you towards level C2.
- By the end of this course, you will have developed high level language skills equivalent to those of a native speaker. You will be able to dazzle others with your English knowledge, and will be able to use the language playfully and creatively to communicate persuasively and humorously, if that is your goal.
- This course will also give you the language you need to succeed in the Cambridge English C2 Proficiency exam, if your goal is to get a certificate proving you are at level C2. You may need this for immigration purposes in some countries, or to prove you have the native-speaker level English required for certain jobs.
Method
All Babel’s courses are taught by highly-qualified, professional teachers and are interactive, fun, and focused on students’ needs.
This means we:
- are flexible to what a group needs.
- ask for your feedback on how the lessons are going, and respond to what you tell us.
- use high-quality materials.
- do a lot of speaking activities, in small groups and as a whole group.
- teach grammar and vocabulary in a way that connects them to real life use.
- encourage students to learn outside the classroom too.
Time investment
- This course consists of 18 classes of 1hr45 minutes. Alongside this, you will need to do some homework and preparation for your lessons. You should expect to spend at least 3 hours a week on this, and more if you submit all the optional writing assignments for this course.
- The more time you give to learning, the more you will benefit. There are lots of exercises to practise at home available to you. There are also many websites where you can read more C2 level English texts, and many ways to listen to more English online.
Practical
- The language of instruction is English.
- You will be working with a book. You can order this book on our special book page. Please ensure you have your book ready for the first session.
- If you are learning online, you can order the e-book version of the student book. You can do this here.
- You will receive a certificate of participation if you follow at least 80% of the classes.
- If you work or study at Utrecht University you will receive a 15% discount. Please register with your UU email address. Your registration will then be processed automatically.
Schedule
Please note: There are two course options; intensive (2x/week lessons) and regular (1x/week lessons).
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Starting date: 8 January 2025 (Virtual Classroom)
Day Date Start End Wednesday 8 January 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 15 January 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 22 January 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 29 January 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 5 February 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 12 February 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 19 February 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 5 March 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 19 March 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 26 March 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 2 April 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 9 April 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 16 April 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 23 April 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 30 April 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 7 May 2025 20:00 21:45 Wednesday 14 May 2025 20:00 21:45 -
Starting date: 3 February 2025 (Virtual Classroom)
Day Date Start End Monday 3 February 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 10 February 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 17 February 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 24 February 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 3 March 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 10 March 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 17 March 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 24 March 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 31 March 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 9 June 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 14 April 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 16 June 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 28 April 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 23 June 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 12 May 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 19 May 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 26 May 2025 18:00 19:45 Monday 2 June 2025 18:00 19:45 -
Starting date: 14 March 2025 (Virtual Classroom)
Day Date Start End Friday 14 March 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 21 March 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 28 March 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 4 April 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 11 April 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 18 April 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 25 April 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 2 May 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 9 May 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 23 May 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 30 May 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 6 June 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 13 June 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 20 June 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 27 June 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 4 July 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 11 July 2025 15:15 17:00 Friday 18 July 2025 15:15 17:00 -
Starting date: 15 April 2025 (Virtual Classroom)
Day Date Start End Tuesday 15 April 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 22 April 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 29 April 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 6 May 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 13 May 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 20 May 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 27 May 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 3 June 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 10 June 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 24 June 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 1 July 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 8 July 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 15 July 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 22 July 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 29 July 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 5 August 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 12 August 2025 20:00 21:45 Tuesday 19 August 2025 20:00 21:45 -
Starting date: 22 May 2025 (Virtual Classroom)
Day Date Start End Thursday 22 May 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 5 June 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 12 June 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 19 June 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 26 June 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 3 July 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 10 July 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 17 July 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 24 July 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 7 August 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 14 August 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 21 August 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 28 August 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 4 September 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 11 September 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 18 September 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 25 September 2025 18:00 19:45 Thursday 2 October 2025 18:00 19:45
Take our placement test
If you want to take a course at Babel, it is important to take our free placement test.
