How Long Does It Take to Learn English? Realistic Timelines by Level

From zero to fluent: honest timelines for reaching A2, B1, B2 and C1 with part-time and full-time study — and the habits that cut months off the journey.

The Cambridge benchmark

Guided learning hours per CEFR level are roughly: A1 90–100, A2 180–200, B1 350–400, B2 500–600, C1 700–800. In a full-time intensive programme of 20 hours/week, that's about 8–12 weeks per level.

Part-time reality

Studying 10 hours weekly (our General English pace) doubles those numbers: a level every 4–6 months. Evening one-to-one at 2 hours/week moves slower but suits working adults.

What accelerates progress

Daily exposure outside class — phone in English, 20 minutes of podcasts, speaking clubs, and writing corrected weekly — can cut a level's time by a third.

Know your starting point

Take our free AI level test for your CEFR and IELTS-equivalent, then multiply by the hours above for your personal timeline.