Hello knowledge seekers!

I used to work for ELS Language Centres, arguably one of the best tertiary English language Education provider in Malaysia.

I would strongly recommend ELS especially for their Certified Intensive English Programmes. They have branches in KL, Bukit Bintang, Subang Jaya, and Petaling Jaya. But bear in mind that this course is conducted full time, 5 hours 5 days a week for a month (1 level). To get IELTS 5.5 / 6.0 you would need to complete perhaps level 5/6. The teachers are good but depend on which center you go to. I would recommend PJ and KL for the best trainers but it is usually crowded and can be hard to get in.Subang Jaya has smaller student number in a class and good teachers as well.

ELS also has a part-time course which runs twice a week for about 2 hours per session. I don't recommend it for College students as it focuses mainly on Communication Skills and not writing skills which you need more for writing assignments and such.

British Council is a great place to study! A lot of my colleagues have been recruited away from ELS (especially after I trained them!!! ) The fee is slightly higher than other centres around KL and it focuses mainly on Communication skills. Which I am afraid to say, would not be a good thing for those going to local private institutions. They also do not have examination based syllabus, only attendance based. So, taking a Brit council cert to our local public / private unis won't get you any exemption from taking English subjects (double waste of money IMO).

A third option is to look at your own private colleges. All colleges have their own language centres which specialize in teaching English as a second language (ESL) to local and foreign students - its a great money making tool for these unis.

My best recommendation is to get a personal tutor. In most cases, this is the most effective way for serious students. A classroom environment might be more fun and you get to meet a lot of people, but one-on-one tutorship usually gives the best results. A tutor can identify your main weakness and target those areas whereas a classroom teacher has to manage the expectations of the entire class. Furthermore, a personal tutor would charge you a far more reasonable amount compared to Language Centres.

Hope this helps! PM me if you have specific questions! Happy to help