IELTS or STEP prep in Saudi Arabia: an online one-to-one tutor who explains in Arabic
Last updated: 30 September 2026
Yalla English prepares learners anywhere in Saudi Arabia for STEP, IELTS and TOEFL inside live one-to-one English lessons online, with the same Arabic-speaking teacher every lesson. You get 5 lessons a week, 20 a month: 249 SAR a month for 25-minute lessons or 499 SAR for 50-minute lessons, VAT included. No score is guaranteed and no certificate is issued. There is no free trial; a full refund applies within 7 days of your first actual lesson.
If you searched for IELTS or STEP preparation with an online tutor in Saudi Arabia, two questions come first: which test do you actually need, and does a recorded video course, a group class or a private teacher suit you? This page answers both, with the STEP facts we read on ETEC's official page, the 2026 changes to TOEFL and IELTS, a dated look at the STEP course formats sold in Saudi Arabia, every number we publish for our own lessons, and a plain list of the cases where we are not the right choice. The rest of our site and our WhatsApp support are in Arabic, because Yalla English is built for Arabic speakers learning English.
STEP, IELTS or TOEFL: which test do you need?
STEP is the Saudi English proficiency test from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC). According to ETEC's STEP page, it is aimed at high school and university graduates, students joining English programs at Saudi universities and scholarship programs, and anyone joining a program that requires an English level, and it is used by universities, colleges, language institutes and employers. The other two tests we prepare for are IELTS and TOEFL. The rule that saves the most time is simple: if the university, scholarship or employer you are applying to names a test, prepare for that one, and if it accepts several, ask which score it wants on each before you choose.
| STEP | TOEFL iBT | IELTS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run by | ETEC, Saudi Arabia | ETS | See the official IELTS page |
| Sections | Three: reading comprehension 40%, grammar structures 40%, listening comprehension 20% | Four; the total is the average of the four sections | Not restated here |
| Scoring | See ETEC's page | 1 to 6 in half bands since 21 January 2026; for two years, reports also show a comparable 0 to 120 score and a CEFR level | Not restated here |
| Format | Digital only | See the official page | No longer offered on paper from mid-2026 (announced 5 March 2026, timing varies by country), with a Writing on Paper option in selected markets |
| Results | Digital results in 3 to 5 working days, Sunday to Thursday | See the official page | See the official page |
| Valid for | Three years from the test date | See the official page | See the official page |
| Changing the date | A booked date can be deleted or changed after payment until 48 hours before the digital test | See the official page | See the official page |
Sources: ETEC's STEP page (content last updated 8 September 2026), read on 29 September 2026; the official TOEFL and IELTS pages, read on 26 September 2026. We only filled a cell where we read the fact ourselves; test rules change, so check the official page before you book. ETEC's test fee is not restated here.
One detail catches people applying with an older TOEFL score: ETS recommends reading an old score of 100 as 5 on the new scale, 90 as 4.5, 80 as 4 and 70 as 3.5. If a requirement you are reading was written before 2026, it may still quote the old 0 to 120 scale. Our Arabic article on IELTS vs TOEFL vs STEP goes through the choice in more detail.
How 20 lessons a month map onto STEP
STEP weights its three sections 40, 40 and 20. Spread over the 20 lessons a month that both of our plans include, that is roughly how the month divides. It is a starting point: with one teacher, time can follow the section where you lose the most marks.
| STEP section | Weight in the test | Lessons a month, of 20 | Minutes a month, Basic (25-minute lessons) | Minutes a month, Premium (50-minute lessons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading comprehension | 40% | about 8 | about 200 | about 400 |
| Grammar structures | 40% | about 8 | about 200 | about 400 |
| Listening comprehension | 20% | about 4 | about 100 | about 200 |
| Total | 100% | 20 | 500 | 1,000 |
Why this matters: in a recorded course every learner watches the same lessons in the same order. In a one-to-one lesson the teacher hears which grammar structure you keep getting wrong or which kind of reading question slows you down, explains it in Arabic when English alone is not landing, and the next lesson can start there. Our Arabic STEP preparation page has the full plan.
IELTS and TOEFL preparation
IELTS and TOEFL are prepared for inside the same weekly private lessons, with the same teacher, so you do not pay for a separate course per test. If you are still deciding, you can start the lessons on general English and steer them toward the test once you know which one the university or employer wants. Two 2026 changes are worth knowing if you last looked a while ago. TOEFL iBT has been scored 1 to 6 in half bands since 21 January 2026, with the total the average of the four sections, and for two years reports also show a comparable 0 to 120 score and a CEFR level. IELTS stopped being offered on paper from mid-2026, announced on 5 March 2026 with timing that varies by country, while keeping a Writing on Paper option in selected markets. Both points come from the official pages we read on 26 September 2026.
The STEP course formats sold in Saudi Arabia
STEP courses in Saudi Arabia come in a few formats: recorded video courses, group lectures, intensive courses and one-to-one lessons. We read three course pages on 29 September 2026 and describe each only by what its own page said. We do not restate their prices, because prices change and we would rather you read them on the provider's page.
| Course page | Format | What its page said (read 29 Sep 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| qiyas.sa (a private site, not ETEC) | Recorded video | 100 video lessons explained in Arabic, 20 mock tests, a 6-week plan, and a full refund if the target score is missed |
| ayedacademy.co | Group lectures | A free STEP course with a lecture schedule and a group |
| mulhim-step.com | Intensive course | The page title promises a score above 90 |
| Yalla English | One-to-one live lessons on Zoom or Google Meet | 5 lessons a week with the same Arabic-speaking teacher, 249 SAR a month for 25-minute lessons or 499 SAR for 50-minute lessons, VAT included; no score is guaranteed; full refund within 7 days of the first actual lesson |
The trade-offs are real in both directions. A free group course costs nothing, and a video course lets you study at any hour and ties its refund to your score, which we never do. What a private teacher adds is attention: five times a week someone who knows your level listens to you, corrects the exact mistake you made and explains it in Arabic if you need it. If you are disciplined and mainly need practice material, a video course may be enough. If you have tried that and your score has not moved, the missing piece is usually feedback, and that is what one-to-one lessons are for.
The plans in numbers
| Basic | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | 249 SAR, VAT included | 499 SAR, VAT included |
| Lessons | 5 a week, 20 a month | 5 a week, 20 a month |
| Lesson length | 25 minutes | 50 minutes |
| Cost per lesson | about 12 SAR | about 25 SAR |
| Cost per hour of one-to-one teaching | about 30 SAR | about 30 SAR |
| Exam preparation | STEP, IELTS and TOEFL inside the same lessons; no score guaranteed; no certificate issued | |
| Format | Live one-to-one video call on the free Zoom or Google Meet app; camera optional; no recordings to re-watch | |
| Teacher | The same Arabic-speaking teacher for every lesson; you choose a male or a female teacher | |
| Refund | Full refund within 7 days of the first actual lesson, first subscription only | |
| Renewal | No auto-renewal; renewal is at the price you joined at | |
Which plan for an exam? Both give the same 20 lessons and the same hourly cost, about 30 SAR. Basic suits a learner who does best with short daily practice; Premium gives each lesson room for a full reading passage or a longer listening task with time left to go through the answers. The full breakdown is on our plans and prices page (in Arabic).
How the lessons work, week by week
- Take the free level test: 10 questions, under two minutes, no sign-up, with an instant indicative level from A1 to C1. It is not a STEP or IELTS score, but it tells you and your teacher where to start.
- Subscribe on the signup page and choose a male or a female teacher. Payment is by mada, Visa or Mastercard, Apple Pay, or Tamara in 4 interest-free instalments.
- You and your teacher agree your five weekly lesson times directly, in Saudi time, morning or evening. Lessons usually run Sunday to Thursday, and Friday and Saturday are normally off. Tell your teacher which test you are taking.
- Each lesson is a live one-to-one call on Zoom or Google Meet. The lesson is held in English, and your teacher explains in Arabic when you get stuck, then goes back to English.
- If something comes up, cancel at least 4 hours ahead and a replacement lesson is booked the same week and is not counted.
Support is in Arabic on WhatsApp, Sunday to Thursday, 9am to 9pm Saudi time.
The teachers
Every teacher speaks Arabic. For exam preparation that matters most in the grammar section and in reading questions that turn on one word: the teacher explains the point in Arabic, and the lesson carries on in English instead of stalling. The same teacher stays with you for every lesson, so the person preparing you knows which mistakes you made last week. We have both male and female teachers, and the signup form asks which you prefer; our Arabic female teacher page explains how the match works. Teachers are experienced and most hold a TEFL or TESOL certificate; two certificates are published in full on our About page. There is no Saudi teacher at present; our teachers come from Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Indonesia and elsewhere.
Refund and trial, stated exactly
There is no free trial lesson before paying. The free thing before paying is the graded level test. The first lesson is effectively the trial, because the guarantee starts from it: you get a full money-back guarantee within 7 days, with no questions and no conditions, and the 7 days run from the first actual lesson, not from the payment date. The refund goes back to the same payment method within 3 to 7 days. It applies to a first subscription only, not to renewals. Nothing renews on its own: nothing is charged without your own action, and an unrenewed subscription simply pauses, which suits exam preparation that ends on a test date.
When we are not the right choice
We would rather say this before you pay. If you need a promise tied to your score, we do not make one, and a course that refunds on a missed target fits that wish better. If you want recorded videos to watch at night, we have no library of recordings. If your budget for preparation is zero, a free group course exists. If you need a certificate from the course itself, we issue none; a confirmation letter stating the study period, hours, teacher and level can be prepared on request, and it is not an accredited certificate. If you want a tutor to come to your home, all our lessons are online. And if you want support in English, ours is in Arabic. If what you need is a teacher who hears your mistakes five times a week and explains them in Arabic until the section that keeps costing you marks stops costing them, that is what these lessons are built for.
Questions people ask before choosing
Yes, all three, inside the same weekly private lessons with the same teacher, so you do not need a separate course for each test. STEP is the Saudi English proficiency test from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC). Tell your teacher which test you are taking, and the lessons prepare you for it.
No. No score is guaranteed and no certificate is issued; your score comes from your own performance on the day. Some STEP courses in Saudi Arabia do tie a promise to the score, and we list what their pages said in the comparison on this page, so you can weigh that yourself.
The same as any of our lessons. The Basic plan is 249 SAR a month for 5 live one-to-one lessons a week of 25 minutes each, which is 20 lessons a month, about 12 SAR per lesson and about 30 SAR per hour of one-to-one teaching. The Premium plan is 499 SAR a month for the same 5 lessons a week at 50 minutes each, about 25 SAR per lesson and still about 30 SAR per hour. Both include VAT, renewal stays at the price you joined at, and nothing renews on its own. ETEC's own test fee is separate and is not restated here; see the official ETEC page.
By STEP's own weights: reading comprehension is 40% of the test, grammar structures 40% and listening comprehension 20%, so 20 lessons a month come to about 8 on reading, 8 on grammar and 4 on listening.
According to ETEC's STEP page, digital results are announced in 3 to 5 working days, Sunday to Thursday, and a result is valid for three years from the test date. The test is digital only, and a booked test date can be deleted or changed after payment until 48 hours before the digital test.
No. There is no free trial lesson before paying. The free thing before paying is the graded level test. Instead of a trial, you get a full money-back guarantee within 7 days, with no questions and no conditions, and the 7 days run from your first actual lesson, not from the payment date. The refund goes back to the same payment method within 3 to 7 days. It applies to a first subscription only, not to renewals.
Both male and female teachers, and the signup form asks which you prefer. Every teacher speaks Arabic: lessons are held in English and the teacher explains in Arabic when you get stuck. The same teacher continues for every lesson. Teachers are experienced and most hold a TEFL or TESOL certificate; two certificates are published in full on the About page. There is no Saudi teacher at present.
You agree your five weekly lesson times directly with your teacher, in Saudi time, morning or evening. Lessons usually run Sunday to Thursday, and Friday and Saturday are normally off. You do not pick slots from an open calendar. If something comes up, cancel at least 4 hours ahead and a replacement lesson is booked the same week and is not counted.
No completion certificate or accredited certification is issued; the certificate that counts is your STEP, IELTS or TOEFL result. A confirmation letter stating the study period, hours, teacher and level can be prepared on request; it is not an accredited certificate.
Lessons are live, so this is not a video course you watch later, and there are no recordings for you to re-watch. Some lessons are recorded for internal quality review only; they are never shared or posted and are deleted after review. If you prefer not to be recorded, tell your teacher and that lesson is not recorded; a no is final and changes nothing about your lessons. They run on the free Zoom or Google Meet app from any phone, tablet or laptop. The camera is optional and audio only is fine.
Yalla English, unified national number 7054367235. WhatsApp: +966 54 286 9136.