London College of Beauty Therapy - (Near Tower Hamlets, UK)

1 /5 Holliana: I am extremely disappointed with LCBT and feel compelled to share our experience. In my opinion, this college does not support students properly, especially when they are struggling or feeling unwell. My daughter had a day where she was very unfocused, felt seriously unwell, and was visibly upset—crying and clearly distressed. Instead of offering any help, one of the teachers allegedly told her that it “wasn’t their problem” because she honest and simply walked away. She came home in tears, and as a parent, that was incredibly upsetting to hear. Another major issue is their organisation. They returned important materials very late—almost a month later (if not more)—which is extremely unprofessional for a beauty college where timing and structure are supposed to matter. This caused a lot of unnecessary stress. My daughter has also told me that many lecturers come across as rude and uninterested, spending more time talking about themselves than actually teaching. On top of that, some students have behaved rudely or even in a bullying manner, and from what we’ve seen, nothing meaningful is done about it. Overall, based on our experience, I would not recommend LCBT. I expected a supportive, professional learning environment, and sadly, that is not what my daughter received. DO NOT GO TO THIS COLLEGE !!!! Same goes for FRA (fashion retail academy) any colleges that use education for industry groups have terrible reviews and this college is not worth it !!!!!!

1 /5 angel: I completed my Level 2 Beauty Therapy course at LCBT in 2022-23 and decided to return for Level 3 after a year, assuming things would have improved or at least stayed the same. Unfortunately, they haven’t. I was placed in the Friday–Saturday class, which I was fine with. I even did the responsible thing and emailed ahead to let them know I’d be away on holiday for a few days — filled out the absence form they sent and everything. When I came back, I discovered I wasn’t even on the register. I’d also already paid in full for my kit and uniform, yet somehow still didn’t receive either. Everyone else in the school did except our class. We ended up having a last minute “student-led” class about digital marketing — because apparently, that’s what we’re doing now in beauty therapy. I’m not complaining but this early on when last week the class was just learning facials is crazy. I gave it a few days, thinking maybe things would sort themselves out, but they didn’t. It’s impressive how unorganised a £4,000 course can be. No curtains, no proper equipment, and on more than one occasion, no teacher. The tutor we did have made sure to address lateness in the most public and uncomfortable way possible — questioning people in front of everyone instead of simply having a private word. I was also told, “If you want to argue, we can argue,” which I can’t imagine is part of any professional training curriculum. After deciding enough was enough, I called the college to discuss withdrawing and was told, surprisingly, that I’d already been withdrawn weeks prior — without being informed. Apparently, the programme manager made that decision. It’s interesting that no one thought to mention it, especially while I was still showing up and paying for travel. I genuinely wanted to continue my studies here, but it’s hard to justify paying thousands for an experience that feels rushed, disorganised, and severely lacking in communication. It’s a shame, really — the college used to be much better before merging with the Fashion Retail Academy, which isn’t their fault, but after merging more than a year ago, I would’ve thought they’d have basic necessities by now. If you’re 16–18 and not paying, you might have a decent time here. But if you’re an adult learner investing real money, I’d seriously think twice. There are better-run courses elsewhere that actually value their students — and their time. And yes, I’ll be sure to let Ofsted know because the amount of low reviews isn’t just for us to complain, but it’s for the future students who wish to apply and spend their money at this low-quality course.

1 /5 R: I had a very disappointing experience with LCBT. I paid £4,000 for the course, plus an additional £200 for the kit and uniform, which I never received despite repeatedly asking the staff. Every time I asked, I was told, “next Friday,” but nothing ever arrived. Classes were supposed to start at the beginning of September, yet by mid-September, I still hadn’t had a proper class. The new building, which they’ve apparently been in for four months, didn’t even have privacy curtains by the beds — quite concerning for a college that teaches beauty therapy. When I applied, I was meant to be in the adult Level 3 group, but instead, I was placed in a Level 2/3 group without explanation. On top of that, one of the lecturers (a middle-aged woman with black hair) was extremely rude — shouting at me for being “late” even though I was at reception sorting out my student ID and waiting for the kit I was promised. I also witnessed her embarrass another student in front of the class, shouting “If you want to argue, we can argue,” when the student tried to explain her lateness due to personal reasons. The overall attitude in the class was unprofessional and uncomfortable. After this experience, I decided to withdraw from the course and requested a refund. Despite emailing multiple times, my messages were ignored or not properly read. Even when the program manager replied after being on leave, she failed to address any of my concerns and instead talked about “checking” my class placement — even though I had already withdrawn. I had to open a case with my bank to recover part of my payment and contact Student Finance England to stop further payments to this college. I’m really disappointed — I expected a professional and supportive environment, but instead, it felt disorganised , unresponsive, and disrespectful.

1 /5 Mizan Berhane: I’m honestly so disappointed and frustrated with LCBT College. They completely wasted my time. The staff don’t seem to care about students at all — there’s no proper communication, no consistency, and no respect for people’s time or effort. Teachers were constantly absent, and when we asked for help or updates, we were left with excuses or silence. It felt like no one was taking responsibility for anything. I came here to learn and progress, but instead, I was stuck waiting around and losing motivation because of how badly things were managed. The way this college is run is unprofessional and disorganised. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who actually wants to learn or get value for their money.

1 /5 EctoXera: BIGGEST REGRET OF MY LIFE SPENDING NEARLY £4,000 to study 19+ Level 3 Beauty Therapy at LCBT can honestly say it has been one of the most stressful and disappointing experiences of my life. From day one the course was chaotic, broken equipment, cancelled lessons, cancelled mocks, no proper classrooms, constant staff shortages. Crammed into rooms with younger girls (minors) multiple classes or left without a tutor at all. The college kept promising things would “get better” after the relocation but nothing changed. Even basics like towels, cotton pads, working lamps, and functioning treatment beds were always in short supply. Exams had to be rearranged, and models had to be cancelled because facilities weren’t fit for outside clients. A key module (Electrical Facials) isnt included in the qualification, meaning you cannot progress to Level 4 without paying for an extra separate course. Nothing is clearly explained at enrolment and it feels like a complete cash grab. LCBT markets itself as “London’s No.1 Beauty College” with brand new facilities, but the reality for current students has been completely different: poor organisation, lack of communication, constant stress, and very little support. Many of us have had to sacrifice work and income to attend, only to be left feeling scammed and let down. If you are considering this college — think twice. They care far more about money and marketing than about the actual students sitting in their classrooms. A cash grab, not a college.