Note: These Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses are not suitable for School of Management courses. For Pre-sessional EAP courses leading on to a master’s degree in the School of Management please visit this page.


Our Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses are open to international students who do not already meet the English language entry requirement for their 七肖中特报 course and wish to gain an insight into academic life before beginning their postgraduate study.

Working with a team of well qualified and experienced tutors we will help you:

  • Improve your English language skills to satisfy our English language entry requirement.
  • Develop and improve your knowledge and use of academic English.
  • Prepare for the kinds of assignments you will complete on your postgraduate course.
  • Develop the confidence and skills needed to succeed in your academic studies.
  • Introduce you to life in the UK and to UK culture.

Course content and assessment criteria

Entry requirements

Please refer to each course section below, but note some of our masters courses have higher English language requirements, and you may be required to attend a longer Pre-sessional EAP course to achieve the required level for entry. We assess each application individually against the course requirements, please check the or your offer letter.

You must hold an offer for a postgraduate course to be considered for a Pre-sessional EAP course.

Course content

  • Understanding the process approach to academic writing.
  • Developing critical thinking skills.
  • Developing effective reading strategies.
  • Extending writing and research skills.
  • Improving English grammar to support clear communication.
  • Delivering a variety of effective presentations.
  • Developing academic vocabulary.
  • Improving listening and speaking skills.
  • Using online materials to support essential independent learning.

Course structure

We offer courses delivered live online or face-to-face on campus. Both delivery modes will require participants to be available at set times daily within a standard working week.

Assessment criteria

You will be assessed throughout and at the end of the course. You will only be able to progress to postgraduate study if you successfully complete the course.

The results from your Pre-sessional English course will be valid for entry to 七肖中特报 postgraduate courses for two years.

Summer courses (online) for September 2024 taught and research students

These courses are delivered via live online classes and weekly tutorials.

Some of our taught courses have higher English language requirements, and you may be required to attend a longer Pre-sessional EAP course to achieve the required level for entry. We assess each application individually against the course requirements, please check the or your offer letter.

10 week online course

Start date Tuesday 28 May 2024
End date Friday 2 August 2024
Course fee £3,500
Application deadline Friday 26 April 2024
Entry requirements IELTS Academic, IELTS Online, IELTS Indicator
Minimum 5.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all skill components).

TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, TOEFL iBT Paper Edition
Minimum 72 total (minimum 18 reading, 17 listening, 20 speaking and 17 writing).

Cambridge English Scale score - Cambridge B2 First, Cambridge C1 Advanced, Linguaskill General
Minimum 160 total (minimum 160 in all skill components).

Duolingo English Test
Minimum 100 total (minimum subscores of 95 literacy, 100 comprehension, 85 conversation and 75 production).

Kaplan Test of English (formerly Kaplan International Tools for English or KITE)
Minimum 410 overall (minimum 410 in all skill components).

LanguageCert Academic
Minimum 60 total (minimum 60 in all skill components).

LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator*
Pass overall (minimum 33 in all skill components).

Password Skills Plus
Minimum 5.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all skill components).

PTE Academic, PTE Academic Online
Minimum 59 total (minimum 59 in all skill components).

Trinity Integrated Skills in English - ISE II (B2)
Merit overall.

5 week online course

Start date Monday 1 July 2024
End date Friday 2 August 2024
Course fee £1,750
Application deadline Friday 31 May 2024
Entry requirements IELTS Academic, IELTS Online, IELTS Indicator
Minimum 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in all skill components).

TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, TOEFL iBT Paper Edition
Minimum 78 total (minimum 18 reading, 17 listening, 20 speaking and 17 writing).

Cambridge English Scale score - Cambridge B2 First, Cambridge C1 Advanced, Linguaskill General
Minimum 175 overall (minimum 160 in all skill components).

Duolingo English Test
Minimum 110 total (minimum subscores of 95 literacy, 100 comprehension, 85 conversation and 75 production).

Kaplan Test of English (formerly Kaplan International Tools for English or KITE)
Minimum 440 overall (minimum 410 in all skill components).

LanguageCert Academic
Minimum 65 total (minimum 60 in all skill components).

LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator*
Written and Spoken exams - High Pass overall (minimum 33 in all skill components).
Written exam - High Pass overall (minimum 33 in all skill components).
Spoken exam - Pass overall (minimum 33 in speaking skill component).

Password Skills Plus
Minimum 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in all skill components).

PTE Academic, PTE Academic Online
Minimum 62 total (60 in all skill components).

Trinity Integrated Skills in English - ISE II (B2)
Distinction overall.

* Both the Written and Spoken International ESOL B2 Communicator tests must be taken.

Summer courses (on-campus) for September 2024 taught and research students

Please note these courses are for students joining our 七肖中特报 based courses starting week commencing 30 September 2024.

Students registering for Shrivenham based courses on 2 September 2024 should consider our online summer courses.

These courses are delivered face-to-face on-campus.

Some of our taught courses have higher English language requirements, and you may be required to attend a longer Pre-sessional EAP course to achieve the required level for entry. We assess each application individually against the course requirements, please check the or your offer letter.

10 week on-campus course

Start date Monday 15 July 2024
End date Friday 20 September 2024
Course fee £3,500
Application deadline Friday 31 May 2024
Entry requirements IELTS Academic UKVI
Minimum 5.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all skill components).

LanguageCert Academic
Minimum 60 overall (minimum 60 in all skill components).

PTE Academic UKVI
Minimum 59 total (minimum 59 in all skill components).

5 week on-campus course

Start date Monday 19 August 2024
End date Friday 20 September 2024
Course fee £1,750
Application deadline Friday 5 July 2024
Entry requirements IELTS Academic UKVI
Minimum 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all skill components).

LanguageCert Academic
Minimum 65 overall (minimum 60 in all skill components).

PTE Academic UKVI
Minimum 62 total (minimum 59 in all skill components).

Visa requirements

On-campus Pre-sessional EAP courses

You will need to apply for a Student visa to be able to attend the Pre-sessional EAP course. You must have met all conditions of your follow-on course offer before we can issue you with a CAS number for an on-campus Pre-sessional course.

We will issue a joint CAS number for both the Pre-sessional EAP course and the follow-on course. This means you will not need to apply for a new Student visa on completion of the Pre-sessional EAP course.

Online Pre-sessional EAP courses

You cannot apply for a Student visa until you have completed your Pre-sessional EAP course. You will need to make sure you have met all other conditions related to your follow-on course before the end of the Pre-sessional EAP course. This will allow us to process your CAS number promptly on completion.

How to apply

Click the 'Apply now' button below to start your online application.

You need to hold an offer for one of our postgraduate courses in order to make an application.

The form will ask you to confirm the details of your course offer and your previous English language experience, including any tests you have previously taken.