Presessional English, English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

• Courses dedicated to your future, learn Academic English from specialised tutors relevant to your Birmingham study.
• Small classes with no more than 18 students will develop your confidence in using English.
• Presessional English gives you an excellent opportunity to get involved in activities, make friends and settle in before you start your undergraduate or postgraduate studies.

The Presessional English programme runs all year round, courses are full time, based in the UK and vary in duration. During the summer there is scope to undertake the course on a distance learning basis.

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• Gain confidence and communicative competence on a Presessional English course
• Become immersed in the language
• Get acclimatised to studying at a UK university before your main programme
• Make friends with people on your future course
• Start getting used to British culture in a safe and friendly international environment
• Communicate in English outside of the classroom by participating in social activities
• 99.9% Presessional English students progressed to their main University study, 2024-25 entry

Our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses are accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

• Focus on the academic skills in English you need to succeed in higher education in the UK and participate in class-based discussion, speaking and listening tasks
• Receive tutor feedback on reading and writing tasks and receive regular 1-1 tutorials to discuss progress and ask questions
• All courses are assessed using a mixture of coursework, portfolio assessments and tests
• The course length you apply for will depend on the requirements detailed in your offer letter from Admissions

• Taught content – these include lectures, small group settings and workshops.
• Research-based tasks – working on your own and in groups, enjoy regular supervision and directed project work.
• Assessments - these include tests, essays and portfolio assessments.

Class sizes are a maximum of 18 students. You will have 15.8 hours of tuition every week. This is 19 classes of 50-minute lessons. Up to 20 hours per week should be allowed for completion of all pre- and post-class activities and coursework.

The first week of your course includes an introduction to the academic content and to the facilities and student support services at Birmingham. The last 1-2 weeks of the course are usually timetabled for assessment and feedback on your progress.

Classes on campus are held Monday to Friday and are scheduled between 9.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m, UK time. Timetabled online sessions will consider the needs of students studying in different time zones. There is no teaching on Saturday or Sunday. 

• Reading and Writing
• Speaking and Listening
• Academic Orientation/English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP).

The requirements for successful completion of the Presessional English course are:

• The achievement of the appropriate final mark for all assessed work (examinations and assessed coursework). You will need to meet the English Language Entry Requirements for your main Birmingham programme with your scores in the three modules.
• A minimum of 90% attendance
• Fulfilment of the university's requirements for reasonable diligence

• The minimum English language score you need for the Presessional English programme depends on the required English language score for the degree you wish to study next.
• Your offer letter from the University of Birmingham will tell you what the required IELTS score for your course is.
• To meet UKVI entry requirements, Presessional English applicants who need a Student Route visa must provide a valid official Secure English Language Test (SELT) certificate, attaining at least a B1 level of English in all skills.
• You must be at least 16 years old to apply for one of our Presessional English courses.

For our campus-based Presessional courses, we accept IELTS (UKVI), Pearson Academic (UKVI) and LanguageCert (SELT). Students who are eligible for an integrated CAS can also apply with IELTS Academic (non-UKVI), TOEFL “At Home” Test, Pearson Academic online and LanguageCert online.

Check your eligibility for an integrated CAS (for students on the 10, 6 and 4-week courses only)

For our online course (summer semester only), we accept IELTS (non-UKVI and UKVI), Pearson Academic (UKVI), Pearson Academic online, TOEFL IBT and At Home Test, and LanguageCert Academic (UKVI and online).

You might have some questions about Presessional courses. Here are some of the most common questions and some helpful answers.

Alternatively, you can get in contact with our team. We're here to help.

Fees by course length

Payment of fees

Find out more about the payment options available.

Cancellations and refunds

Read details of our Presessional refund policy.

The apply link will take you to an application portal where you will create an account with the University application system. You will submit your application and supporting documents to us online.

Please note that online Presessional English courses are marked 'DL' (Distance Learning) in the University application system.

*Students holding offers for Foundation Pathways at University of Birmingham must upload a copy of their Kaplan offer letter to their Presessional English application.

If you require any help with making an application, please contact us at presessional@contacts.bham.ac.uk

The following courses are currently closed for applications.

Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.