So you’ve made one of the biggest decisions of your life and you want to come to the UK to study. Now you should ask yourself an important question: are my current English language skills enough to support my academic ambitions and enable me to make the most of my UK education?
Studying at university in the UK may be very different from how you learn in your home country. You’ll find you’re expected to put in a lot more independent study time, which requires great self-motivation and strong organisational skills. You’ll also notice that even everyday activities, such as lectures and seminars, may be quite different.
These differences will make studying in the UK exciting but challenging, and will require a whole new set of communication skills. Taking a course specially designed to help you, as an international student whose first language is not English, succeed in your chosen field will boost your confidence and enhance your UK study experience.
English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses focus on teaching vocabulary and grammar alongside the four basic skills - speaking, including pronunciation, listening, reading and writing - in an academic context. For example, a writing lesson on an EAP course would focus on writing essays instead of business letters or presentations, and the vocabulary used is based on academic texts.
You’ll also learn invaluable new skills that will help you study independently, such as note taking, discussion, academic reading and writing and research techniques - all you need to prepare yourself properly for degree-level study at a UK university.
About EAP and Pre-sessional courses
UK universities ask international students to provide an English language certificate that shows a suitable level of English proficiency. This is often requested as a minimum IELTS test score or other satisfactory English language qualification, which will indicate whether or not you have the ability to cope with the linguistic demands of your chosen course.
If you’ve already made an application to study at a UK university, the level required for your particular course will be stated in your offer from the university. If you do not have the required English Language qualifications for direct entry to your chosen course, the university could make you an offer to study conditional upon successful completion of an EAP course. You would be required to gain the direct entry score needed to progress to your intended course of study.
EAP courses are often pre-sessional courses. This means you take them before your main academic course starts with the aim of bringing your academic English language skills up to the levels necessary to succeed in your studies.
It’s a good idea to take a pre-sessional EAP course at the institution where you plan to take your main academic course. This has the added bonus of helping you get to know your new environment before your main course starts.
Most UK universities offer pre-sessional courses and they vary in length from two weeks to one year. Courses are run throughout the year at many institutions, and which course you choose depends on your current English language level and the required level for the course you wish to study.
EAP courses can also be in-sessional courses - meaning you can take them at the same time as your main academic course. This type of course sometimes uses teaching materials targeted specifically at your degree course, such as subject-related vocabulary. Acquiring extensive yet relevant vocabulary is one of the biggest challenges of learning a second language.
Find out more about EAP and apply for an EAP course
As the birth place of the English language, it makes sense that hundreds of thousands of people come to the UK every year to learn English. The UK has the widest range of English language courses - including EAP courses - anywhere in the world, with qualifications that are recognised and valued wherever you go.
If you’d like to study on an EAP course before starting your degree course, you should first contact your chosen university for information. Alternatively, there are accredited English language centres teaching English for academic purposes in all regions of the UK.
You can search for courses in the Search tool, to the top-right of this website. Click on the arrow next to 'Please select' then click on 'English Language courses'. Choose ‘English for academic purposes’ and where you would like to study, click 'Find' and you'll see a list of courses.
Useful links
English UK provides a comprehensive list of
EAP courses.
IELTS provides the
International English Language Testing System.
Prepare for Success is an interactive web learning tool for international students who are getting ready to come to the
UK to study.
