Finding the right course

You'll find English language courses in the UK to suit all ages, ambitions and abilities. Courses are offered at a range of institutions including:

• In your home
• In a teacher's home
• English language schools and colleges
• Further Education colleges
• Universities
• Online and distance learning.

The type of course you choose, and where you study, will depend on how you intend to use English in the future.

Points to consider

Think about what you want to be able to do with the English that you learn.

• Do you want to use English for work or to study a degree?
• Does your employer require you to hold a particular English language qualification?
• Are you interested in teaching?
• Do you just want to be able to hold a conversation?

Remember to take into account the English skills you already have. There are courses available for speakers of all standards, so it’s important to find the right level. To help you do this, some courses have Entry tests [LINK to entry requirements] to assess your skills.

Accreditation

When you choose an accredited course, you can be confident that it meets independently agreed standards. This is particularly important if you are planning to do an intensive or residential course which involves staying at a college or in a teacher's house.

Accreditation UK is the English language training accreditation scheme. It is managed by the British Council in partnership with English UK and is a stamp of quality for more than 480 language course providers.

Other quality assurance organisations include the British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes and the European Association for Quality Language Services.

Finding a course

You can find specific institutions and courses using our course finder in the top right corner of this page. Click 'Please select' in the 'Course category' and 'Subject area/Type of course' fields and choose from the options listed.

 English language courses 
 English language course entry requirements