Program Overview

Pre-University Online Course for High School Students

The Pre-University Online Course for High School Students is a two-week online course designed for high-achieving 16-18 year old students considering applying for an undergraduate degree at a UK university. The course aims to develop the academic and language skills required for undergraduate study in the UK while exploring UCL and UK academic culture.

Course Dates

• Online IT induction and introduction to the course: Friday, 17 July 2026
• Classes: Monday 20 Friday 31 July 2026

Course Overview

The course is designed for students who want to:

• Experience studying at a global top 10 university
• Develop key academic skills including critical thinking, presentation, and report writing
• Expand their use of academic English language and abilities
• Learn how to conduct academic research and prepare and deliver an academic presentation
• Participate in optional virtual visits to places of cultural and historical interest around London
• Connect and make friends with a diverse range of students from all over the world

Course Fee

The course fee is ｣990, which includes the costs of all course tuition, course materials, and materials for the virtual trips.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the course, students must:

• Be a high school student
• Be 16-18 years old for the duration of the course
• Meet the academic requirements, including excellent grades in their most recent annual high school transcript (a GPA of 70% or higher)
• Meet the English language requirements, which include:
  • IELTS: 5.5 overall, with speaking and writing sub-scores not higher than 7.0
  • IGCSE English as a Second Language: C, with no maximum grade
  • Cambridge First: B, with no maximum grade
  • Cambridge Advanced: C, with a maximum grade of B
  • TOEFL PBT: 513, with a maximum score of 587
  • TOEFL iBT (tests taken from 21 January 2026): 4.0, with a maximum score of 4.5
  • TOEFL iBT (tests taken before 21 January 2026): 65, with a maximum score of 95
  • TOEIC: 605, with a maximum score of 780
  • EIKEN: Pre-1, with no maximum grade

Course Information

The course will cover three distinct areas:

1. Academic Skills and English for Academic Purposes

• Live lessons and tutorials focusing on the language and language skills needed to study at a UK university
• An introduction to research and study skills needed for study at a UK university
• Writing a short academic research report
• Preparing and delivering an academic presentation

2. Academic Lectures

• Live lectures and seminars selected from sciences, arts, humanities, and social sciences
• Recorded lectures delivered by UCL lecturers
• Training in the listening and note-taking skills needed to process lectures and respond to content

3. UCL and UK Academic Culture

• Introduction to UCL and UK academic culture and practices
• A virtual tour of UCL

Teaching Methods

The course will be taught using both live sessions and optional self-study options. Live online sessions will include:

• Academic lectures, seminars, and workshops
• Academic language seminars and workshops
• Personal tutorials
• Self-study with tutor guidance

Technical Requirements

Students will need:

• Access to a laptop or PC with internet connection
• A headset or speakers and a microphone
• A webcam
• A modern browser, upgraded to the latest version
• A fast internet connection

Assessment

Students will be assessed through a small research report and a short presentation based on their research. A report on their achievements during the course will be written by their tutor.

Certificate

Students who successfully complete the course and attend a minimum of 80% of the live classes will receive a UCL CLIE certificate with a full report.