Program Overview

4-week Academic English Pre-sessional Course 2025 Entry

This 4-week pre-sessional course is designed to prepare undergraduate and postgraduate students for their degree programmes by focusing on the academic language and skills required for successful study at the University of St Andrews.

Overview

You will develop your ability to use English in academic contexts, as well as learn about academic, social and cultural life in St Andrews.

Entry Requirements

• Applicants must have a conditional or unconditional offer for any degree programme at the University of St Andrews.
• Applicants with a conditional offer for a degree programme must have a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) score that meets the minimum requirements in your subject area or Faculty for the 4-week pre-sessional.
• Applicants with an unconditional offer for a degree programme do not need to provide an English language test score.
• As the course uses online tools to enhance students’ learning, applicants will need to have a laptop computer to use in class and out-of-class assignments.

Application Deadline

Saturday 7 June 2025

A limited number of pre-sessional places are offered each year, and these are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants should apply as early as possible to secure a place.

Course Details

This is a full-time pre-degree course to prepare students who use English as an additional language for postgraduate or undergraduate degree programmes.

This intensive course will help you to:

• Enhance your academic English
• Develop your academic skills
• Learn about studying at the University of St Andrews as an undergraduate or postgraduate student
• Adapt to living and studying in the UK
• Meet English language offer conditions

The course introduces students to different University services, including:

• The Library
• Student Services
• Halls Life
• IT Services
• The Chaplaincy

Learning Outcomes

Students who complete this course with an overall score of 14 or higher should be able to:

• Write clear, well-structured texts on complex topics in an appropriate style for their field, using supporting evidence and examples from sources as required.
• Contribute meaningfully to discussions on complex subjects in their field, expanding and supporting points of view with appropriate reasons and examples.
• Demonstrate detailed understanding of a wide range of lengthy, complex texts where stated opinions and implied points of view are discussed, given time to reread where necessary.
• Demonstrate sufficient understanding to follow extended speech on abstract and complex topics of academic relevance.
• Produce work that demonstrates an understanding of good academic practice and scholarship, including strategies to avoid plagiarism.

Teaching

• Teaching format
• Assessment
• Support

The course combines English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classes with a series of academic lectures and seminars.

These sessions will help you to enhance your academic reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, as well as your understanding of good academic practice in higher education.

During the course, you will be tested across the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking using assessments that are benchmarked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

You will be awarded an overall grade on the University of St Andrews 20-point scale to reflect your performance on course assessments, as well as individual scores for each of the four skills.

Overall grades and individual skill scores are benchmarked to CEFR levels as follows:

• A score of 4 to 6 is equivalent to CEFR B2- level
• A score of 7 to 10 is equivalent to CEFR B2 level
• A score of 11 to 13 is equivalent to CEFR B2+ level
• A score of 14 to 16 is equivalent to CEFR C1- level
• A score of 17 to 20 is equivalent to CEFR C1 level

Progression Requirements

In addition to maintaining satisfactory attendance on the course, you must also achieve an overall grade and individual skill scores to meet the requirements of your chosen degree programme.

Further explanation of assessment and progression will be provided during orientation.

Fees

£2,480

• To reserve your place on this course a non-refundable deposit of £500 must be paid within two weeks of accepting your place.
• Fees must be paid in full by Friday 27 June 2025.

Accommodation

Students can apply for University accommodation for the duration of the pre-sessional course.

Accommodation will be available from Wednesday 6 August 2025. Students will have to move out of their allocated room on Friday 5 September 2025.

To apply, you must complete the online accommodation application form. When you complete the online application, you must ensure you check the box for the 4-week pre-sessional course.

If you do not wish to apply for University residential accommodation, please be aware that you are responsible for making your own alternative arrangements.