Pre-Sessional English Language 21 weeks (PS21)

Key information

Start date:
12 February 2024
Attendance dates:
Part one: 12 February 2024 - 10 May 2024 (online). Part two: 14 June 2024 - 30 August 2024 (campus).
Time commitment:
Monday to Friday for 21 weeks
Venue:
First 10 weeks: online. Remaining 11 weeks: Stag Hill campus, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH
Contact details:

View all pre-sessional English language courses

Overview

If you are an international student planning to study on a degree course with us but don't meet our initial English language requirements, you may benefit from our Pre-Sessional English Language 21 weeks (PS21) course.

You will automatically be moved onto your degree course on successful completion of PS21, if this is condition of your offer. You will not need to take any additional external language tests, including IELTS.

 

Hear from our students

Listen to what some of our students who attended the Summer Pre-Sessional English Language courses have to say about online learning.

Studying Pre-Sessional English online

Learning outcomes

During the course, you will develop your:

  • Ability to write in an appropriate academic style
  • Research and referencing skills, including adopting a critical approach to data
  • Lecture listening and note-taking skills
  • Speaking and academic presentation skills
  • Reading efficiency
  • Academic vocabulary
  • Ability to work independently and in groups
  • Confidence in your own ability to study in English
  • Strategies to deal with the demands of a degree course in English.

Course content

  • Language fluency and accuracy
  • Academic presentation skills
  • Academic study skills
  • Fully referenced academic essays
  • Listening and note-taking in lectures
  • Reading skills including your ability to understand the structure, ideas and arguments presented in academic texts
  • Independent learning, adapt to university life at Surrey, learn time management, independent study and other organisational skills
  • Become familiar with our learning facilities including the Library.

Learning and teaching methods

  • Reading and listening activities
  • Speaking practice
  • Group discussions
  • Independent study
  • One-to-one tutorials.

Assessment

There are multiple assessments throughout the course and a final exam.

Facilities

You will get access to our library including our language study area, home to language software, satellite TV, a large foreign film collection and books, CDs and DVDs.

Female student sat in front of computer screen

Entry requirements

To be eligible for our Pre-Sessional English Language 21 weeks (PS21) course you will need to:

  • Have already accepted a degree offer with us
  • Provide evidence of your English language level:
    • If the PSE course is taught on campus, and you require a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for a Student visa, you will need to supply an UKVI IELTS (Academic) or UKVI PEARSON (Academic) report.
    • If the PSE course is taught online, we can accept a variety of English language tests taken within the last two years. Please see the full list: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/apply/international/english-language-requirements

English language requirements

For visa purposes, the Pre-sessional course can only accept UKVI IELTS (Academic) and UKVI PEARSON (Academic) test result taken within the last two years.

To be eligible for this Pre-Sessional English Language 21 weeks (PS21) course, you will need to have achieved an overall IELTS Academic score of 1.5 below the required level for your degree course, with:

  • 1.0 lower in writing
  • 1.5 lower in all other components.

For students who are required to have a higher or lower IELTS Academic score for the degree offer condition, the minimum entry levels for all pre-sessional courses will be correspondingly higher or lower. 

If you present multiple English test results, you will only be judged on the most recent test.

Example entry scores

Applicants who need an IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no lower than 6.0 in each component for their degree course:

CategoryScore
Overall5.0
Listening4.5
Reading4.5
Speaking4.5
Writing5.0

Applicants who need an IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no lower than 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in all other components for their degree course:

CategoryScore
Overall5.0
Listening4.0
Reading4.0
Speaking4.0
Writing5.0

Fees and funding

Price per person:

£9,100

What these fees include

  • 10% deposit: £910
  • First 10 weeks of course: £4,100
  • Final 11 weeks of course: £5,000*

Total: £9,100.

*We require payment for the full fees 1 week before the start of PS21.

Additional costs

Throughout the duration of your studies it is likely that you will incur additional costs.

Funding opportunities

Sponsorship

If you are being sponsored, evidence of this must be supplied to us after your initial application is made, via the applicant portal.

This has to be issued by an authorised officer of an official sponsoring body and have a recent date of issue. This should be on company headed paper and should clearly state:

  • Your name and university number
  • The programme for which you have been offered a place
  • The level of fees that will be paid by the company
  • The address the invoice should be sent to
  • That the fees will be paid directly to the University of Surrey.

How to apply

Applications for this course are online. We would advise you to apply as soon as possible as places are limited.

Deadline

Applications typically close four weeks before the start of the course, or earlier if we reach a maximum number of applications. If we still have spaces on the course, we may extend the application deadline date.

Required documents

You are required to upload documents as evidence:

  • Evidence of your English language level: if you require a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) and a student visa, you will need to supply an UKVI IELTS (Academic) or UKVI PEARSON (Academic) report
  • A valid colour copy of your passport or EU National Identity card (valid for international travel)
  • A copy of your sponsorship letter (if you are a sponsored student).

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

University can only issue a CAS number to cover the part of the course which takes place in person. At the end of the pre-sessional course, in order to apply for a student visa for your degree course, you will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), a unique reference number, which is confirmation of your unconditional offer to study with us. A 10% deposit or proof of sponsorship for the total is necessary to receive a CAS and be accepted.

Please note, if you fail to successfully complete this 21-week course, and this is a condition of your offer, you will not be able to study on your degree course and your Student visa will be withdrawn, unless you re-take and pass the IELTS.

Terms and conditions

When you accept an offer of a place at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to comply with our policies and regulations and our terms and conditions. You are also confirming you have read and understood the University's prospective student privacy notice.

Cancellation policy

The deposit or fees for the Pre-Sessional English Language 21 weeks (PS21) course, paid to the University, can only be refunded for one of the following reasons:

Applicant-related issues

  • Refusal of a student visa for overseas applicants, in the event that proof of a rejection is sent and the University can verify via the UKVI system that the individual has been rejected and refused entry to the UK
  • The applicant has not met the conditions of their Pre-sessional course offer.

A £100 administrative payment which covers the administrative time as well as the cost of issuing a CAS certificate will be deducted.

University-related issues

  • The University is unable to offer the Pre-sessional course
  • The University closes the Pre-sessional course
  • The University cannot fulfil its offer of a place for the Pre-sessional course.

A full refund of any paid course deposit or fee will be refunded.

Disclaimer

This online prospectus has been prepared and published in advance of the commencement of the course. The University of Surrey has used its reasonable efforts to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing, but changes (for example to course content or additional costs) may occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the course. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read more.

Course location and contact details

Campus location

Stag Hill

Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

Address

University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey GU2 7XH