Studying English in the UK
Although you can learn English in your home country, coming to the UK to study has lots of benefits.
The UK offers high-quality tuition in an English-speaking environment, which can make learning the language faster and easier. You can immerse yourself in the culture of the UK, which can help broaden your horizons and allow you to meet new friends and contacts.
Many courses lead to qualifications. You may need an English language qualification to:
- gain entry to an academic programme
- improve your job prospects or employability
- demonstrate that you have good English skills
If you plan to take an English course or test as a condition of entry to an academic programme, you should check in advance that the qualification you will obtain is acceptable.
What is available?
There
is a huge range of English language courses available for all levels
from beginners up to advanced students. There are also specialised
courses designed for particular careers, such as aviation, computing or
business, or for different academic disciplines.
The British Council lists six types of English language courses:
- General English courses
- English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses
- Pre-university entrance English courses
- English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses
- Vacation courses
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) courses
Practical details
Find out about entry requirements, costs and how you will be assessed on an English language course.
Entry requirements
You do not usually need any formal qualifications to be accepted onto an English language course.
Costs
The
cost of the course depends on the length of the course and the size of
the class. Expect to pay around £100 a week for large-class tuition or
£300 a week for small-class or individual tuition.
Living costs in the UK vary, depending on where you study. As a rough guide, you should be prepared to pay around £730 a month in London and around £585 a month elsewhere. In general, the further north you go, the cheaper the living costs are.
Tuition and assessment
Most
English language courses will encourage you to 'learn by using'. That
is, you will be encouraged to take part in discussions and use English
instead of simply studying it.
Most UK universities use discussion as a key tuition method so it's good to gain experience of group discussion work.
The way you are assessed depends upon the course and the institution at which you study. Your coursework may be continually assessed or you may have to take an exam at the end of your course.Exams are usually held at set times during the year, so be sure to find out when they are before you apply.
Accreditation
You must ensure that the qualifications you study for are recognised in your home country as well as the UK.
The British Council, through its English in Britain Accreditation Scheme, currently accredits 380 UK schools, colleges and universities that offer English language courses. British council accreditation is your guarantee of quality in English language education.
The Scheme is managed by the British Council in association with English UK – the quality assurance scheme for the UK English language training sector.
The Association of British Language Schools (ABLS) is a self-governing body with the specific aim of promoting quality, professionalism and expertise in the field of English language tuition and associated services.
