Have you received an offer from UCL but are still working on your English language scores? Don’t worry! UCL offers a range of Pre-sessional English (PSE) courses to help international students smoothly transition into their degree programmes. Whether you’re an undergraduate or postgraduate student, holding a conditional or unconditional offer, there’s a course designed for you.
Types of Pre-sessional Courses
UCL’s PSE courses are mainly categorized as follows:
Non-IOE Undergraduate PSE: For conditional UG offers. Unconditional offers cannot be paired with this course.
Non-IOE Postgraduate PSE: For conditional PG offers. Unconditional offers cannot be paired.
Non-IOE Unconditional PG PSE: For those who already hold an unconditional offer or have met the language requirement.
IOE PASHE Courses: For both undergraduate and postgraduate students in the IOE (Institute of Education). Available for conditional and unconditional offers.
Language Entry Requirements
UCL sets different entry requirements based on the language level (Level 1–5) of your degree programme. Here are some examples for direct entry:
Standard Course Examples:
Level 3: IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in each skill)
Level 5: IELTS 7.5 (7.0 in each skill)
Extended Courses have lower requirements, suitable for students with strong academic backgrounds but slightly lower language scores.
IOE PASHE Courses are available in 11-week and 8-week formats, each with different entry thresholds.
Course Dates & Fees
PSE courses usually run from June to August each year, with application deadlines from April to May. The application fee is £90, and course fees range from £2,095 to £8,325 depending on the type.
Examples:
Online Standard PSE for PG: £7,700
Online Extended PSE for PG: £8,325
Unconditional PG Short Course (3 weeks): £2,095
🛂4. Delivery Mode & Accepted Tests
Face-to-face courses: Accept IELTS for UKVI (Academic) or Pearson PTE Academic UKVI.
Online courses: Accept IELTS (UKVI/Academic), PTE (UKVI/Academic/Online), and TOEFL (iBT/Home Edition).
5. Important CAS Notice
UCL only issues a combined CAS (covering both Pre-sessional and degree programmes) to students who hold an unconditional offer. Most students attending Pre-sessionals have conditional offers, so their CAS will only cover the language course.
✅ How to choose the right course?
Consider your offer type, current language scores, schedule, and budget. If you’ve already met the language requirement but wish to adapt to academic English earlier, you can also apply for the short unconditional course.
Need more details? Such as which language level matches your programme, how to prepare documents, or visa guidance? Contact RG Abroad’s customer service for one-to-one consultation and application support!