UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE)

Students taking the Diploma in English for Academic Purposes will be prepared effectively for life and study at a UK university. The course has the following key aims:

• To provide an English language qualification recognised by UCL and many other leading UK universities.
• To improve and expand students' English language skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. This will ensure that students meet the linguistic requirements of their future university studies in the UK.
• To provide opportunities for extensive practice in the wide range of academic tasks that students typically undertake on undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.
• To develop students' independent learning strategies and research skills in preparation for the demands of studying an academic discipline at a UK university.
• To familiarise students with the system of higher education in the UK, its expectations and academic conventions.
• To assist with the overall course objectives the Centre provides full guidance and support to students through the process of applying to UK universities at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Students wishing to improve their English Language for study at a UK university (at undergraduate or postgraduate level). The majority of Diploma students will be preparing for postgraduate level study. The course has also helped students wishing to improve their English language in the UK before returning to a career which requires the use of English.

Full course: One academic year: the full course is taught over 32 weeks, made up of 3 terms.

As well as beginning the 32 week course in  September (Term 1), students may also join the course in January (Term 2).

See Course Dates and Studying.

You can expect around 20 hours of teaching a week. You will be expected to do a similar amount of study on your own every week.

Students will also be invited to attend a Social Programme of events.

See sample Diploma Timetable. 

Course fees for September 2013 entry are £13,000.

The course fees must be received in full prior to the start of the course and cannot be paid in instalments.

See Course Fees.

Most language classes have about 12 students in them. Our maximum class size is 14.

The Diploma in English for Academic Purposes can be described as an English language foundation course because the course aims to improve students' English language for further academic study at university.

International students who require an undergraduate foundation course containing English language as well as the study of a specific academic subject area (such as a science subject) in order to complete the requirements for undergraduate entry please see UCL's University Preparatory Certificates.

For further information on the Diploma's course content please see the next FAQ ‘Will there be any subject content in the course?’ and Studying).

The opportunity to attend academic lectures at UCL is a major strength of the Diploma course. Students gain valuable experience in listening and note-taking during these sessions, as well as learning useful terminologies and gaining a unique insight into the subject area.

Term 2 (January to April) is generally the time when Diploma students are ready to attend a variety of academic lectures outside of the prescribed timetable, although advanced level term 1 students may already have done so.  Attendance at lectures and seminars is a good way to develop authentic academic listening skills as well as an occasion to meet students from other departments.  A lecture listing is displayed on the Diploma webpage to focus students’ attention on lectures in their own subject areas as well as in other subjects, thereby encouraging students to broaden their academic awareness and general knowledge.  Together with the UCL lunchtime lectures, these extra academic lectures are a means of extending students’ note-taking skills and fostering intellectual curiosity and an independent learning approach.

Students are recommended to attend outside lectures, and in addition can attend the social programme, which will enhance their awareness and enjoyment of student life in London.

• September entry:

  A minimum of 5.0 IELTS (see table) is required with an absolute minimum of 4.5 in all skill areas. If you are unsure whether your English level meets this requirement, please contact us.
  
  

• January entry:

  A minimum of 5.5 IELTS (see table) is required with an absolute minimum of 5.0 in all skill areas. Students must not only meet the higher entry requirement, but also be able to undertake more independent research from the start. If you are unsure whether your English level meets this requirement, please contact us.

If an applicant does not hold an IELTS or TOEFL score it may be possible for them to meet the entry requirements by taking the Centre's English Test as an alternative. This will depend on the course duration selected and immigration status.

All applicants must have completed their high school education as a minimum. See  Applications & Entry page for more information.

Most applicants will need an IELTS or TOEFL or equivalent in order to get a place on the course.

If an applicant does not hold an IELTS or TOEFL score it may be possible for them to meet the entry requirements by taking the Centre's English Test as an alternative. This will depend on the course duration selected and immigration status.

See Applications & Entry page for more information on acceptable alternatives to these qualifications.

The application procedure for the course is very straight forward and usually takes no more than two weeks if responses are received promptly. The first step is to decide when to join the course (September or January) and what level of English is needed for the chosen start date.

There is no deadline for applications but they should be submitted as early as possible. The application form should be completed in full by the applicant and submitted directly to the EAP Office, UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

In some cases applicants without an existing language qualification may be advised to take the Centre’s English Language Test after their application is submitted. This will enable the admissions tutor to decide which course is most suitable.

For more details please refer to the diagram and instructions on the Applications & Entry page.

Yes, accommodation is guaranteed for students on our full-year course (studying from September to June) who formally accept their offer of a place on the course, as well as applying for accommodation by May 31st.

This does not mean that students joining the course in January will not be able to apply for accommodation. Help and advice on applying for accommodation will be available and enquiries should be made during the application procedure. See Accommodation for more information.

Students successfully completing the Diploma in June each year (see Course Assessment) will receive the UCL Diploma in English for Academic Purposes.

In addition to the Diploma qualification, there is the opportunity to prepare for the IELTS exam. Help and advice on this will be given during the course.

UCL and the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education has an excellent reputation for high-quality teaching and assessment throughout the UK and worldwide. The Diploma is recognised for the purpose of satisfying UCL’s English Language Proficiency Requirement.

The Diploma is also accepted by many other leading UK institutions as an English language qualification appropriate for entry to undergraduate and graduate courses in the UK.

For students applying to courses at universities which do not accept results from the Diploma as qualification for their English language requirements, assistance can be offered with the booking of an IELTS test in central London.

Yes, the Centre has a dedicated Education Adviser who advises on UK university applications for undergraduate as well as graduate programmes. Help with preparing for admission interviews as well as writing a personal statement is also available. See Degree Progression for further details on this.

Yes, every Friday afternoon students will be invited to attend the Centre's Social Programme - a varied programme of events which gives students the chance to visit places of interest in and around London as well as participate in cultural activities such as visits to museums, art galleries, theatre productions and guided tours of places of interest.