How to apply

Find out how you can apply for the Pre-sessional English courses, including the documents you will need to submit and how to pay your course fees.

On this page:

• Application process
• Accommodation
• Important visa information
• Switching courses and making more than one application 
• Refunds

Application process

You can apply for the Pre-sessional English courses via the online application form.

Please read the information below before starting an application.

Please note the following:

• undergraduates can only choose one of the online Pre-sessional courses
• undergraduate and postgraduate offer holders for IOE degrees are not eligible for the Pre-sessional courses and should apply for the separate IOE Preparation for Academic Studies in Higher Education course (PASHE)

Follow these steps to apply for a Pre-sessional English course:

• Check the entry requirements and choose a course you are eligible for. The course is available in three different lengths either in-person or online – each course has a different English language requirement depending on the level of English you need to reach by the end of the course.
• Complete the online application form
• Upload the following with your application:
  • All pages of your 2023/24 UCL degree offer, including all English language and academic conditions
  • Your English language qualification
  • The personal details page of your passport
  • Your most recent UK visa (if you have one)
• Pay the application fee of £75 via the UCL Online Store
• Wait to hear back from us via email. If we offer you a place on the course, our email will include details about how and when you need to pay the course fees.

Please make sure you fully complete your application because missing information will cause a delay. If your chosen course is full prior to the submission of a complete application, we will not be able to make you an offer.

Application deadlines

Applications may close earlier if courses become full.

Confirming your place

We will email you to confirm your place on the course after you have paid the course fees.

Course fees will normally be due within two weeks of our offer being made and can be paid by credit or debit card on the UCL Online Store.

Your offer email will contain full details on how and where to make this payment.

Accommodation (face-to-face programmes)

If you’re applying for one of our face-to-face courses, we will send you further information on how to apply for UCL Accommodation if you would like to after you have paid your fees.

Look at the accommodation website to see what’s available and get an idea of the cost.

Visa information (face-to-face programmes)

Conditional UCL degree offer holders

We normally email you a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) two to three months before your Pre-sessional course starts, or as soon as possible after that.

You can use our CAS to apply for a Student Visa for the duration of the Pre-sessional course.

If you successfully complete the Pre-sessional course assessment, your degree course offer will be made unconditional and UCL will issue you with a new CAS.

You can use this CAS to make an application for a Student Visa covering your degree course. Students on the face-to-face course in London will normally make their application in the UK.

Unconditional UCL degree offer holders

UCL unconditional offer holders attending a face-to-face 6-, 8- or 11-week course are eligible for a Joint CAS covering both their Pre-sessional and UCL degree courses.

If you have an unconditional offer, you should aim to pay your Pre-sessional course fees at least 8 weeks before the course start date to allow time for a Joint CAS covering both the Pre-sessional and UCL degree course to be issued.

Switching courses and making more than one application

If we offer you a place on a Pre-sessional course, whether you accept our offer or not, you will not be considered for another Pre-sessional course in that calendar year.

Please make sure you only submit one application. Only your first application will be considered, and you may not receive a refund for other applications made.

If you need to switch from a face-to-face to an online course of the same length, the deadline is the same as the relevant face-to-face course application deadline. For example, if an 11-week face-to-face student wishes to switch to an 11-week online course, this must be requested by 5 May 2023.

For logistical reasons no other requests to switch courses will be considered.

Refunds

If your visa application is unsuccessful and it is not possible to make a further application, we will refund your course fees in full.

Your refund claim must be made in writing and be supported by a Refusal of Entry Clearance letter.

Other refund requests will be considered if we can find another student to take your place on the course and provided your request is received before the course application deadline.

All refunds will be subject to a £200 administration charge.

No refund will be made if you withdraw or are withdrawn (for example, because of poor attendance) from a course after it begins.