Overview

The course aims to improve your English language skills in the key areas of speaking, listening, reading and writing, through task-based activities, placing an emphasis on improving communicative abilities.

Who this course is for

You will be:

• a university student (or just about to start university)
• aged 18 years or above
• somebody who does not speak English as their first language
• eager to develop your English language skills by exploring the rich diversity of London

Course content

Academic

Classes are taught in small groups with an average of 14 students per class.

Teaching takes place from Monday to Friday, with morning classes covering:

• English language lessons
• Visit preparation
• Research project
• Presentation skills
• Report writing

You will have an average of 15 study hours per week (a UCL study hour is 50 minutes).

Afternoon visits make up the remainder of the contact hours.

Cultural visits

You will have guided visits to places of cultural importance around London two or three afternoons a week.

UCL Social Assistants will accompany you on all trips. For off-campus visits, they will collect you from UCL and bring you back to UCL at the end of the visit.

Some off-campus trips will be led by a Blue/Green Badge Tour Guide. These professionally-trained certified tour guides are among the very best tour guides working in London and their training takes one whole year.

They will take you around the place you are visiting, explaining the cultural significance, importance and history of the place.

The cost of these visits, guides and the UCL students who accompany you are included within the course tuition fees and usually include a trip to a theatre, gallery and museum.

You will be prepared for all visits during preparation classes.

We've included details of last year's trips below. We expect the same type of visits to take place but the locations and overall number of visits will change each year.

East End of London

Last year, students had the opportunity to explore the history and culture of a part London.

Specifically, students focused on learning about immigrant communities who came to the East End of London.

Tate Britain Art Gallery

Tate Britain displays British historic and contemporary art, including rooms dedicated to artists such as Tracey Emin and is home to the annual Turner Prize (won by Jesse Darling from the UCL Slade School of Fine Art in 2023).

Last year, students visited the gallery and had a guided tour.

The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre

The West End is the main commercial and entertainment centre of London and home to some of the most famous theatres in the world.

Last year, students saw a performance of The Lion King – with music by Elton John – at the Lyceum, a theatre with origins dating back to 1765.

London Transport Museum

The London Transport Museum is located in Covent Garden, central London. There, last year's students learnt all about London's transport heritage during a guided tour of the museum.

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens – founded in 1840 – is dedicated to the study of plants and is home to the largest and most diverse plant and fungi collections in the world. It's a top London attraction for tourists from all over the UK and the world.

Last year's Summer English students visited Kew Gardens, in Richmond southwest London, and had a guided tour.

Free afternoons

On afternoons when there are no visits or lectures as part of the course, you may wish to visit suggested places of cultural interest or spend time on personal study using the many facilities available on the UCL campus. This time is yours and you can decide how you wish to spend it.

Sample timetable

Certificates and assessment

There are no formal examinations. A research project, final presentation and report will be completed outside of lessons. 

You will receive a Summer English Course for International University Students Certificate (providing there has been a minimum attendance of 80% on the course). A short report on your progress on the course will also be provided.

Entry requirements

Students on the course normally have levels of English in the ranges shown below.

If you do not have a formal English language qualification, we encourage you to apply and may ask you to complete a short written test as part of the application process.

At the start the course you will be tested and placed in a class according to your level of English.

*If you have an overall IELTS score higher than 7.0, but writing and speaking subscores of 7.0 or below, we will consider your application.

This course is not suitable for beginners or elementary students. You will probably have studied English for several years at school and may be studying English as part of your university degree.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you will be have:

• develop English language skills
• explore the rich diversity of London and the UK 
• prepared for studying at a UK university

Cost

The standard course fee is £1,825. This covers the costs of all course tuition, including course materials and entry fees for trips which are part of the course.

Students are responsible for travel costs for the visits.

Course information last modified: 22 Feb 2024, 15:21