Postgraduate

Prepare for postgraduate study at UCL with an intensive Pre-sessional English course. Develop the academic skills, language and knowledge you need to succeed on your Master’s degree.

Apply now and waiting list

We are open to applications for some postgraduate pre-sessional courses and have a waiting list open for others.

More information

Not ready to apply?

If you hold an offer from the UCL Institute of Education (IOE), you may instead need to take the IOE’s own pre-sessional course, known as the Preparation for Academic Studies in Higher Education (PASHE).

Key information

Study mode

Full time

Delivery mode

Online or face to face

Fees

Extended: £8,325
Standard: £7,700

Course dates

Extended: 8 June to 27 August 2026
Standard: 29 June to 27 August 2026

Application information

Standard Face-to-face course

Please contact us directly (presess@ucl.ac.uk) regarding the availability of any final places.

Extended Online and Extended Face-to-face courses

Applications are closed.

Standard Online course

We are accepting waiting list applications.

You should read the waiting list guidance below and check you meet the course entry requirements before submitting your application.

Waiting list guidance

Submitting an application does not guarantee that you will receive an offer of a place on the course. Demand is likely to be high and only limited places at specific UCL language levels (Levels 1-5) are available.
If you have already been offered a place on the Pre-sessional course this year you will not be considered.
Please only submit a waiting list application if you are able to attend the course, because we will make no more than one waiting list offer to any applicant.
Complete applications will be prioritised, so please make sure you complete all fields in the application form and upload all pages of your UCL degree course offer, including any conditions. If you are currently studying in the UK you should also upload a copy of your e-visa, including the end date.
If you are offered a place via the waiting list, you will have only a short time to make payment of both the application and course fees.
The waiting list will normally close not later than the course application deadline and may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.

Course overview

The Pre-sessional English Course for Postgraduates prepares you for academic study at UCL by developing the academic skills, language and knowledge you will need for your degree.

This is an academically challenging course designed specifically for students preparing to begin postgraduate study.

You will work closely with other pre-postgraduate students and your tutor, complete formative tasks, and receive regular feedback and guidance as you develop the language and academic skills needed for postgraduate-level work.

The course is suitable if you hold a conditional offer for a UCL postgraduate degree.

Successfully completing the course satisfies UCL’s English language requirement for postgraduate degree programmes.

The course is full time and intensive. You must be fully available throughout the course and it cannot be combined with employment, internships or other courses.

You must complete your undergraduate degree, including your studies and exams, before the course start date.

Course options and dates

You can study online in your country or face-to-face in London. Two course lengths are available depending on your current English level and the English language requirement for your degree.

Course	Start date	End date	Results day
Extended course	Monday 8 June 2026	Friday 21 August 2026	Thursday 27 August 2026
Standard course	Monday 29 June 2026	Friday 21 August 2026	Thursday 27 August 2026

The course durations are as follows:

the Extended course includes up to 9.5 weeks of teaching and 1.5 weeks of assessment
the Standard course includes up to 6.5 weeks of teaching and 1.5 weeks of assessment

You must complete enrolment before or on the course start date so that you can attend your first scheduled teaching events. Further enrolment information will be sent during the application process.

If you do not complete enrolment, or do not attend scheduled teaching events within the first five days, you will be withdrawn from the course.

Choosing a course

Here’s some guidance on choosing between the face-to-face and online courses.

If you choose to study face-to-face, you will have your lessons on UCL’s main Bloomsbury campus in central London.

You will benefit from interacting in person with your tutor and classmates in a UCL classroom. Studying in London and on campus gives you the opportunity to become familiar with the city and the university, including access to UCL’s libraries and other facilities, before your degree begins.

This also gives you many more opportunities to practise and improve your English, especially listening and speaking, both inside and outside the classroom.

You should consider studying online instead if it may be difficult for you to book an accepted English language test or obtain a visa in time for the course start date.

If you choose to study online, you will be taught remotely using UCL platforms such as Microsoft Teams.

You will be able to access the UCL resources you need remotely, including the UCL Library catalogue. Studying from your home country may be more practical, but you will need to motivate yourself to improve your skills, particularly speaking, while you are not in class.

If motivation is harder to maintain, or speaking presents more of a challenge, the face-to-face course may be more suitable.

Route to success

97% of students on the course are now studying on a UCL postgraduate degree.

End-of-course data 2025

Entry requirements

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must hold a conditional offer for a postgraduate degree at UCL.

Your eligibility depends on:

your current level of English
the English language requirement for your future degree
whether you study online or face-to-face
the English language qualification you have taken

If you meet the entry requirements for the Standard course, you should still consider applying for the Extended course. The longer course gives you more time to prepare for postgraduate study and adjust to teaching and learning at UCL.

You can check the English language requirement for your degree in your offer letter.

You can also check your eligibility by entering the English language level required for your future degree and your IELTS scores.

Students who already hold an unconditional UCL degree offer are not eligible for the Extended or Standard Pre-sessional courses.
If you hold an offer for a degree delivered by IOE, Faculty of Education and Society, you should apply for the Preparation for Academic Studies in Higher Education (PASHE) course instead.
If you have previously studied a UCL Pre-sessional course, we will not consider a further Pre-sessional application.

PASHE is for applicants holding offers for degree courses delivered by IOE, Faculty of Education and Society. The postgraduate Pre-sessional courses are for offer holders in all other faculties.

Accepted English language tests

Face-to-face courses

You must have one of the following:

IELTS for UKVI (Academic)
Pearson PTE Academic UKVI

The following tests are not accepted:

IELTS One Skill Retake tests
TOEFL iBT MyBestScore

Your test must have been taken less than two years before the course start date for us to consider it.

Online courses

The following tests are accepted:

IELTS – UKVI / Academic / Academic Online
Pearson Test of English (PTE) (UKVI / Academic)
TOEFL (iBT / Home Edition)

The following tests are not accepted:

IELTS One Skill Retake tests
TOEFL iBT MyBestScore

Your test must have been taken less than two years before the course start date for us to consider it.

You must meet the entry requirements in a single test. Scores from multiple tests cannot be combined.

Different tests are accepted for the face-to-face and online courses.

Minimum English language scores

The score required depends on the English language requirement for your degree and the course length.

Read more about UCL’s English language requirements.

Extended course

For the face-to-face course, the only accepted tests are IELTS for UKVI (Academic) and Pearson PTE Academic UKVI.

UCL degree requirement	IELTS	TOEFL	Pearson
Level 1	5.5 overall 5.5 in each subskill	4.0 overall 4.0 in each subskill	59 overall 59 in each subskill
Level 2	5.5 overall 5.5 in each subskill	4.0 overall 4.0 in each subskill	59 overall 59 in each subskill
Level 3	6.0 overall 5.5 in each subskill	4.5 overall 4.5 in each subskill	67 overall 59 in each subskill
Level 4	6.0 overall 6.0 in writing 5.5 in other subskills	4.5 overall 4.5 in each subskill	67 overall 67 in writing 59 in each subskill
Level 5	7.0 overall 7.0 in each subskill	5.0 overall 5.0 in each subskill	76 overall 76 in each subskill

You must achieve the following scores:

Level 1: Overall 82, with 22 in reading and writing and 18 in speaking and listening
Level 2: Overall 82, with 22 in reading and writing and 18 in speaking and listening
Level 3: Overall 87, with 22 in reading and writing and 18 in speaking and listening
Level 4: Overall 87, with 24 in writing, 22 in reading, and 18 in speaking and listening
Level 5: Overall 100, with 25 in reading and writing and 23 in speaking and listening

Standard course

For the face-to-face course, the only accepted tests are IELTS for UKVI (Academic) and Pearson PTE Academic UKVI.

UCL degree requirement	IELTS	TOEFL	Pearson
Level 1	6.0 overall 5.5 in each subskill	4.0 overall 4.0 in each subskill	67 overall 59 in each subskill
Level 2	6.0 overall 5.5 in each subskill	4.5 overall 4.0 in each subskill	67 overall 59 in each subskill
Level 3	6.5 overall 6.0 in each subskill	5.0 overall 4.5 in each subskill	75 overall 67 in each subskill
Level 4	6.5 overall 6.0 in each subskill	5.0 overall 4.5 in each subskill	75 overall 67 in each subskill
Level 5	7.5 overall 7.0 in each subskill	5.5 overall 5.0 in each subskill	80 overall 76 in each subskill

You must achieve the following scores:

Level 1: Overall 87, with 22 in reading and writing and 18 in speaking and listening
Level 2: Overall 87, with 22 in reading and writing and 18 in speaking and listening
Level 3: Overall 92, with 24 in reading and writing and 20 in speaking and listening
Level 4: Overall 92, with 24 in reading and writing and 20 in speaking and listening
Level 5: Overall 109, with 27 in reading and writing and 23 in speaking and listening

Teaching, learning and assessment

What you will learn

During the course you will complete an independent research project related to your future degree.

You will learn how to use UCL Library tools and produce academic writing based on your research. You will also develop strategies for understanding complex academic texts and lectures.

You will take part in academic discussions and deliver academic presentations.

You will complete formative tasks and receive regular feedback from your tutor. You will also attend individual tutorials.

How the course is taught

Classes are taught in groups of up to 15 students. Small classes allow you to participate actively and receive regular guidance and feedback from your tutor.

Lessons focus on communication, collaboration and research skills.

Your tutors will be introduced at the beginning of the course. They are approachable and dedicated Associate Lecturers who will prepare you for your studies at UCL.

The Senior Team also supports students during the course.

A typical study day

Face-to-face courses

Each day begins with a three-hour lesson with your tutor and classmates on UCL’s Bloomsbury campus.

In the afternoon, you work independently on your research project and prepare for the next lesson. This may include watching a lecture, reading a text, or writing an essay plan.

Studying in London allows you to practise English both inside and outside the classroom and become familiar with UCL facilities before your degree begins.

Online courses

Online students study remotely using UCL platforms such as Microsoft Teams.

You can access the UCL resources you need remotely, including the UCL Library catalogue.

Each day begins with independent research and preparation tasks for your lesson. This may include watching a lecture, reading a text, or writing an essay plan.

You then attend a three-hour lesson with your tutor and classmates.

Online courses operate during standard UCL working hours and the teaching and assessment schedule is fixed and cannot be changed.

Students based in time zones to the west of the UK, including the Americas, may find the timetable difficult because of the early start times for lessons and assessments and the significant time differences between you, your tutor and your classmates. For this reason, we strongly recommend the face-to-face course for students in those time zones.

Study commitment and timetable

Your weekly timetable typically includes:

15 hours of contact time with your tutor in lessons
a minimum of 15 hours of independent study for research and lesson preparation
15 minutes of online contact time with your tutor in individual tutorials

This is a full-time, intensive course and cannot be combined with employment, internships or other study.

The course operates during standard UCL working hours, and the teaching and assessment schedule is fixed and cannot be changed.

You are expected to attend fully and participate actively in scheduled teaching activities.

The minimum attendance requirement is 85%. If you cannot meet this requirement, you may be withdrawn from the course.

Students withdrawn because of poor attendance are not eligible for a full or pro rata refund.

Face-to-face sample timetable

Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Lessons 09:30am to 1pm BST (including a 30-minute break)	Research Skills: academic integrity and citing your sources	Academic Reading Circle: working together to understand a complex text	Research Skills: understanding your audience and their expectations; defining key terms	Speaking and Presentation Skills: how to talk about your research; signposting language for presentations	Micro-presentation, Q&A, and peer feedback: your Research Project so far
Independent study after 1pm BST	Independent Research (1 hour); read journal article and prepare for lesson (2 hours)	Independent Research (3 hours)	Independent Research (3 hours)	Independent Research (2 hours); prepare micro-presentation (1 hour)	Independent Research (3 hours)
1pm to 5pm BST	Individual Tutorial (15 minutes)

Online sample timetable

Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Independent study before 9:30am BST	Independent Research Project (3 hours)	Independent Research Project (1 hour); read journal article and prepare for lesson (2 hours)	Independent Research Project (3 hours)	Independent Research Project (3 hours)	Independent Research Project (2 hours); prepare micro-presentation (1 hour)
Lessons 09:30am to 1pm BST (including a 30-minute break)	Research Skills: academic integrity and citing your sources	Academic Reading Circle: working together to understand a complex text	Research Skills: understanding your audience and their expectations; defining key terms	Speaking and Presentation Skills: how to talk about your research; signposting language for presentations	Micro-presentation, Q&A, and peer feedback: your Research Project so far
1pm to 3pm BST	Individual Tutorial (15 minutes)

Assessment

As a conditional postgraduate degree offer holder, you must achieve UCL English Level 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, as stated in your degree offer letter, in order to progress to your chosen UCL degree.

The assessment methods are the same for both the face-to-face and online courses, and all students enrolled on the course are required to complete all assessments.

If your degree offer becomes unconditional during the Extended or Standard Pre-sessional course, you will still be expected to complete all assessments successfully.

The assessments are based on your independent research project.

You will produce a Research Portfolio based on independent library research.

The Research Portfolio has two components:

a research essay using academic texts on a topic related to your future degree course
a record of your research process, including the texts you selected and your use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

You will receive help and guidance from your tutor throughout the course.

You will attend a Viva, which is a spoken exam based on the content of your Research Portfolio.

In the Viva, you will have the opportunity to discuss and clarify aspects of your work.

You will practise for the Viva and receive support in one-to-one tutorials during the course.

Technical requirements

You will receive guidance on using UCL’s online platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, at the start of the course. Technical support is available during normal UK office hours, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

modern laptop (phones or tablets are not suitable)
headset or headphones, or functioning speakers and a microphone
webcam
Google Chrome
internet connection of at least 60 Mb/s download and 10 Mb/s upload

second or external monitor
external mouse and/or keyboard
wired ethernet connection
computer with Intel i7 / Apple M1 processor or equivalent
16 GB RAM
internet connection of 100 Mb/s download and 20 Mb/s upload

Senior team

This is the Postgraduate Pre-sessional Senior team.

Robert Hughes

Head of Pre-sessional Programmes

Robert holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature from the University of Sussex and an MA in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching from King’s College London, where he won the Language, Discourse & Communication Outstanding Master’s Student Prize. He also holds the Trinity TESOL and Cambridge DELTA (Distinction). Since 2016, he has worked on the Pre-sessional and now leads all academic aspects of CLIE’s Pre-sessional programmes.

Yasha Sosenskiy

Pre-sessional Senior Coordinator (Digital Development)

Yasha holds a degree in International Relations from the University of Edinburgh, an MA in English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics from King’s College London, and the Cambridge DELTA. He has taught for about 15 years in Colombia, Chile, France, Turkey, Cambodia and the USA, and has taught Digital Literacy, Academic English and Politics in UK higher education. At CLIE since 2018, he develops digital platforms, systems and processes, specialising in automation and data management.

Janeane Owens

Pre-sessional Senior Coordinator (Student Experience)

Janeane has over 20 years’ teaching experience in China, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Poland and the UK. At CLIE since 2011, she has taught on and coordinated the Pre-sessional Course since 2015 and leads student support. She holds a BA in History, an MA in Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching, the Trinity Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL), the Cambridge DELTA and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2015.

Ian Newby

Pre-sessional Senior Coordinator (Assessment)

Ian has been involved in teaching and coordinating pre-sessional courses at CLIE since 2008 and has worked on pre-sessional assessment development and validation since 2018.

Ian has a first degree in Earth Sciences and a Master's degree in Information and Communications Technology in Education as well as the Cambridge Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (DELTA). He is currently carrying out post-graduate research on test development and validation in EAP.

Heather McClean

Pre-sessional Senior Coordinator (Academic)

Heather has over 25 years’ English teaching experience and has worked in Japan, the USA and Spain. For 11 years she has worked in Higher Education teaching and leading Pre-sessional and Academic English programmes, and as an IELTS examiner. Most recently, she worked in Educational Development at Queen Mary University of London. She holds a degree in International Business Communication, an MA in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, and the Cambridge DELTA.