Pre-University Education
State English Language Colleges

With nearly 90 members, BASELT colleges and universities offer international students a rich variety of English Language and related courses. Many students study for a relatively short time to improve their English for career reasons, others stay for longer to attain English language qualifications, while some use their vacation time both to travel and improve their language.

A developing trend is for international students to come to Britain for three or more years and follow an undergraduate or postgraduate course of study at a British university. A British education is seen as able to offer greater prospects for employment within an international company, be it in a student's home country or in the United States or Britain, where fluency in both English and another language combined with academic qualifications provides good opportunities.

There are a variety of pre-university courses for international students. Some require only language improvement and guidance in study skills (for example, writing assignments, using a university library) before being able to benefit from a degree or higher education course. Such courses are usually held from July to September (approximately three months), with entry to university in October of the same year.

Other students require additional study in their chosen subject area to meet the requirements for entry to university. These Foundation or Access courses consist of language tuition, with study in subjects such as Art or Business Studies for a year to enable the student to enter university in October the following year.

Many Further Education colleges have agreements with local universities to allow successful international students following a Foundation or Access course to have guaranteed entry. Such preparatory courses have been designed to lead naturally into university courses.

The computing and library facilities at British colleges and universities are fully utilised in pre-university courses, in order to prepare international students for the use of these resources during their degree programme.

Spending some time on a preparatory course before embarking on a university course is invaluable to international students, as they become used to listening to the voices of their tutors, learn how to write structured assignments, and learn how to take part in discussions on their specialist subject. Such a pre-university course offers real benefits to students looking to enter a British university - the results speak for themselves.

Author
Maureen Pierce
BASELT