About this course

The Pre-sessional Plus programme is designed for students who have a conditional offer to study with Ulster University, but have not yet met the English language requirements of your chosen course.

This full-time programme will develop your English language skills, improve your academic study skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, introduce yourself to British culture and developing your understanding of university systems, services and facilities.

You will gain essential academic skills:

• Academic writing
• Referencing and citation
• Reading techniques
• Listening and note taking
• Grammar and vocabulary
• Communication and discussion
• Using the internet for study
• Using the University library
• Adapt to British culture

Progression

Successful completion of this programme will guarantee you entry to your progression course with an English language requirements of IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.

To view our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, please visit the courses page.

Teaching methods

Rather than having specific modules, our teaching methods are designed to boost your academic writing, reading techniques, grammar and vocabulary, using the internet and library for study.

You will attend 21 hours of classes a week which will be taught via a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, directed study, guest lectures, project work and group work.

In addition to your time in class, you will be expected to engage in approximately 19 hours of self-study time per week.

You will taught by our highly qualified tutors of English for Academic Purposes (EAP). The Centre for English Learning and Teaching team has proven experience of helping students just like you succeed.

You will have access to Blackboard, our online learning environment, where you can access module resources and reading lists that will assist your preparation for classes and self-study.

On average, you will study in a class of 12 students and no more than 16.

The first 5 weeks are formatively assessed only, giving you information about your progress and time to prepare for later assessments, which begin in Week 6 and continue until the end of the course. You will be working on a research essay and a presentation: the topics will be agreed with you early in the second phase of Pre-sessional and you will meet your tutor to discuss your progress regularly during the course. You will be expected to do around 20 hours a week of self-study time on top of this.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a mixture of coursework and examinations. The marks awarded for class essay, class test, and research assignment account for 40% of the final overall mark, while final examinations, involving application of all four language skills, make up the remaining 60% of marks available.

Response to Covid-19: Our focus is on providing a safe and welcoming learning environment for our students. More information about our response to Covid-19 and FAQs are available here.

Entry requirements

The academic entry requirements of your progression course apply.

English language requirements

Applicants must satisfy our general entry requirements as well as meeting specific requirements.

You must have IELTS 5.0 or equivalent with only one band acceptable below this (minimum 4.5). Please note that your IELTS certificate must have been issued by a UKVI approved IELTS centre only.

Other English language tests are accepted, click here to find out more.

Tuition fees for 2022/23

• International students: £2,650

Please note that the fees outlined are for your tuition only and do not include the cost of any course books that you may choose to purchase, stationery, accommodation, etc. As an Ulster University London campus student you will also have access to our on-campus libraries and a range of e-learning resources.

Programme books, dictionaries and other materials are provided.

Information for international students

Ulster University is committed to providing the best possible experience to all our students. To ensure you secure your place with us, we require our international students to pay a deposit towards their fees. More information can be found here.

What does my tuition pay for?

• Your teaching in class – this includes seminars, lectures and tutorials
• Access to facilities including computers, Wi-Fi, printers, lockers, multi-faith rooms, quiet study space and social areas. To learn more about available facilities please visit our London or Birmingham branch campus pages
• Our library service – both on-campus and an extensive online catalogue of resources
• Careers and Employability Service which provides help with CVs, applications and interview preparation through workshops, drop-ins and 1-2-1 appointments
• The ACE Team (Academic Community of Excellence) who are here to support you with your studies and assignments
• Students Activities Association (SAA) – who organise events on campus, discounted sightseeing trips and help students create and run societies

How to find out more

To find out more about this course, we recommend that you complete our enquiry form and one of our team will contact you to discuss your options.

How to apply

You can apply to study the Pre-Sessional Plus via the following methods.

Our Apply page includes further information on how to apply and which documents to include with your application.

Information for disabled applicants

At Ulster, we welcome applications from disabled students and are committed to ensuring an equal and accessible application journey. Your application will be considered on an equal basis to all other applications. Please contact us if you require any assistance. This website is continually optimised to adhere to accessibility best practice guidelines; tools to assist users with specific accessibility requirements have also been provided. More information is available in our accessibility statement.