English for University Studies is a flexible course designed to give you the key skills you will need for university life in the UK. It is offered at our English schools in the UK, and it can be taken as a stand-alone course or as part of an International Semester Course.

The course consists of 28 lessons per week; 20 lessons of General English in the morning, and 8 lessons per week of English for Academic Purposes in the afternoons. The minimum length of study is 4 weeks and the maximum length is 12 weeks. The level of English required is Intermediate and above.

The course will help students to be successful in their university studies by preparing them for the challenges of studying in a foreign language and in a foreign culture. Students will learn how best to cope with the workload, particularly in terms of reading efficiently and effectively. Students will learn how to write in an academic style and how to give successful presentations. We will also look at how to get involved in seminars and how to get the most out of lectures. The following skills and topics are usually covered:

1. The academic aspect, an overview of:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Tutorials
  • Research
  • Referencing

2. Reading and writing

  • Dealing with reading lists
  • Note-taking and summarising ideas
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • Referencing
  • Formulating research questions
  • Building an argument
  • Essay writing

3. Listening and speaking

  • Preparing for lectures
  • Note-taking
  • Following up on notes
  • Engaging in discussion
  • Formulating questions in real time
  • Giving presentations
  • Responding effectively to questions