Our Sussex Centre for Language Studies can help you prepare for university study in the UK and provide support while you study, so you get the most out of your degree.
Sussex Centre for Language Studies
The Sussex Centre for Language Studies (SCLS), at the heart of the campus, is the University's hub for English language teaching. It is inspected and accredited by the British Council and is a founder member of QuiTE (The Association for Quality in TESOL Education). It's also home to a friendly and diverse international student community.
English language entry requirements
If your first language is not English, you will normally be required to pass an English language test, such as IELTS, PTE or TOEFL, to study at Sussex. You can find the English requirements for your particular programme in our study with us pages (under 'entry requirements').
IELTS
For undergraduate degrees — we normally require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall (with minimum 6.0 in the Listening and Writing sections). For mathematics, physics and astronomy, the requirement is 6.0 overall (with no band below 6.0), while for social work the requirement is 7.0 and for medicine, IELTS 7.5.
For postgraduate degrees — the standard requirement is IELTS 6.5 overall (with 6.5 in Writing and no band below 6.0). For some programmes, there is a higher level requirement of IELTS 7.0 overall (with no band below 6.5) and for others, a lower level requirement of IELTS 6.0 overall (with no band below 6.0).
Pearson's (Academic) English (PTE)
Standard undergraduate requirement
Pass the Pearson’s Test of English (Academic) with 62 overall with at least 56 in all four skills
Standard postgraduate requirement
Pass the Pearson’s Test of English (Academic) with 62 overall with at least 62 in Writing and no less than 56 in each of the remaining skills
Higher Requirement courses (either Undergraduate or Postgraduate) e.g. for Law or Social Work which both require a higher level of English to gain a place
Pass the Pearson’s Test of English (Academic) with 67 overall with at least 62 in all four skills
TOEFL
If you have taken a TOEFL qualification, the table below shows the grades you need, equivalent to IELTS.
| IELTS score | Internet TOEFL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | |
| 6.0 | 80 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 |
| 6.5 (UG) | 88 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 23 |
| 6.5 (PG) | 88 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
| 7.0 | 95 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 |
Pre-sessional English courses
If you have not met the English language requirement for your programme, you may need to complete a pre-sessional English language course before starting your degree. Pre-sessional courses focus on English for academic purposes and study skills. You will learn comprehension for lectures and seminars, critical reading skills, note taking, academic writing and key study skills (including citation and referencing). A pre-sessional course will also prepare you for the culture and practice of studying in the UK, so you can really fulfill your potential.
At Sussex, we run two pre-sessional courses — a ten-week course and a five-week course. The table below shows how many weeks you need, based on the gap between your current IELTS level and the English language requirement for your course at Sussex. For course dates and fees, refer to pre-sessional English on the SCLS website.
| IELTS gap | Pre-sessional required |
|---|---|
| Overall 0.5 below requirement (with no band more than 1.0 below overall requirement) |
Five weeks |
| Overall 1.5 below requirement (with no band more than 1.5 below overall requirement) Please note, we cannot accept students with any single band score below 5.0 |
Ten weeks |
| More than 1.5 below requirement in any band or overall or any band below 5.0 | Enquire about Pre-Masters or General English |
Integrated and standard pre-sessional offers
You will receive an integrated offer for your pre-sessional if you are:
- a postgraduate student,
- have met the language requirements for a five-week pre-sessional, and
- have met the academic requirements for your degree.
This means you can apply for one student visa to cover the entire duration of your study (combining the Pre-sessional and the degree). If you attend the whole course, complete all the work set, and take all the assessments you are guaranteed to progress onto your postgraduate course.
If you do not meet the requirements above, you will receive a standard offer. This means you will need to extend your visa at the end of the Pre-sessional.
For further advice, see the SCLS information on progression to your degree.
In-sessional English (while you study)
Academic development support is free if you are completing a full degree at Sussex. Our friendly, highly qualified staff teach a range of classes in English language and study skills, covering subjects such as:
- note-taking,
- summarising and paraphrasing,
- essay writing,
- paragraphing,
- referencing and writing a bibliography,
- introductions and conclusions, and
- advanced language skills.
Other English language courses
Whether or not you are a Sussex degree student, you can join SCLS all year round for a range of other English language courses, including:
- Pre-Masters English
- Summer at Sussex
- General English
- Intensive English
- Cambridge and IELTS examination preparation
- English Language Teaching