Pre-sessional English courses on campus

Find out how to apply for an on-campus pre-sessional English course at Sussex.


Why study Pre-sessional English?

These courses are for you if:

  • English is not your first language
  • you need to improve your language skills before starting your undergraduate or postgraduate degree at Sussex
  • you need to develop your study skills to prepare for your degree at Sussex.

Apply now.


About the on-campus courses

There are several different lengths of Pre-sessional courses. Choosing the right one for you will depend on your incoming language level and the level you need to achieve for your chosen degree.

We currently offer 28-week,16-week,10-week and five-week courses. 

Learn more about the courses below, including tuition fees, application deadlines and entry requirements.

  • 27-week Pre-sessional

    When: 8 January to 30 August 2024 (Spring break: 23 March to 21 April, Summer break: 25 May to 23 June)

    Tuition fee: £10,802

    Application deadline: 11 December 2023

    If you do not meet the requirements stated above, or have alternative English language qualifications, contact us at: efl@sussex.ac.uk.

    Who is the course for?

    The 27-week course is designed for international students who plan to study an undergraduate, postgraduate taught or postgraduate research degree at Sussex.

    If your English language skills do not meet the required level for entry onto the 16-week, 10-week or five-week Pre-sessional courses, or direct entry onto your degree course, then the 27-week course could be for you.

    The aims of the course are to:

    • improve your level of general English
    • introduce you to to academic English.

    Course structure

    The course is intensive. You will study for 21 hours per week in the classroom.

    In addition to improving your language accuracy, the course also introduces you to Academic English Skills.

    For the final 10 weeks of this course you will join the 10-week on-campus Pre-sessional course. You’ll be placed into groups according to your future degree subject areas.

  • 16-week Pre-sessional

    When: 15 April to 30 August 2024 (Summer break: 25 May to 23 June)

    Tuition fee: £6,369

    Application deadline: 1 April 2024

    Entry requirements: 

    • for conditional degree offers of IELTS 6.0 or 6.5 – IELTS 5.0 overall, with no less than 5.0 in Writing and 4.5 in all other sections (or equivalent)
    • for conditional degree offers of IELTS 7.0 – IELTS 5.5 overall, with no less than 5.0 in Writing and 4.5 in all other sections (or equivalent).

    If you do not meet the requirements stated above, or have alternative English language qualifications, contact us at: efl@sussex.ac.uk.

    Who is the course for?

    The 16-week course is designed for international students who plan to study an undergraduate, postgraduate taught or postgraduate research degree at Sussex.

    If your English language skills do not meet the required level for entry onto the 10-week or five-week Pre-sessional courses, or direct entry onto your degree course, then the 16-week course could be for you.

    The aims of the course are to:

    • improve your level of general English
    • introduce you to to academic English.

    Course structure

    The course is intensive. You will study for 21 hours per week in the classroom.

    In addition to improving your language accuracy, the course also introduces you to Academic English Skills.

    For the final 10 weeks of this course, you will join the 10-week on-campus Pre-sessional course and placed into groups according to your future degree subject areas.

  • 10-week Pre-sessional

    When: 24 June to 30 August 2024

    Tuition fee: £3,951

    Application deadline: 10 June 2024

    Entry requirements: 

    • for conditional degree offers of IELTS 6.0/6.5 – IELTS 5.0 overall, with no less than 5.0 in every section (or equivalent)
    • for conditional degree offers of IELTS 7.0 – IELTS 5.5 overall, with no less than 5.5 in every section (or equivalent).

    If you do not meet the requirements stated above, or have alternative English language qualifications, contact us at: efl@sussex.ac.uk.

    Who is the course for?

    The 10-week course is designed for international students who plan to study at Sussex and whose English language skills have not yet met the required level for direct entry.

    By the end of the course you should be able to:

    • deal effectively with the reading and listening requirements of you proposed University course, including the ability to engage in critical reading of secondary sources, understand and take notes on academic lectures, and use the notes to answer questions related to the lecture
    • engage in spoken communication in an academic setting and answer questions on a subject related to your proposed course. Additionally, you should be able to actively engage in seminar discussions on topics of general academic interest
    • write well-structured essays that are linguistically accurate and develop an argument on topics of general interest
    • accurately apply academic conventions of citing and referencing when paraphrasing, summarising and quoting.

    The above should be at a post-intermediate level (CEFR C1/B2, depending on entrance level required).

    Course structure

    The 10-week Pre-sessional course consists of two modules over the summer:

    • a five-week language accuracy module, which will also include some of the basic skills of academic English
    • a further five-week module with a more detailed focus on academic English.

    The course consists of 21 contact hours a week, with Wednesday and Friday afternoons free for the summer social programme or self-study.

    The course content incorporate three aspects:

    • academic language
    • academic practice
    • academic culture.

    These aspects are interconnected and will provide you with transferable skills. They are also linked to your final assessments and your future studies.

    You will be divided into groups according to your future degree programmes and broad subject areas. Each group will be taught by two tutors who cover different academic English skills.

  • Five-week Pre-sessional

    When: 29 July to 30 August 2024

    Tuition fee: £1,920

    Application deadline: 15 July 2024

    Entry requirements: 

    • for conditional degree offers of IELTS 6.0 – IELTS 5.5 overall, with no less than 5.0 in every section (or equivalent)
    • for conditional degree offers of IELTS 6.5 – IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in every section (or equivalent)
    • for conditional degree offers of IELTS 7.0 – IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in every section (or equivalent).

    If you do not meet the requirements stated above, or have alternative English language qualifications, contact us at: efl@sussex.ac.uk.

    Who is the course for?

    The five-week course is designed for international students who plan to study at Sussex and whose English language skills have not yet met the required level for direct entry.

    It is also popular with students who have already met their condition for direct entry but would like to improve their understanding of academic language before starting their Sussex degree.

    By the end of the course you should be able to:

    • deal effectively with the reading and listening requirements of you proposed University course, including the ability to engage in critical reading of secondary sources, understand and take notes on academic lectures, and use the notes to answer questions related to the lecture
    • engage in spoken communication in an academic setting and answer questions on a subject related to your proposed course. Additionally, you should be able to actively engage in seminar discussions on topics of general academic interest
    • write well-structured essays that are linguistically accurate and develop an argument on topics of general interest
    • accurately apply academic conventions of citing and referencing when paraphrasing, summarising and quoting.

    The above should be at a post-intermediate level (CEFR C1/B2, depending on entrance level required).

    Course structure

    The five-week Pre-sessional course consists of 21 contact hours a week, with Wednesday and Friday afternoons free for the summer social programme or self-study.

    The course content incorporate three aspects:

    • academic language
    • academic practice
    • academic culture.

    These aspects are interconnected and will provide you with transferable skills. They are also linked to your final assessments and your future studies.

    You will be divided into groups according to your future degree programmes and broad subject areas. Each group will be taught by two tutors who cover different Academic English skills.


How to apply

There are two ways you can apply for a Pre-sessional English course: 

If you are a scholarship holder, or a sponsored student, you must apply for the Pre-sessional course via our online shop. You will need to show evidence of your scholarship or sponsorship.

Already applied?

If you've already been accepted on to a Pre-sessional English course, you can pay the remainder of your fees, including the rest of your tuition and accommodation fees. If you pay by bank transfer you must email the receipt to efl@sussex.ac.uk.

Visa information

Find out about applying for a visa to study in the UK.


How to apply for accommodation

If you're attending a ten-week or five-week Pre-sessional English course, you can stay in University-managed accommodation during the summer months only. Please see accommodation application information below.

If you're here for your course during the academic year (September to June) we cannot always offer University-managed accommodation. It is important to check the accommodation guarantee to establish your eligibility.

We cannot guarantee rooms, and dates are not flexible. From Sunday 3 to Saturday 23 September, campus accommodation is not available.

If you're going on to study a postgraduate or undergraduate degree at Sussex, you can apply for University-managed accommodation, once you have confirmed your term time course. Applications for accommodation must be received by the accommodation application deadline.

All summer accommodation is in single rooms and is self-catering (no meals provided). There are cafes, a small supermarket on campus and major supermarkets just a short bus ride away.

If you are not eligible for accommodation, we would recommend that you actively search for accommodation in the private rented sector. You may be able to find accommodation through our Sussex University Facebook house hunt page. You will also be able to look for accommodation using Sussex Studentpad, where whole properties and resident landlord rooms are advertised. Please note that for short stay accommodation (less than 6 months) you may need to use sites such as spare room and Air BnB.

  • Accommodation for students on the 10-week Pre-sessional English course

    Residence: Brighthelm
    Deadline to apply: 1 June 2023
    Move in: Sunday 18 June 2023 (If you arrive in the UK before Sunday 18 June, you will need to organise a hotel to stay in. Brighthelm accommodation will not be ready for student arrival until Sunday 18 June 2023)
    Move out: Saturday 2 September 2023
    Accommodation cost: £1,965

    Brighthelm residences are shared student houses with shared bathroom, kitchen and lounge facilities. The bedrooms are single study bedrooms with a sink.

    Apply now.

  • Accommodation for students on the Five-week Pre-sessional English course

    Residence: Stanmer Court
    Deadline to apply: 1 July 2023
    Move in: Saturday 22 July 2023
    Move out: Saturday 2 September 2023
    Accommodation cost: £1,205

    Stanmer Court residences are flats with a shared kitchen and lounge area, single study bedrooms with a private ensuite bathroom per bedroom.

    Apply now.

Progression on to your degree at Sussex

The pass rate for students progressing from our Pre-sessional courses to a degree at Sussex each year is typically 99%. You will not be required to take another IELTS or any other external assessment when you finish your Pre-sessional. However, the procedure for progression depends on whether you are on an integrated or standard Pre-sessional.

  • Five-week and 10-week Integrated Pre-sessional 

    If you are a postgraduate student on the Five-week and 10-week Pre-sessional courses only, you can receive a combined CAS for both your Pre-sessional and degree at Sussex. This means you can apply for one student visa to cover the entire duration of your study (combining the Pre-sessional and the degree). You must have met all academic requirements for your degree, in order to receive an integrated offer of this kind. In order to progress to your degree course, you will still be required to meet the required standard in all end of course assessments.

    An integrated CAS for both the Pre-sessional course and Masters degree is available for the Five-week Pre-sessional where the English requirement on your degree offer is IELTS 6.0, 6.5 or 7.0, and for the 10-week Pre-sessional where the English requirement is 6.0 or 6.5. If you are taking the 10-week Pre-sessional and the condition of your degree offer is 7.0 you are not eligible for an integrated CAS for both courses and you will need to apply for another visa, using another CAS which you will receive in September, approximately 10 days after your course finishes.

  • Five-week Pre-sessional

    This option is for undergraduate students. Postgraduate students who have not yet met the academic requirement of their degree programme can also choose this option.

    You will be required to reach the required grade in all assessments in order to progress to your degree programme. This means you will need to extend your visa at the end of the Pre-sessional. 

  • 10-week Pre-sessional

    All students on this course will hold conditional offers and will therefore be required to meet the required standard in all end of course assessments. This means you will need to extend your visa at the end of the Pre-sessional. 

  • Extended Pre-sessional courses

    All students on these courses will hold conditional offers and will therefore be required to meet the required standard in all end of course assessments. This means you will need to extend your visa at the end of the Pre-sessional course.


 Terms and conditions

Late applications cannot be guaranteed a place on the course. There can be no refund or discount for late arrivals or early leavers. Please note you have 14 days after you have paid in which to cancel and receive a refund for tuition deposits. However, refunds will only be made if cancellation notice is received 4 weeks (28 days) before the start of the course. In the case of a refund, an administration charge of £50 will be made.

If you can provide proof of testing positive for Covid 10 days or less before the course starts we will give you a full refund.

If your country, or the UK, will not allow you to travel due to Covid, we will give you a full refund.

The University will be closed on UK public holidays and other University minimum service days. No teaching will take place on these days. See the full list of closure and minimum service days


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