Pre-Sessional English Courses

Course Overview & Structure

Our in-person Pre-Sessional English course is an intensive academic English programme that prepares you for successful degree study by:

• Raising your language level to meet your degree requirements
• Developing academic writing, reading, listening and speaking skills
• Building confidence in a UK university learning environment
• Supporting a smooth transition into undergraduate or postgraduate study

Our courses are all BALEAP-accredited, ensuring the highest professional standards in academic English teaching. Students who successfully complete the course can progress directly to their University of Glasgow degree without needing to retake IELTS externally (subject to meeting all other offer conditions).

 

Course Structure

The course is divided into six blocks. Your starting point depends on your current IELTS score and the level required for your degree.

Start dates for the six blocks are: 9 January, 13 February, 27 March, 1 May, 15 June, and 27 July. All students complete the programme on 28 August.

Which start date is best suited to me?

In Block 5, you will join one of our seven Bridging Programmes, designed to prepare you for your specific degree pathway. You will study alongside students progressing to similar subjects, allowing you to develop subject-specific language, academic conventions and expectations relevant to your field.

These classes are taught by expert academic staff and are tailored to help you transition confidently into your chosen discipline. Bridging Programme pathways include:

• Accounting & Finance
• Biomedical Sciences
• Education
• Law
• Management
• Science, Engineering & Technology
• Social Sciences and Arts & Humanities

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Blocks 1 & 2

The aim is to develop your ability to communicate effectively in a range of academic contexts to a level at least equivalent to an IELTS score of 5.5.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this term you should be able to:

• Read texts up to 1,000 words long on general and familiar topics in academic and everyday contexts. Use basic text analysis skills to identify the structure and purpose of different sections of text.
• Distinguish main ideas and details when listening to in-class discussions and straightforward lectures up to 10 minutes long on familiar and semi-academic topics.
• Write short essays 400 – 500 words long describing a process, a narrative, or comparing and contrasting. Link information effectively within and between paragraphs. Refer to reading and listening material to support points.
• Communicate 1-1 on general, familiar and semi-academic topics using a range of structures to describe and clarify information and ideas and express your views. Give presentations 8-10 minutes long and respond to questions.

Timetable

Each week comprises 15.5 hours of in-class learning per week divided into 2-hour and 1.5 hour sessions and 10-15 minutes per week for individual consultations, plus approximately 15-18  hours per week homework.  

Assessment

You will be assessed in all four skills through class work, homework, and end-of-term tests. 

• Reading: 40% End-of-block test; 40% Class tasks; 60% Monitored class work
• Listening: 40% End-of-block test; 40% Class tasks; 60% Monitored class work
• Writing: 40% In-class timed writing; 60% Tasks completed at home or in class
• Speaking: 40% short presentations (8-10 mins); 60% Monitored class tasks

Teaching Methodology

Working collaboratively is an important part of the language learning process. In your classes you will be working independently and collaboratively. This can take place in pairs, or small groups of three or four. Groups can be mixed in nationality, gender and language ability to maximise opportunities for communication.

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Blocks 3 & 4

The aim is to develop your ability to communicate effectively in a range of academic-related contexts to a level of at least equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.0 in reading, listening, writing and speaking.

The term consists of two four-week blocks.  The first block begins in April and focuses on group work and collaborative learning.  The second block begins in May and focuses on core academic skills and language.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Spring term, you should be able to:

• Reading - Read a range of texts of up to 2,000 words including short journal articles using reading strategies to navigate sections of texts, infer meaning and critically evaluate potential source-texts for writing.
• Listening - Comprehend and take effective notes on main ideas and details when listening to discussions and straightforward lectures of up to 15-20 minutes in length covering familiar & semi academic topics.
• Writing - By the end of April: write a group research report of 1,000 words demonstrating analysis and incorporating sources from background reading. By the end of May: write essays of 550-700 words in length using rhetorical functions such as cause/effect, research report, and argument, demonstrating analysis and evaluation skills and incorporating sources from background reading.
• Speaking - By the end of April: deliver a short presentation, along with team members, on your research project.  By the end of May: communicate effectively on general and less familiar topics in both everyday & academic situations, including seminar discussions in which you support your stance by referring to reading.

Timetable 

Classes may be scheduled any time 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Each day will typically comprise:

• 90-minute small group tutorial
• 60-90 minute-lecture
• Around 4 hours of guided independent and group study to be completed in your own time

Over each 4-week block, you will also have 2 or 3 individual or small group consultations with your teacher.

Your class and teaching methodology

For each four-week block you will be working in small groups of 8 to 12 students.  You will have one teacher responsible for: teaching the tutorial sessions, monitoring your progress, and meeting with you for your individual or small group consultations. Your lectures will be in larger groups, most likely delivered by a different teacher from your tutorial sessions. These lectures will give important input to help with independent study and give you the chance to clarify independent study tasks.

The April block of teaching has been designed around group work, so you will be working very closely with team members on your research project.  Groups will, wherever possible, be mixed in gender and nationality.  Working collaboratively is an important part of the language learning process.  It necessitates interaction and communication, and it also develops life skills that are transferable to future study and work contexts.  There may be times when your group will need to work outside of scheduled classes - it is important to be aware of this and to prioritise your time and tasks.

As well as working in a team, you will also be expected to work independently to demonstrate your knowledge and skills through individual tasks.

Assessment

You will be assessed in all four skills through class work, homework, and end-of-term tests. 

Reading	40% End-of-block test; 60% Monitored class work
Listening	40% End-of-block test; 60% Monitored class work
Writing	April: 60% 1000-word group project + 150-word reflection; 40% 300-500 word writing test May: 60% Tasks completed at home or in class; 40% In-class writing test
Speaking	April: 40% Class participation; 60% Group presentation May: 40% Information Presentations; 60% Participation in seminar discussions, 1-to-1, and group tasks

Assessment is based on the completion of all assessment tasks and attainment of the ILOs.  Assessment criteria as outlined in the EAS Assessment Descriptors are used in the evaluation of all tasks.

Core Material

All course materials will be provided on Moodle, the University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) or accessed through the University Library.

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Block 5

The aim is to develop your ability to communicate effectively in a range of academic-related contexts to a level of at least equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.0 in reading, listening, writing and speaking.

The term consists of two four-week blocks.  The first block begins in April and focuses on group work and collaborative learning.  The second block begins in May and focuses on core academic skills and language.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Spring term, you should be able to:

• Reading - Read a range of texts of up to 2,000 words including short journal articles using reading strategies to navigate sections of texts, infer meaning and critically evaluate potential source-texts for writing.
• Listening - Comprehend and take effective notes on main ideas and details when listening to discussions and straightforward lectures of up to 15-20 minutes in length covering familiar & semi academic topics.
• Writing - By the end of April: write a group research report of 1,000 words demonstrating analysis and incorporating sources from background reading. By the end of May: write essays of 550-700 words in length using rhetorical functions such as cause/effect, research report, and argument, demonstrating analysis and evaluation skills and incorporating sources from background reading.
• Speaking - By the end of April: deliver a short presentation, along with team members, on your research project.  By the end of May: communicate effectively on general and less familiar topics in both everyday & academic situations, including seminar discussions in which you support your stance by referring to reading.

Timetable

Classes may be scheduled any time 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Each day will typically comprise:

• 90-minute small group tutorial
• 60-90 minute-lecture
• Around 4 hours of guided independent and group study to be completed in your own time

Over each 4-week block, you will also have 2 or 3 individual or small group consultations with your teacher.

Your class and teaching methodology

For each four-week block you will be working in small groups of 8 to 12 students.  You will have one teacher responsible for: teaching the tutorial sessions, monitoring your progress, and meeting with you for your individual or small group consultations. Your lectures will be in larger groups, most likely delivered by a different teacher from your tutorial sessions. These lectures will give important input to help with independent study and give you the chance to clarify independent study tasks.

The April block of teaching has been designed around group work, so you will be working very closely with team members on your research project.  Groups will, wherever possible, be mixed in gender and nationality.  Working collaboratively is an important part of the language learning process.  It necessitates interaction and communication, and it also develops life skills that are transferable to future study and work contexts.  There may be times when your group will need to work outside of scheduled classes - it is important to be aware of this and to prioritise your time and tasks.

As well as working in a team, you will also be expected to work independently to demonstrate your knowledge and skills through individual tasks.

Assessment

You will be assessed in all four skills through class work, homework, and end-of-term tests. 

Reading	40% End-of-block test; 60% Monitored class work
Listening	40% End-of-block test; 60% Monitored class work
Writing	April: 60% 1000-word group project + 150-word reflection; 40% 300-500 word writing test May: 60% Tasks completed at home or in class; 40% In-class writing test
Speaking	April: 40% Class participation; 60% Group presentation May: 40% Information Presentations; 60% Participation in seminar discussions, 1-to-1, and group tasks

Assessment is based on the completion of all assessment tasks and attainment of the ILOs.  Assessment criteria as outlined in the EAS Assessment Descriptors are used in the evaluation of all tasks.

Core Material

All course materials will be provided on Moodle, the University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) or accessed through the University Library.

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Block 6

The aim is to develop your ability to communicate effectively in a range of academic-related contexts to a level at least equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with no sub-skill less than 6.0.

The Face-to-Face Programme consists of two five-week blocks. The first block begins in June and focuses on core academic skills and language.

The second block begins in July and focusses on skills and language relevant to specific academic disciplines or clusters of related disciplines.  Students will be allocated to the most appropriate of our :

• Accounting and Finance
• Management
• Science, Technology & Engineering 
• Law
• Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities
• Education
• Biomedical Sciences

All students on the Face-to-Face Programme will join one of the above Bridging Programmes.
Bridging Programmes are not offered as part of Pre-sessional Online.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the term, you should be able to:

• Reading: find, select, understand and critically read a variety of academic and professional texts appropriate for your discipline, using genre knowledge and appropriate reading strategies to select relevant information for use in a range of spoken or written academic tasks.
• Listening: listen, understand and critically engage with one-to-one academic exchanges, text-based group discussions and extended lectures on themes appropriate for your discipline, making use of appropriate listening strategies.
• Writing: write developed, coherent texts of up to 1500 words on a range of topics and genres relevant to your discipline, synthesising and integrating source material, using clear and precise language, register, organisation and critically appropriate for the academic task.
• Speaking: speak clearly and effectively on complex topics and problems in academic contexts, interacting critically in discussions, one-to-one exchanges, and presentations in a register appropriate to the audience and with support from appropriate sources or data where relevant.
• Graduate Attributes: engage reflectively and autonomously with the teaching and learning cultures and disciplines of UK higher education and develop key transferable academic skills such as planning learning, problem solving, working in diverse teams, and critical and ethical thinking.

Timetable

Classes may be scheduled any time 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday. However, each day will typically comprise:

• 90-minute small group tutorial
• 60-90 lecture or seminar
• 4-5 hours of guided independent and group study to be completed in your own time

Over each 5-week teaching block, students will also have 2 or 3 individual and/or small group consultations with your teacher.

Your Class

For each teaching block you will be working in small groups of 8 to 12 students. You will have one or more teachers responsible for: teaching live sessions, monitoring your progress, and meeting with you for your individual or small group consultations.  Face-to-face Bridging course students will also have lectures and/or seminars delivered by academic colleagues in the relevant disciplines.

Assessment

You will be assessed in all four skills:

Reading	30% Mid-term test; 70% End-of-block test
Listening	30% Mid-term test; 70% End-of-block test
Writing	50% Extended essay; 30% written coursework; 20% End-of-block test
Speaking	20% Individual class contributions; 30% Mid-term seminar discussion or presentation; 50% End-of-term seminar discussion or presentation

Assessment is based on the completion of all assessment tasks and attainment of the ILOs.  Assessment criteria as outlined in the EAS Assessment Descriptors are used in the evaluation of all tasks.

Core Material

All course materials will be provided on Moodle, the University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) or accessed through the University Library.

Outcomes & Progression

At the end of the final block of teaching, progression to your academic programme depends on the outcome of your assessment in the four skills.  In most years, circa 97% of students progress onto their intended programme of study, with the majority of the remaining students finding a suitable alternative.

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Start Dates, Application Deadlines & Fees

Module/Block	Start Date	End Date	Application Deadline	Registration Deadline	Fee
Block 1	9 Jan 2026	28 Aug 2026	12 Dec 2025	19 Dec 2025	£14,300
Block 2	13 Feb 2026	28 Aug 2026	16 Jan 2026	26 Jan 2026	£12,100
Block 3	27 Mar 2026	28 Aug 2026	27 Feb 2026	9 Mar 2026	£9,900
Block 4	1 May 2026	28 Aug 2026	3 April 2026	13 Apr 2026	£7,700
Block 5	15 Jun 2026	28 Aug 2026	18 May 2026	25 May 2026	£5,500
Block 6	27 Jul 2026	28 Aug 2026	29 Jun 2026	6 Jul 2026	£2,750

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Who Is This Course For?

Our in-person Pre-Sessional English course is designed for students who:

• Hold an offer from the University of Glasgow
• Are slightly below the English language requirement for their degree (although this is not essential)
• Want a guaranteed progression route to their degree upon successful completion*
• Prefer to apply for their Student Visa once, covering both Pre-Sessional and degree study
• Would benefit from structured academic skills development before beginning undergraduate or postgraduate study
• Want to settle into university life early, build friendships and gain confidence in a new academic and cultural environment

*Subject to meeting all other offer conditions.

 

Why Glasgow?

At Glasgow, our Pre-Sessional English courses are fully integrated within the University. This means you won't be studying at a separate language centre or external provider — you are part of the University of Glasgow from day one, taught by our expert academics from the School of Modern Languages & Cultures.

Here’s what else sets us apart:

• Guaranteed progression to your degree at Glasgow on successful completion (subject to meeting all other offer conditions) — no need to retake IELTS externally.
• BALEAP-accredited teaching, ensuring the highest professional standards in academic English.
• Discipline-specific Bridging Programmes in your final five weeks, taught by expert academic staff and tailored to your degree pathway.
• Proven academic outcomes — our Pre-Sessional students consistently achieve higher degree results than those who have completed pre-sessional programmes elsewhere.
• Small classes and personalised tutor support, including regular one-to-one meetings.
• Full access to University facilities and services from the start of your course.
• A dedicated social and cultural programme, helping you build friendships, explore Scotland and become part of the wider community you will soon call home.

Choosing Glasgow means choosing a course that is academically rigorous, fully embedded within a world top 100 University, and designed not just to improve your English, but to prepare you for success in your specific degree.

Apply now