Our Pre-Sessional English courses - International Study and Language Institute, University of Reading

Multiple entry points, two exit points

You can study Pre-Sessional English at Reading for up to 19 weeks and start at four points across the academic year.

There are options for 19 weeks, 13 weeks, 10 weeks, and 6 weeks.
You will complete your Pre-sessional English course in early September if you start your degree programme in late September.

Find out which Pre-Sessional course length is right for you

Find out if you are eligible for a Combined Offer

A Combined Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (Combined CAS) covers a student's Pre-Sessional English course and their main course of study. You may be eligible for a combined CAS if your IELTS (International English Language Testing System) target is 6.5 and you currently have a B1 level in all 4 skills – speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Final assessment

All assessment before the last six weeks is formative and designed to help you learn and develop your academic language and skills.

At the end of the final 6-week modules, you are assessed by written-language coursework assignments as well as speaking, reading, and listening assessments.

99% of our University of Reading Pre-sessional English students in summer 2024 met the language requirements to progress to their degree programme at Reading.

Skill	Assessment	Weight of assessment
Reading	Teep Reading	12.5%
Listening	TEEP Listening	12.5%
Writing	Written Coursework (Module Academic Practices and Genres)	25%
Writing	TEEP Writing	12.5%
Speaking	Spoken Coursework (Module Academic Practices and Genres)	25%
Speaking	TEEP Speaking	12.5%

How do I know which Pre-sessional English Pass Mark applies to me?

Check your offer letter for the English language requirements for your degree at the University of Reading.
If your English language requirements are 6.5 (overall) with 6.0 or below, you need to achieve the Pre-sessional English Pass Mark (Standard). This means by the end of the Pre-sessional English programme, you will need a minimum of 6.0 (overall) with 5.5 in any one sub skill (Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking).
If your English language requirements are 7.0 overall with 6.0 or above, you need to achieve the Pre-sessional English Pass Mark (Higher). This means by the end of the Pre-sessional English programme, you will need a minimum of 6.5 (overall) with 6.0 in any one sub skill (Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking).

Postgraduate Success Programme

If you already have an unconditional offer for one of our master's degrees or PhD study, you can apply for the four-week Postgraduate Success Programme..

This online programme is specifically designed for international students with an unconditional offer of postgraduate study from the University of Reading.

The Postgraduate Success Programme will help you prepare for university academic life and enable you to get the most out of your degree.

For more information, visit the Postgraduate Success Programme page