University English

New from September 2011

English language teaching Students from all over the world study on our courses. You will develop your language skills in a supportive multi-cultural environment and benefit from the expertise and experience of our teaching staff.

This course will improve your English language proficiency and equip you with the relevant academic skills to succeed at university.

Who should take this course

You should take this course if you need to:

meet the English language requirements for foundation, undergraduate, pre-master's or postgraduate courses
improve your academic skills in preparation for university study
familiarise yourself with university life before starting your degree course
improve your English language skills as part of a study abroad programme
develop your academic English skills for university study in your own country or at another UK institution.

What the course will cover

You will take modules in academic reading, writing, listening and speaking skills as well as study and research skills. You will learn through the use of authentic materials which will develop your knowledge and understanding of studying at a university level and also of British life and culture. You will be based on the main university campus with access to the full range of the university's learning and support facilities.

An optional IELTS Preparation class is available as part of the course for an additional fee.

For more details of the course content please see the course entry in the university's online prospectus.

Course dates

The course includes 12 weeks of teaching, and you can start in September, January or May.

During the summer there are additional start dates in July (8 weeks) and August (4 weeks) to help you progress onto courses starting in September.

Dates 2011/12

19 September - 16 December 2011 (12 weeks teaching)
23 January - 4 May 2012 (12 weeks teaching and Easter break)
31 May - 24 August 2012 (12 weeks teaching)
29 June - 24 August 2012 (8 weeks teaching)
27 July - 24 August 2012 (4 weeks teaching)

Progression

The course runs at four levels to match your current language skills. On each level the 12 week course will raise your English skills by the equivalent of up to 1 IELTS point, depending on your final results.

You can take one or more levels, or progress onto any foundation*, pre-master's, undergraduate and postgraduate courses at Oxford Brookes without needing to take an external test to meet the language entry requirements. You will also need to meet the academic entry requirements for your chosen course.

* If you are progressing onto a one year foundation course and you need a student visa, you will need to have taken a UK Border Agency (UKBA) approved test such as IELTS. You will need to have achieved at least IELTS 4.5 with 4.5 in all skills or equivalent to meet UKBA regulations.

Level	Final result	Progressions*
University English Level 1 Entry level: IELTS 4.5 or equivalent)	40%	University English Level 2 International Foundation Diploma - This is available as one programme through our International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway)
	60%	Pre-Master’s Diploma (with 60% in Reading and Writing modules) University English Level 3 (with 60% in Reading and Writing modules) International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law or International Foundation Business and Technology (with 60% in Reading and Writing modules)
University English Level 2 Entry level: IELTS 5.0 or equivalent	40%	University English Level 3 International Foundation Diploma
	55%	Pre-Master’s Diploma (with 55% in Reading and Writing modules) International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law or International Foundation Business and Technology (with 55% in Reading and Writing modules)
	60%	University English Level 4 (with 60% in Reading and Writing modules) International Foundation Diploma 1 semester [with credit ] (with 60% in Reading and Writing modulesand 40% in Thinking Critically module) Undergraduate degree (with 60% in Reading and Writing modules) Pre-Master’s Certificate (with 60% in Reading and Writing modules)
University English Level 3 Entry level: IELTS 5.5 or equivalent	40%	University English Level 4 International Foundation Diploma 1 semester [with credit] (with 40% in Thinking Critically module) Undergraduate degree
	50%	Pre-Master’s Diploma (with 50% in Reading and Writing modules) International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law or International Foundation Business and Technology (with 50% in Reading and Writing modules)
	55%	Pre-Master’s Certificate (with 55% in Reading and Writing modules)
	60%	Master’s degree* (with 60% in Reading and Writing modules)
University English Level 4 Entry level: IELTS 6.0 or equivalent	40%	International Foundation Diploma 1 semester [with credit] (with 40% in Thinking Critically module) Undergraduare degrees
	50%	Pre-Master’s Certificate (with 50% in Reading and Writing modules)
	55%	Master’s degrees* (with 55% in Reading and Writing modules)
	60%	Master’s degree* / PhD (some courses) (with 60% in Reading and Writing modules)

* The requirements for some master's courses may be higher so please check with the relevant department.

Entry requirements

English language requirements for the 12-week course
(starting in September, January and May)

Level 1: IELTS 4.5 (with 4.0 in all skills); TOEFL ibt 53; Pearson 30 or equivalent
Level 2: IELTS 5.0 (with 4.5 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 59; Pearson 36 or equivalent
Level 3: IELTS 5.5 (with 5.0 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 65; Pearson 43 or equivalent
Level 4: IELTS 6.0 (with of 5.5 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 72; Pearson 51 or equivalent

English language requirements for the 8-week course
(starting June 2012)

Level 1: IELTS 5.0 (with 4.5 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 59; Pearson 36 or equivalent
Level 2: IELTS 5.5 (with 5.0 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 65; Pearson 43 or equivalent
Level 3: IELTS 6.0 (with 5.5 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 72; Pearson 51 or equivalent
Level 4: IELTS 6.5 (with 6.0 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 79; Pearson 59 or equivalent

English language requirements for the 4-week course
(starting July 2012)

Level 1: IELTS 5.5 (with 5.0 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 65; Pearson 43 or equivalent
Level 2: IELTS 6.0 (with 5.5 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 72; Pearson 51 or equivalent
Level 3: IELTS 6.5 (with 6.0 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 79; Pearson 59 or equivalent
Level 4: IELTS 7.0 (with 6.5 in Reading and Writing); TOEFL ibt 88; Pearson 64 or equivalent

If you have not taken a recognised English test such as IELTS, TOEFL ibt or Pearson you can complete our placement test and submit this with an academic reference to allow us to assess your current English level.

Academic requirements

Minimum of a high school leaving certificate or equivalent

Our admissions team will make the final decision on the most suitable level for you taking into account your scores in each element of your English language test and your overall academic performance.

How to apply

Apply directly to the university using the Oxford Brookes International application form.

If you meet the course requirements you will receive an offer for the number of levels you need to progress to your chosen course.

Visas

If you are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland you will need to have permission to come to the UK as a student.

If you intend to progress onto an academic programme at Oxford Brookes, you will be able to apply for one student visa to cover the whole length of study on University English. You will be issued with one Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for this period.
If you are not planning to continue studying at Oxford Brookes you may be able to apply for a student visitor visa for up to 2 levels of University English.

When applying for your visa, you must be able to show that you have enough money to pay their tuition fees and to live in the UK for the first year of your course. The original documents must be dated no more than one month before you apply.