ELCOS Pre-Sessional English Courses

ELCOS has been delivering high quality English language classes to international students whose first language is not English since 1985. Our pre-sessional courses are designed to help students to improve their English language skills to the level required and prepare them for entry onto their chosen degree programme: All of our courses are delivered by a team of highly qualified English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Teachers.

How do our Pre-sessional courses work?

The English courses use at least one core course-book together with supplementary material, and require up to 21 hours’ contact time per week.
They consist of daily teacher-led sessions with additional assignments for homework and self-study. *Please note: for students joining at IELTS 4.0/4.5 level, the initial focus is on improving overall language skills in preparation for the addition of academic (UKHE) language conventions & academic skills work. Experience has shown us that this is the best strategy to maximise the learning process and ensure students meet their full potential.
Homework assignments are designed to maximise students’ learning experience and for teachers to be able to gauge progress and offer helpful feedback so that students know which are their strong points, and which skills they need to focus their attention on in particular.
Self-study assignments can include video, audio or written tasks.
Students can also arrange One-on-One Tutorials to discuss any issues or concerns that they may have.
Students will be assessed at the end of the course to ensure they have achieved the level of English required for entry onto their chosen degree programme. In-house testing & assessment will be used for this purpose.

To reserve a place on a Pre-Sessional course you will need to:

Apply via the online Direct Application (DA) admissions system:

Once in the DA system and an offer for your main degree has been issued, you will need to select the 'ACCEPT' button, after which a drop-down will appear asking whether you wish to apply for a pre-sessional course; from the list, select whichever length of course that you are eligible for with your current evidence of English language ability.

Course Dates and Entry Requirements

Course Dates: 17 February 2025 to 5 September 2025

Course fee: £6,100

Entry Requirements: A minimum IELTS score of 4.0 (no element below 4.0) or equivalent is required to apply for this course.

If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 4.5, or equivalent.

If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 5.0 or equivalent.

Course Dates: 28 April 2025 to 5 September 2025

Course Fees: £4,950

Entry Requirements:

A minimum IELTS score of 4.5 (no element below 4.0) or equivalent is required to apply for this course.

If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 5.0, or equivalent.

If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 5.5 or equivalent.

Course Dates: 23 June 2025 to 5 September 2025

Course Fees: £3,200

Entry Requirements:

A minimum IELTS score of 5.0 (no element below 4.0) or equivalent is required to apply for this course

If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 5.5, or equivalent.

If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.

Course Dates: 28 July 2025 to 5 September 2025

Course fee: £2,200

Entry Requirements: A minimum IELTS score of 5.5 (no element below 4.0) or equivalent is required to apply for this course.

If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 6.0, or equivalent.

If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

Course Dates: 11 August 2025 to 5 September 2025

Course Fees: £1,200

Entry Requirements:

A minimum IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent, with only 1 element at IELTS 5.0 or equivalent (not Writing), is required to apply for this course.

If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 6.5, or equivalent, and only 1 element below 6.0 (not writing).

If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 7.0 or equivalent, and only 1 element below 6.5 (not writing).

Course Dates: 29 September 2025 to 19 December 2025

Course fee: £3,200

Entry Requirements:

A minimum IELTS score of 5.0 (no element below 4.0) or equivalent is required to apply for this course.

If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 5.5, or equivalent.

If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.

Course Dates: 3 November 2025 to 19 December 2025

Course fee: £2,200

Entry Requirements:

A minimum IELTS score of 5.5 (no element below 4.0) or equivalent is required to apply for this course.

If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 6.0, or equivalent.

If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

Course Dates: 17 November 2025 to 19 December 2025

Course fee: £1,200

Entry Requirements:

A minimum IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent, with only 1 element at IELTS 5.0 or equivalent (not Writing), is required to apply for this course.

If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 6.5, or equivalent, and only 1 element below 6.0 (not writing).

If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, or equivalent, this entry requirement increases to IELTS 7.0, or equivalent, and only 1 element below 6.5 (not writing).

Entry Requirements:

To register for our Pre-sessional English course, applicants/agents must provide valid proof of current English Language level by providing results from an accepted English language test. View the full list on our International Students webpages

*If your school requires a 6.5 IELTS score, the entry requirements above increase by IELTS 0.5 (or equivalent).

*If your school requires a 7.0 IELTS score, the entry requirements above increase by IELTS 0.5 (or equivalent).

ELCOS reserves the right to cancel courses or change their dates and prices without notice.

What you will need to do before starting your pre-sessional:

Full-payment for the Pre-sessional or a valid Financial Guarantee Letter from sponsors is required before registration.
Student’s personal email address - must be provided for technical reasons in order for the registration process to be accessed and completed before the course start date (strict late-entry deadlines will apply).
To benefit fully from your course, we recommend that all students have access to a laptop/PC with webcam & audio capabilities (or at the very least a modern smartphone) and a reliable Internet connection.