The Pre-sessional English at University of Salford is a Certificate program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the university's main campus in Salford, United Kingdom, the program is taught in English and takes 3 months 3 weeks to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities.

About Certificate in Pre-sessional English

Introduction

In a nutshell

Do you need to improve your English language skills to study for a postgraduate or undergraduate degree at Salford?

You can take our British Council accredited Pre-sessional English course to improve your skills in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. If you pass you can progress onto your chosen degree course at Salford.

Our team of fully qualified staff will support you to develop your academic English through written assessments, presentations and projects including critical analysis and discussions.

You will also gain valuable skills to help you prepare for studying for a UK degree, and you will meet students from our friendly and diverse community.

To take this Pre-sessional English course, you must be an international student with UKVI IELTS 4.5 or above and have a general level of education that is suitable for entry into UK universities. You must also have a conditional offer to study an undergraduate or postgraduate course at the University of Salford.

Why study a Pre-Sessional English course at Salford?

We are a top 10 UK University English Language Centre (EL Gazette, 2023).
Our courses are accredited by the British Council.
Our class sizes are small to give you extra support. We had 13 students on average last year, and we don’t teach more than 18 students at one time.
Develop your interpersonal skills and socialise with our friendly and diverse community.
Study on our modern campus with state-of-the-art facilities and a beautiful park. Live close to the exciting Manchester city centre.
Over 90% of our students over the last 2 years achieved the grades they needed to get onto their future degree course. The summer 2024 pass rate was 92% and the summer 2023 pass rate was 95%.

International

students accepted

Course accreditations and memberships

What will I learn?

1.

The English language skills you need to get an unconditional offer for your future degree course.

2.

Academic writing skills, including essay writing.

3.

Research skills, including notetaking and referencing.

4.

Digital skills, including using software to create presentations, academic posters and reports.

5.

Presenting and communicating skills.

6.

Skills in critical thinking, listening to lecturers and time-management.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Certificate in Pre-sessional English at University of Salford

Entry Requirements

Requirements

What you need to know

Course length - which one do I need?

The course duration depends on your current level of English (UKVI IELTS) and what level you need to get into your future degree. We offer courses over 5 weeks or 10 weeks. You can check which length of course you need by looking at the entry requirements below.

The Pre-sessional English programme that you should apply for depends on two things:

Your current level of English
The level of English you need to study in your future degree course

To be accepted for this course, you must have a conditional offer for either an undergraduate or postgraduate course at the University of Salford. Your offer letter will state the minimum English language qualification you must have to gain entry onto your chosen degree. This will be written as a UKVI IELTS score. Check the table below to see what Pre-sessional course you need:

Entry requirements

I need UKVI IELTS 5.5 with minimum 5.5 in each skill band to get onto my future degree course

Your current level of English

Course you need to apply for

UKVI IELTS 4.5 with a minimum of 4.0 in each skill band score

UKVI IELTS 5.0 with a minimum of 4.0 in each skill band score

10 week course

UKVI IELTS 5.0 with a minimum of 5.0 in each skill band score

5 week course

I need UKVI IELTS 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each skill band to get onto my future degree course:

Your current level of English	Course you need to apply for
UKVI IELTS 5.0 with a minimum of 4.0 in each skill band score	10 week course
UKVI IELTS 5.5 with a minimum of 5.0 in each skill band score	5 week course

See course dates and fees below.

I need UKVI IELTS 6.5 with minimum 6.0 in each skill band to get onto my future degree course:

Your current level of English	Course you need to apply for
UKVI IELTS 5.5 with a minimum of 4.5 in each skill band score	10 week course
UKVI IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.0 in each skill band score	5 week course

See course dates and fees below.

Age requirement

The minimum age to study this course is 18 years old

Pre-sessional English course fees and dates

Our Pre-sessional English course is available to students who are starting their degree in September. The courses are available on the following dates:

Course	Start date	Fees
10 weeks	23 June 2025	£4,000
5 weeks	28 July 2025	£2,000

Please visit our fees and funding page for information on instalment plans and deposits. You can also find details about course refunds.

Remember to check what course length you need by looking at "Entry requirements".

Please note, that no classes take place on public holidays. The only scheduled public holiday at this time is on Monday 25 August 2025.

When do I need to apply?

Student numbers are capped and places may fill quickly, so we advise you to apply as early as possible.

You can find application deadlines on our apply page.

Additional costs

The cost of course materials (including a coursebook and online workbook) and all in-house University of Salford assessments are included in the tuition fee.

You should also consider further costs, which may include books, stationery, printing, and general subsistence on trips and visits.

For more information about additional costs, please see the following:

Living costs

Money advice for international students

Managing your money

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6

English Program Requirements

Equivalent qualifications

English language requirements are shown on individual course pages. Generally, this is shown as an IELTS grade, however we accept a range of equivalent qualifications.

As a general guide:

For undergraduate courses we require IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum 5.5 in each component) or equivalent

For postgraduate courses, we require IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum 5.5 in each component) or equivalent

For the International Foundation Year, we require IELTS 4.5 (with a minimum 4.0 in each component) in UKVI IELTS for UKVI (Academic)

The approved equivalent qualifications list includes the following:

Secure English Language Tests (SELTs)

University of Salford English language courses

Regional-based qualifications

Majority English Speaking Countries as deemed by UKVI

Medium of English Institutions

Applicants who require a Student Route visa to study in the UK may require evidence of a Secure English Language test rather than an examination or qualification due to visa requirements, as deemed by the UK Government Home Office, Visa and Immigration (UKVI).

Certificate in Pre-sessional English at University of Salford