This article should help you make the right decision about the course you study, although you should also ask teachers and other students for their opinions, particularly if they have experience of studying in the UK.

It is important to consider, when selecting a place to study, whether or not the institution is officially accredited by the British Council under the English in Britain Accreditation Scheme or whether or not its courses are accredited by the BALEAP (British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes) Accreditation Scheme (BAS).

If the inspection shows that a college or school meets all the standards set, it will be described as accredited by the British Council. This provides an assurance that you will be taught by qualified teachers and the school run professionally. The British Council, or the professional associations that represent the sector, will handle serious complaints by students against any if its accredited institutions.

If you are specifically looking for a course in English for Academic Purposes, to prepare you for study at a British university, you could also look for a course, which is accredited by the BALEAP Accreditation Scheme. This means that all aspects of the course have been assessed and approved in accordance with a rigorous Code of Practice.

Institutions which are not accredited by the British Council are not necessarily bad intuitions, but it would be a good idea to get the opinion of someone who has already studied there before deciding to go there yourself.

Currently over 370 schools, colleges and universities are accredited by the British Council. Of these, over 210 private language schools are members of the Association of Recognised English Language Services (ARELS) and over 90 colleges and universities are members of the British Association of State English Language Teaching (BASELT). A number of institutions are members of the European Association of Quality Language Services (EQUALS) (www.eaquals.org).

For up-to-date information on accredited institutions you can contact your local British Council of Visit Britain office, or visit www.britishcouncil.org/english/courses/index.htm.

Lists of British Council accredited courses are also available at the following websites: www.EnglishinBritain.co.uk and www.educationUK.org .

WHAT KINDS OF COURSES ARE AVAILABLE?

You can study English at different levels and for different purposes. Whatever your reason for wanting to study, it is likely that you will find a course to suit your needs, so it is important to make plenty if enquiries before deciding to spend any money on college fees. Here is a brief summary of the different types of courses available.

General English (EFL)

Nearly all language school, colleges and universities offer courses in general English. Courses may last from two of three weeks up to a full academic year. Some longer courses will lead to recognised examinations, which will allow you to continue to study at a higher level. Courses often concentrate on using the language for conversation, so there may be more speaking than writing, particularly at the early stages. Many school well prepare you for examinations. If you need a qualification in English for your educational or career progress, you should check that the course leads to a recognised examination.

English For Specific Purposes (ESP)

There is a wide choice of schools, colleges and universities offering English courses for particular professions or specialities. Business English is the most popular and is available in many institutions, leading to specialised qualifications. There are also courses in Medical English, Legal English, English for Tourism, Catering, Engineering and many other fields of work. At colleges and universities it is often possible to study such a course at the same time as you are studying for a qualification in that professional area, or your institution may wish you to take the language course before starting the professional course.

English For Academic Purposes (EAP)

If you are coming to study in a UK institution, particularly in a university, it is quite likely that you will have taken a test of your English as part of the application procedure. If the institution decides that your English is not yet good enough for you to take the course you want to study, your department may recommend that you do a pre-sessional course in English before you start to study. This will usually take place during the summer immediately before the start of your course, and will last one, two or three months depending on how much preparation you need. Some universities offer year-long foundation or access courses. These courses focus on the language and the skills you need to study successfully, such as reading reference books, taking notes at a lecture, preparing a talk for a seminar and writing essays, and often include some study of academic subjects.

If you need further tuition during the course, you may be asked to attend in-sessional course. These are an opportunity to improve your Language and study skills throughout your course.

Most institutions offer their EAP course openly, so you may not need to be a prospective student there in order to take such a course. Choosing an intuition which is a member of BALEAP, and which has been accredited by their BAS accreditation scheme or the British Council, means that it meets their requirements as regards teachers’ qualifications, course content, facilities and student welfare. The British Council can provide you with further information about their accredited institutions.

English As A Second Of Other Language (ESOL)

These courses are aimed at people who are intending to settle in the UK or who intend to spend a long time here. They concentrate on the language of daily life, as well as including reading and writing skills. They are usually held in state colleges and adult education centres and you may be able to get them free or at a reduced rate, particularly it you are a refugee.

Teaching English As A Foreign Language (TEFL)

If you are, or want to become, a teacher of English as a Foreign Language, then you will find a range of courses from one-week introductory courses to postgraduate MA or PhD degrees.

For those who want to learn a lot in a short time there are intensive courses leading to RSA/Cambridge of Trinity College Certificates and Diplomas, but the fees for such courses can be very expensive.

The same qualifications are also available part-time for teachers who are already working. You may fine that there are language schools in your own country, which offer TEFL courses. You should enquire at the local British Council for information about schools in your country.

OTHER COURSES

There are also courses in English literature, culture, linguistics, translating and interpreting and some colleges will even put on courses by special request from a group of students or a college in another country. A number of colleges also offer correspondence courses in General and Business English. The British Council can give further information on all these types of courses.

How can I test my English?

A good language course should prepare you for one of the recognised qualifications in English as a Foreign or Second Language. The teachers should also tell you whether you have a good chance of passing so as to prevent you wasting your money on examination entry fees.

There are tests, which assess your ability in all aspects of the language: Speaking, listening, reading and writing. There are others, which focus on specific aspects or skills, particularly on speaking.

Unless you are studying for a very specific reason you should find a course, which leads to a general test. It is not possible to describe in this Guidance Note all the different tests, which are available. More information is available from your local British Council office.

One very important test is the International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS). This is the test which most overseas applicants to UK universities take in order to assess their level of English. If your application to a UK university is being sponsored, then the sponsor will probably pay for you to take the test, but any individual can take the test on payment of the fee.

IELTS is a test of listening, reading, writing and speaking, and takes a total of about four hours to complete. It is possible to prepare for it by looking at practice papers. It differs from the American TOEFL test in certain respects. IETS is marked on a scale of 0-9, with a score of 6 or higher a generally accepted minimum requirement for university entry. More information is available from University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is the testing body (see address list), or from your nearest British Council office.

It is very important that you reach a satisfactory level of English before going on to study a course of further or higher education in English, so ask the advice of your teachers and take the examinations, which are most suitable to your level and aims.

Choosing the right course and college

When deciding which course and which college to choose, in addition to questions of qualifications, you should also ask questions such as:

• How many hours of tuition are there?
• How many students are there in a class?
• Are they of the same or different nationalities?
• Does the college provide accommodation or help me to find somewhere to live?
• Do I want to study in London or elsewhere in the UK?
• How much are the fees and what do they cover? (Accommodation? Tuition? Books? Excursions? Examination fees?)
• Does the college have a welfare officer or accommodation officer?
• Are the teachers qualified to teach English as a Foreign Language? (If the course is accredited by BALEAP or the British Council, the teachers are required to have relevant qualifications)
• Does the college have a successful record in getting its students through exams?

You have the right to get answers to these questions and others to be sure to make your choice carefully.

What else do I need to Know?

You should bear in mind immigration requirements when considering whether to study in the UK. Requirements vary according to your nationality or citizenship and the length of time you want to spend studying. The UKCOSA Guidance Notes I am coming to the UK to start my studies. What do I need to do about immigration? and Immigration procedures after arrival in the UK will give you further information on this topic.

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND WEB SITE ADDRESSES

ARELS
56 Buckingham Gate
London SW1E 6AG

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 9200
Fax: +44 (0) 7802 9201
Email: enquiries@arels.org.uk
Web: www.arels.org.uk

BALEAP
Web: www.baleap.org.uk

BASELT
Baselt Secretariat
University of Gloucestershire
Cornerways
The Park Campus
The Park
Cheltenham
Glos GL50 2QF

Tel: +44 (0) 1242 227 099
Fax: +44 (0) 1242 227 055

Email: baselt@glos.ac.uk
Web: www.baselt.org.uk

Education and Training Information Management Service (ETIMS) British Council

The Tun
4 Jackson’s Entry
Holyrood Road
Edinburgh EH8 8PJ
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 131 524 5770
Email: education.enquiries@britishcouncil.org
Web: www.britishcouncil.org

English in Britain
Web: www.englishbritain.co.uk
www.education.UK.org

You can search these websites for information on British Council accredited language courses throughout the UK.

UCLES/University of Cambridge English for Speakers of Other Languages

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
1 Hills Road
Cambridge CB1 2EU

Tel: +44 (0) 1223 553355
Fax: +44(0) 1223 460278
Email: esolhelpdesk@ucles.org.uk
Web: www.cambridgeesol.org/

This UCLES website includes information on several common English language examinations.

UKCOSA 2004
9-17 St Albans Place
London N1 0NX, UK