Language requirements and learning English
Unless you are already a native speaker of English, one of the biggest challenges you will face if you study in the UK will be learning and producing academic work in English. Studying a degree is hard enough already, but if you’re doing it in a second language it becomes a lot more complicated.
Your level of English will need to be good enough not just to read books and other materials in English, but also to understand lengthy lectures, take notes, engage in complex discussions and write coursework and exams.
Unfortunately, many international students underestimate the level of work that they need to put into their English-language skills, and as a result they struggle during their studies. They don’t realise there’s a big difference between doing well in English-language classes and using English out in the real world and for complicated tasks. And by the time they do realise this–often after getting bad marks in their university work–it’s too late for them to be able to catch up.
So if you’re serious about studying in the UK it pays to make sure you know what the English-language requirements are and take the steps to reach them. Fortunately, the vast majority of UK universities that take in international students have loads of great facilities to support you in improving your language.
Understanding the university’s language requirements
Every good British university will be very clear about the English-language requirements on its courses for international students. When you look at their websites or prospectuses this information will be listed under the entry-requirements section. In most cases the level you will need is given as a score in either the IELTS or TOEFL exams.
Exactly what level you need will vary from universtiy to university and from course to course. You’ll generally find that the requirements for the UK’s very top universities are slightly higher than at other institutions. Postgraduate courses will generally also have higher entry requirements.
However, it’s best not to see the English requirement purely as an exam score. As you’ll probably know, it’s possible to use good exam technique to get excellent scores in tests. But although this means you’ve passed the test, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your level reflects that mark.
Often people skew their English learning so that they just focus on getting the IELTS or TOEFL score they need. But when you’re studying you’ll need English for much more than to answer multiple choice questions. So even if you’re confident you’ll be able to get the score you need to get in, don’t ever be complacent and assume that this alone will guarantee you an easy ride. Or, to put it another way, you can never be too prepared when it comes to learning a language!
Preparing to study in English before you arrive
This need to make sure you’re genuinely prepared for the challenges of studying in English means it’ll be a good idea to continue studying English right up until the moment you arrive in the UK, rather than packing in your classes once you’ve got a high enough TOEFL or IELTS score.
Once you have been offered a place, it’ll perhaps be a good idea to switch your language focus away from the normal English-language text books and instead focus on two things in particular: authentic British English and English for Academic Purposes.
With regards to learning authentic English, we’re not suggesting that you try and speak like a born-and-bred British person. Rather, it’s a question of learning how English is used in real life in Britain, as opposed to how it is used in an ESL classroom. As you’ll discover,in real life people speak faster, have stronger accents and use colloquial expressions much more often. You’ll find it easier to adapt if you start getting used to these before you arrive.
Perhaps the best way you can do this is to go online and start reading, watching and listening to the same things as British people. By reading the BBC website and watching British TV shows on YouTube your brain will slowly start to acclimatise to British English, even if you don’t understand it all at first.
Studying English for Academic Purposes is equally important. This branch of ESL teaches you not just the language skills required in the higher-education system, such as the correct tone to use when writing assignments, but also teaches you the academic skills that are expected in the English-speaking world, which may be very different to those of your own country.
Students who ignore EAP often get a nasty shock when they start studying in the UK. In their home country, the teacher tells them everything they need to know, and gives them all the information on a sheet of paper. They then memorise it and repeat it in their exams. But in the UK it’s not like that. The emphasis is much more on the students to think for themselves and do their own research. This can be very challenging and requires you to master language skills you’ve probably never used before, such as taking notes from books and lectures in English.
Pre-sessional English sessions in the UK
Many British universities are aware that there is a big jump between learning English in a classroom and using it as a student, and they also know that some students will arrive with a level of English that is a bit lower than that specified by their course’s entry requirements.
To help students in these situations, many universities offer pre-sessional English programmes. In the summer period before the regular academic term starts, international students can spend a couple of months studying English and EAP full-time at the university.
If you don’t feel that confident about your English level, these courses are definitely something you should consider. They’ll help to boost your confidence and give you a chance to become much more comfortable in using English before you start your degree. And they’re also a great time to adapt to life in the UK and make new friends before term begins.
For those whose English level is too low to begin studying even after a couple of months of pre-sessional English, some universities offer special year-long courses. These are often combined with preparation classes in the subjects that the student is interested in taking. So, for example, a person interested in studying business will do both classes in accounting, marketing and finance (in English, of course!) and also take English-language classes. So even if you have a low level of English it’s not necessarily the case that you won’t be able to study in the UK!
Ongoing support
Once the academic term begins and you find yourself going to lectures and doing course assignments there are still plenty of opportunities to continue to improve your English. In addition to every university’s English-language teaching centre having some form of support service where international students can go to get advice on ways they can improve their academic English skills, there should also be the option to continue with regular English classes throughout the semester.
So while the prospect of studying and learning in English may seem daunting, UK universities understand the challenges you’ll face and will be there every step of the way to make sure you have the language skills to get the very most out of your course!