English
Language Courses in the UK
An Overview
A good command of the English language is
almost essential in international trade and research nowadays and
it is not surprising that so many students choose an English-speaking
country for their university education. The most popular are the
United Kingdom, the USA, Canada and Australia.
Of these, universities in the UK have several specific advantages,
in that they offer degrees which are:
- Intensive - most degree courses take three
years to complete, making the overall cost of university education
relatively low.
- Specialised - so students can concentrate on
their chosen subject are rather than having to take a wide range
of subjects.
- Highly respected - courses are generally well-structured
and up-to-date, giving graduates an excellent start in the job
market.
Applying for university is relatively simple. Because all British
university applications are organised by a body called UCAS, students
have a single form to fill in rather than a separate one for each
university.
Admission is usually decided entirely by the information on the
form, so completing it clearly and neatly is really important, especially
when it comes to the part of the form which asks for details of
a student’s achievements, interests and plans. Another section
asks for information about qualifications, and the next part of
this article describes university entrance requirements in more
detail.
All universities require a recognised qualification in English
language. There are several which are acceptable: GCSE, IGCSE, the
NEAB Test, the Cambridge Proficiency exam, IELTS etc. In the case
of IELTS, in which students are awarded a mark out of 10, different
courses ask for different minimum marks and it is important to check
university prospectuses carefully to find out what mark the admissions
tutor wants. Other English-language exams, such as TOEFL may be
accepted by individual universities - again, check the prospectus.
Universities also require evidence that a student has studied in
sufficient depth to cope with the starting point of a degree course.
The main qualification universities are familiar with is the ‘A
level’ examination, which students take at the end of secondary
education in England, and it is the standard against which overseas
qualifications are measured. Because students generally take only
three A-level subjects in the final two years of English secondary
schooling, the level they reach in their chosen subjects is higher
than is possible in most other countries’ secondary systems,
where students must study many more subjects throughout.
For this reason, there are relatively few overseas secondary school
qualifications which British universities accept as being fully
equivalent to A levels, and although some of the less popular universities
may take a student solely on the basis of an overseas qualification,
most will not. The better universities have many applicants to choose
from, and naturally give preference to those with higher level qualifications.
Universities are always happy to give advice on the acceptability
of qualifications, and the British Council will also be able to
help.
What are the alternatives for the student who wants to go to university
in Britain but who does not have the right qualifications?
There are three main possibilities: A-levels; a Foundation course;
or to take a GNVQ. Of these GNVQ is not popular with overseas students
because courses cannot be completed in less than two years, and
they require a high level of language skill.
A-levels and Foundation courses each have their own advantages
and drawbacks!, as follows:
A-levels:
Advantages:
- many colleges provide A-level courses, so students have plenty
of choice for how and where they study;
- all UK universities accept A-level qualifications, so students
can apply to whichever universities they want. It is difficult
to get into most of the best UK universities without A levels.
- Although most UK students take two years to do A-levels, they
can be completed in one year if a student has done well in secondary
education in their own country.
- there are over 40 different subjects from which to choose, from
which universities generally expect students to take three. This
allows students to concentrate on the areas they are most interested
in. However universities do not like programmes which are too
narrow (such as the combination of Business, Accounting, and Economics
A levels).
Drawbacks:
- A levels are designed for English-speaking students so the language
demands can be high, even in technical subjects
- Although some colleges provide good language training as part
of the course, many do not
- The failure rate is higher than in Foundation Courses.
Foundation Courses
Advantages:
- The Course is usually designed specifically for overseas students,
and includes language and study-skills support
- The failure rate is generally very low
- Take one year.
Drawbacks:
- Courses are available at fewer colleges (and it can be quite
difficult to find out which places offer them). Some places offering
Foundation Courses are private colleges, others are universities
themselves.
- The qualification is not accepted by all universities. Foundation
courses generally give entry to the limited range of universities
which the college has a relationship with. It is vital to ask
about this when choosing a college which provides Foundation Courses!
So, which is the better qualification?
It is impossible to generalise - the answer depends on the individual
student’s academic background, language skills and ambitions.
It is essential to get advice from as many sources as possible:
the British Council, students who have studied in the UK, universities
and colleges (who welcome enquiries), etc.
Next comes the question of where to study.
There is considerable variety to choose from! The two main types
of institution are state-owned FE (Further Education) colleges,
or privately-owned Sixth-form Colleges. A level and Foundation courses
are available in both types of college (though relatively few colleges
offer foundation and A-levels) and both types charge fees.
State FE colleges tend to be large places - some have several thousand
students - offering a very wide range of courses mainly to British
Students. Some provide special courses for students from overseas,
some do not. Fees are a lot lower than in the independent colleges,
but calls sizes are generally larger, and they are not as able to
help with accommodation and student support.
Fees are higher at independent sixth form colleges, but classes
are much smaller, there is more individual attention and in consequence,
success rates are generally better. Most can arrange good accommodation.
The British Council can help with lists of State FE colleges. It
can also supply details of the Independent Sixth-form colleges but
the most useful source of information on this type of institution
is CIFE, the Conference for Independent Further Education. CIFE
represents almost all the reputable independent colleges and publishes
a hand-book of member colleges, which can be obtained (free of charge)
from Mr Myles Glover (UK Tel/Fax 01233 820797).
Colleges in full membership of CIFE all undergo regular inspection
(by the British Accreditation Council or the Independent Schools
Joint Council), and abide by Codes of Practice which include strict
regulations to ensure that published results information is accurate.
CIFE colleges get excellent results not just because their classes
are small and their teaching is examination focused, but also because
they are committed to giving students individual attention and support.
This all means that students can be confident of receiving a good
education from member colleges.
Most CIFE colleges are located in cities (London, Oxford, Cambridge,
Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Brighton), but there are others
in smaller towns and a couple in the country-side. Size ranges from
fewer than 50 students to over 500 - most have between 100 &
200. Some have a high proportion of students from abroad, some are
mainly UK-based. Most colleges offer a full range of subjects, some
specialise in sciences. Over half provide supervised hostel accommodation,
and the rest can arrange ‘homestay’ accommodation with
approved families.
Although choosing the best course and the right college needs careful
thought, there are plenty of sources of advice: British Council,
university admissions officers, college admissions advisors, students
who have studied in the UK etc. The main thing is to allow time
to carry out enquiries, to speak to as many people as possible,
and to keep an open mind.
Students who come to the UK for a pre-university year usually find
not only that they gain the qualifications they need, but also that
the experience of living and studying in Britain makes it much easier
to adapt to university of life afterwards.
The Author: Paul Redhead, Principal of CCSS, Chairman of
CIFE, U.K.
This article first appeared in Educational Courses in Britain
