Summer pre-sessional English courses
Learn more about our range of summer pre-sessional English courses to help you prepare for admission onto your degree course at The University of Sheffield.
Why join a summer pre-sessional course?
- No more IELTS: Pass course assessments to progress directly to your degree without taking another IELTS test.
- Flexible format: Choose between studying on campus in Sheffield or online from your home country.
- Improve academic skills: Covers academic reading, writing, listening, speaking, and British university culture.
- ELTC Social Programme: Connect with friends and practise English outside class through trips and activities (online social activities are available for online courses).
- Combined CAS: Campus pre-sessional students may be eligible for a single visa covering both the pre-sessional and degree course, saving time and visa fees.
Campus summer pre-sessional courses
- Summer 2026 - 10-week campus pre-sessional course
Start Date: Monday 22 June 2026
End Date: Friday 28 August 2026
Application Deadline: Monday 1 June 2026 (late applications cannot be considered)
Cost: £5,500 (£550 per week)
Entry requirements:
Your Overall IELTS score:
- No more than 1 IELTS band below the overall English language requirement for your degree course
Your Individual IELTS component scores (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening):
- No component below 5.0
- A maximum of two components at 5.0
- No component more than 1.5 bands below the overall IELTS requirements for your degree course
- No component more than 1.0 below the minimum requirements for that component
You must also hold a conditional or unconditional offer to study a degree course beginning in September or October 2026 at The University of Sheffield before applying for this course.
- Summer 2026 - 6-week campus pre-sessional course
Start Date: Monday 20 July 2026
End Date: Friday 28 August 2026
Application Deadline: Monday 29 June 2026 (late applications cannot be considered)
Cost: £3,300 (£550 per week)
Entry requirements:
Your Overall IELTS score:
- No more than half (0.5) an IELTS band below the overall English language requirement for your degree course
Your Individual IELTS component scores (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening):
- At least 5.5 in every component and no more than half (0.5) an IELTS band below the minimum IELTS component requirements for your degree course
You must also hold a conditional or unconditional offer to study a degree course beginning in September or October 2026 at The University of Sheffield before applying for this course.
- Accepted English tests - campus summer pre-sessional courses
We accept the following UK Visas & Immigration approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) results for entry onto our campus pre-sessional courses:
- IELTS for UKVI (including One Skill Retake)
- Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) taken in the UK
- Pearson Test of English Academic UKVI (PTE Academic)
- LanguageCert Academic SELT
Entry requirements for each of our courses in IELTS can be found by clicking on the entry requirements link under each course listed above. If you have a Pearson PTE Academic or LanguageCert Academic result, you can convert it into an equivalent IELTS score to check your entry requirements using our test comparisons webpage:
English Language Test Comparisons
If you have a different test result, or are still unsure about the requirements for our pre-sessional courses, please send us an email containing your latest test result, and the IELTS requirements for your chosen University of Sheffield degree course and we can advise you on which courses you are eligible for.
- Visa information - campus summer pre-sessional courses
If you are an International student, it is likely you will require a Student visa to study in the UK. To apply for a student visa, you will require a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Further information about obtaining a CAS can be found on our Arriving in Sheffield webpages:
Early applicants to our Summer Pre-sessional courses may be eligible for a combined CAS. A combined CAS allows you to apply for a single Student Visa to remain in the UK for the duration of both of your courses (e.g. a Pre-sessional English course and a postgraduate MSc course).
A combined CAS saves you time and money as you only need to apply for a single visa before travelling to the UK and you will not need to make a new visa application between completing your pre-sessional course and starting your degree programme or Study Abroad course.
Further information about obtaining a combined CAS is available here:
Online summer pre-sessional courses
Suitable for distance learners, our fully online pre-sessional courses can be studied from your home country and finish earlier in the summer leaving enough time for you to make travel and visa arrangements before coming to Sheffield to start your degree course.
The highly qualified and experienced tutors on the course will also support you with improving your English language and academic study skills in lively and interactive classes, which will help you succeed when you join your degree programme.
Course structure
Our online Pre-sessional English Course is made up of the following components:
- General Language Development
- Academic English skills: academic writing, academic reading, academic listening and academic speaking.
- Spoken English skills: you will be taught to communicate more effectively in English in areas such as presentations and seminars.
- Writing skills: you will be taught academic writing skills focusing on paraphrasing, summarising and synthesis.
- 1-1 tutorials - regular meetings with a tutor providing you with the opportunity to discuss your work and progress in the areas of Reading and Writing.
For prospective undergraduate students the course contains an additional focus on reading skills as these will form the basis of your studies when you begin your degree course.
Every moment in ELTC is useful. They use modern technology and modern techniques in teaching. They are so supportive and encourage you to improve your skills.
Haider Al-Hamadani (Iraq)
PhD Mechanical Engineering
- Summer 2026 - 10-week online pre-sessional course
Start Date: Monday 22 June 2026
End Date: Friday 28 August 2026
Application deadline: Monday 15 June 2026 (late applications cannot be considered)
Cost: £5,500 (£550 per week)
Entry Requirements:
Your Overall IELTS score:
- No more than 1 IELTS band below the overall English language requirement for your degree course
Your Individual IELTS component scores (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening):
- No component below 5.0
- A maximum of two components at 5.0
- No component more than 1.5 bands below the overall IELTS requirements for your degree course
- No component more than 1.0 below the minimum requirements for that component
You must also hold a conditional or unconditional offer to study a degree course beginning in September or October 2026 at The University of Sheffield before applying for this course.
- Summer 2026 - 6-week online pre-sessional course
Start Date: Monday 20 July 2026
End Date: Friday 28 August 2026
Application deadline: Monday 13 July 2026 (late applications cannot be considered)
Cost: £3,300 (£550 per week)
Entry requirements:
Your Overall IELTS score:
- No more than half (0.5) an IELTS band below the overall English language requirement for your degree course
Your Individual IELTS component scores (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening):
- At least 5.5 in every component and no more than half (0.5) an IELTS band below the minimum IELTS component requirements for your degree course
You must also hold a conditional or unconditional offer to study a degree course beginning in September or October 2026 at The University of Sheffield before applying for this course.
- Accepted English tests - online pre-sessional courses
We can accept the following English language tests for entry onto our online pre-sessional courses:
- IELTS for UKVI (including One Skill Retake)
- Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) taken in the UK
- Pearson Test of English Academic UKVI (PTE Academic)*
- LanguageCert Academic SELT
- IELTS (Academic, including One Skill Retake)
- IELTS Indicator (taken after July 2020)
- Pearson PTE Academic (non UKVI)*
- Cambridge English C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency
- TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition
- NCUK English Language Test
- USIC Academic English Skills (AES)
* The online version of Pearson PTE Academic is not accepted.
We do not accept any other English language tests (such as Duolingo) for admission onto our online pre-sessional courses.
Our entry requirements for IELTS and LanguageCert exams can be viewed on this webpage.
If you have taken TOEFL iBT or Pearson PTE you can use the table on this webpage to convert your score into an IELTS equivalent score.
If you have a different test result, or are still unsure about the requirements for our pre-sessional courses, please email us with your latest test result, and the IELTS requirements for your chosen University of Sheffield degree course and we can advise you on which courses you are eligible for.
- Tuition fees for online pre-sessional courses
The standard tuition fee for online Pre-sessional Course in Summer 2025 is £550 per week. This fee includes:
- All tuition and course materials
- Course assessments
- Weekly 1 to 1 tutorials with your personal tutor
- Individual feedback
- Online lectures by University of Sheffield academic staff
- Access to online course materials and virtual learning environments
- Online University Library Access
- ELTC Student Exclusive Online Social Programme
How to pay your tuition fees
Paying your tuition fees is a crucial part of your registration at University.
For information on how to pay your tuition fee correctly, as well as the things you need to look out for, visit:
Information about your ELTC tuition fee
How to pay your tuition fees and important information
We can also accept payments from sponsors:
- Technical requirements for online pre-sessional courses
The online components of the course will be delivered using Blackboard Collaborate.
To access the online content, students will require a desktop or laptop computer with a webcam and microphone, and a broadband internet connection (recommended minimum speed 5mbps).
Tablets with a Blackboard compatible browser may also be used to access the course, however we strongly recommend students use a desktop or laptop computer ahead of a tablet device where possible.
Computer equipment and internet access is not provided as part of the course.
- Example timetable
Provisional online timetable (Summer 2026)
Please note these are example times and may be subject to change before or during the course. All times are UK local time (BST) and all lessons are taught online.
Monday
09:30 - 11:00 - Lesson 1
11:30 - 13:00 - Lesson 2
Tuesday to Friday
09:15 - 10:45 - Lesson 1
11:15 - 12:45 - Lesson 2
Tutorial
You will have a personal tutor assigned to you in each term. You will meet them regularly to discuss your work and progress on the course. These tutorials will typically take place at a time between 1.30pm and 2.30pm.
Asynchronous Content
There will be approximately 90 minutes per day of required asynchronous content, including readings, lectures, language practice activities, writing tasks and preparation for speaking tasks.
Please note: This timetable is currently provisional for Summer 2026 and may be subject to change.
Assessment and progression
In order to progress to your academic course at the University of Sheffield you must complete and pass the pre-sessional course assessments.
Our pre-sessional courses will assess your four skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) and academic literacy through a combination of integrated academic assessments.
You may be asked to participate in a seminar, give a presentation and write an essay based on academic sources.
Progression to University
Progression from the Pre-sessional Course onto your University of Sheffield degree programme will also include consideration of:
- Attendance of teacher-led lessons
- Engagement with your personal tutor
- Completion of tasks and assessments
If you fully participate and pass the pre-sessional course assessments you will be able to progress directly onto your University of Sheffield degree course.
Results are valid for two years and are accepted only by The University of Sheffield (for immediate entry or deferral to the following academic year). If you plan on attending a different university after studying our Pre-sessional English course, you will need to ask your prospective university which English language qualifications they can accept.
Campus or online?
If you are unsure which option is best, we encourage you to apply for both. This way, you can make your final decision closer to the start date.
Sheffield Academic Essentials programme
A 2 week full-time introduction to life as a student at the University of Sheffield, purposefully designed to familiarise you with academic methodology and British university culture, providing a head-start before you begin your degree programme in September 2026.
- Summer 2026 - 2 week campus programme
Start Date: Friday 28 August 2026
End Date: Friday 11 September 2026
Cost: £1,100 (£550 per week)
Entry requirements
This programme is for students who have already met the English requirements for their degree course.
You must hold a conditional or unconditional offer to study a degree course beginning in September or October 2026 at the University of Sheffield, which you have already met the English language requirements for in full before applying for this course.
The application deadline for this course is Monday 10 August 2026.
Still need help?
If you're not sure which Pre-sessional Course is best for you then please get in touch and our Admissions Team will be happy to help:
eltc-admissions@sheffield.ac.uk
For more information on how we hold and process your personal data, please see the University's Privacy Notice for prospective, current and former students.
Information for Under 18s
Our courses are designed for adults. Applicants who are under 18 are subject to a number of restrictions and administrative procedures.
The standard minimum age for our courses is 18 years. However, we will consider applications from applicants who are under 18 in some circumstances, and subject to satisfactory guardianship arrangements being in place. Please contact us for more information.
For further information on under 18s at the university please visit our "Students under the age of 18" webpage".