Pre-sessional English language courses 2025/26 entry

We offer a range of pre-sessional academic English courses for international students.

Our pre-sessional programmes focus on developing your academic skills and English. The skills that you learn on these programmes will help you to establish a good foundation for your degree programme, as well as settle you into the University of York so that you are ready to get the most out of your degree programme from the moment you start it.

These courses are for any international students who either need to meet language criteria for their degree, or who have already met their language requirements and would like to better prepare themselves for their degree programme. Our courses are available both online and in-person.

Former University of York International Pathway College (IPC) student, Angelina, talks about her pre-sessional English course experience. You can also view this video on Weibo.

Need to meet English language entry criteria?

International students who need to meet English language requirements can come on one of our 16, 10 or 6-week programmes.

Have an unconditional offer?

International students who have met their language requirements and would like to better prepare themselves for academic study, as well as settle into the University before their degree programme starts, can come on our 4-week pre-sessional for unconditional offer holders.

How to apply

Applications for our pre-sessionals can be made through your You@York portal once you have an offer for a degree programme.

Online pre-sessional courses

Meet your English language requirements from the comfort of your own home. You can study any of our 16, 10, 6 or 4-week pre-sessionals online as long as you have a laptop or computer with a good internet connection and a quiet place to study.

Online pre-sessionals

On-campus pre-sessional courses

You can complete our four or six-week pre-sessional courses on our beautiful green campus, here in York.

On campus pre-sessionals

students studying in the University of York library

Applicants that have not applied to study at York

Our pre-sessional online courses are also open to applicants who have applied to degree courses at other UK universities or have not yet applied for a degree course.

If you have applied to another university, you will need to check with them to see if they will accept our pre-sessional course as a way of meeting their English language entry requirements. Find out how to apply to our pre-sessional courses as a student not studying at York.