Pre-sessional courses

You will need a laptop to study both for the on-campus and online courses. Our on-campus students will be using their laptops in class in order to access a number of the teaching materials and resources.  For studying an online/remote Pre-sessional course, a laptop or desktop computer with a camera and sound, or earphones is required. A very good internet connection is also vital for accessing your materials and attending your live seminars. Students are also advised to study in a quiet area, with no background noise.

To support your application, you will need the following:

• Your English language test certificate. 
• Passport data page.
• Any previous UK visas.

Please upload colour copies of these to your application via the ‘Documents’ section.

The class size varies according to the total number of students we have applying for the course. Sizes can range from 12 to 18 students per class. We try not to allocate more than 18 students to any class.  

Yes. During the student induction you will be given a lot of important information about the course.  

Aside from the obvious, an online Pre-sessional course requires more independent self-study and less time in seminars. You have to be very disciplined to study an online course and manage your time well. Students studying online have more individual and group tutorials with their teachers.       

The Pre-sessional courses are intensive and require a lot of independent study time outside of your live seminars/classes to complete materials and work on assessments. We strongly advise NOT to work or study another course while studying on a Pre-sessional course. Students who have done this, have not successfully completed the Pre-sessional course or progressed to their main programme of study. 

Yes, as long as you meet the entry requirement of your main programme. However, a Pre-sessional course does not guarantee automatic progression: you must meet the required exit level in your final assessments on the Pre-sessional. This level is set by the academic school that provides the course you wish to progress to.  

No, you will sit our own exam at the end of the course; this is called the KITE (Newman International Test of English) and it covers reading, writing, speaking and listening. KITE has been designed to test students’ academic language skills for the purpose of study at the College of Newman. The accessible format and structure allow candidates to apply their language skills to authentic academic situations.   

A warning note on your conditional offer letter means that some components of your English language level are slightly lower than the entry level for a specific Pre-sessional course. You will need to work harder to raise the level of these  components in order to meet the standard needed to progress to your chosen degree programme at the end of the Pre-sessional course. 

A Pre-sessional course does not guarantee automatic progression to a degree programme. You must meet the required standard in your final assessments on the Pre-sessional course. This standard is set by the academic school that provides the degree you wish to progress to.

  Preferably not. Each course follows an intensive learning syllabus which means that even the shortest break could affect your chances of passing. We strongly advise you against missing any of the course. However, there may be exceptional circumstances, which we will deal with on a case-by-case basis.  

The Language Centre can continue to provide English for Academic Purposes support to international students throughout your studies. You would be welcome to join the English Language and Academic Skills workshops, held for 5 weeks in the Autumn and Spring terms. You may also be assigned a First Language Academic Tutor, who will be able to provide guidance on both the academic and cultural aspects of studying at Newman.