English Language Teaching Unit
Choose your presessional course
We offer start dates all year round, with courses from 2 weeks to 40 weeks, depending on your level of English. Choose from the list below.
Presessional requirements
- The minimum age for enrolment on all programmes is 18.
- On campus study requires a Student Route Visa or Dependent Visa. Find out more about visas.
- Students who complete the Presessional Programme with suitable grades will meet the English language entry requirements for University of Leicester degree programmes.
- Entry requirements shown below are IELTS - in addition to the overall IELTS score, you must have minimum IELTS 4.0 in all skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing). If you have a different qualification, check our entry levels page.
- Course fees should be paid in full before the start of the course. Get more information about fees payment and refunds.
- You must apply before the application deadline, or your visa will not arrive in time.
Contact us
For general enquiries about the Presessional Programme, please contact pspadmissions@le.ac.uk.
Presessional 40 weeks (IELTS 4.0): Modules A, B, C and D
No start date currently scheduled.
If you have a group of students with a level of IELTS 4.0 or equivalent interested in this programme, please contact eltu@le.ac.uk.
Presessional 30 weeks (IELTS 4.5): Modules B, C and D
Entry requirement (IELTS equivalent): 4.5
(IELTS 5.0 for academic programmes requiring 7.0)
October 2025
- Mode of study: On campus
- Dates: 6 October 2025 - 19 June 2026
- Application deadline: 1 September 2025
- Offer acceptance deadline: 8 September 2025 (late applicants should pay their full termly fees via online payment - £4,170 - to accept their offer)
- Enter University: September 2026
- Fee: £12,510
January 2026
- Mode of study: On campus
- Dates: 12 January 2026 - 11 September 2026
- Application deadline: 17 November 2025
- Offer acceptance deadline: 24 November 2025 (late applicants should pay their full termly fees via online payment - £4,170 - to accept their offer)
- Enter University: September 2026
- Fee: £12,510
Presessional 20 weeks (IELTS 5.0): Modules C and D
Entry requirement (IELTS equivalent): 5.0
(IELTS 5.5 for academic programmes requiring 7.0)
January 2026
- Mode of study: On campus
- Dates: 12 January 2026 - 19 June 2026
- Application deadline: 17 November 2025
- Offer acceptance deadline: 24 November 2025 (late applicants should pay their full termly fees via online payment - £4,170 - to accept their offer)
- Enter University: September 2026
- Fee: £8,340
Presessional 10 weeks (IELTS 5.5): Module D
Entry requirement (IELTS equivalent): 5.5
(IELTS 6.0 for academic programmes requiring 7.0)
October 2025
- Mode of study: On campus
- Dates: 6 October 2025 - 12 December 2025
- Application deadline: 1 September 2025
- Offer acceptance deadline: 8 September 2025 (late applicants should pay their full termly fees via online payment - £4,170 - to accept their offer)
- Enter University: January 2026
- Fee: £4,170
October 2025
- Mode of study: Online
- Dates: 6 October 2025 - 12 December 2025
- Application deadline: 29 September 2025
- Offer acceptance deadline: 29 September 2025 (late applicants must pay their full termly fees via online payment - £4,600 - to accept their offer)
- Enter University: January 2026
- Fee: £4,600
Please Note: Courses are subject to demand and require a minimum number of registered students for the course to take place. If a course doesn’t reach the minimum number of students required to take place, the ELTU will announce whether the course is going ahead or whether it is cancelled. If the ELTU cancels a course and is unable to offer a suitable alternative, then a full refund will be given.
Presessional 6 weeks (IELTS 6.0): Module E
Entry requirement (IELTS equivalent): 6.0
(IELTS 6.5 for academic programmes requiring 7.0)
July 2025
- Mode of study: Online
- Dates: 14 July 2025 - 22 August 2025
- Application deadline: 23 June 2025
- Offer acceptance deadline: 30 June 2025 (late applicants should pay their full termly fees - £2,520 - via online payment to accept their offer)
- Enter University: September 2025
- Fee: £2,520
- Mode of study: On campus
- Dates: 28 July 2025 - 5 September 2025
- Application deadline: 30 June 2025
- Offer acceptance deadline: 7 July 2025 (late applicants should pay their full termly fees - £2,520 - via online payment to accept their offer)
- Enter University: September 2025
- Fee: £2,520
English Language Programme (IELTS 4.0 - 5.5)
The ELTU’s English Language Programme is for students who do not yet qualify for a Student Visa, but want to improve their English in a UK academic environment.
Entry requirement (IELTS equivalent): 4.0 - 5.5.
We accept other tests in addition to IELTS and also offer our own entry test for entry onto the English Language Programme.
- Visa requirement: any visa type which allows full-time study for the whole duration of your programme
- Study for between 10 and 40 weeks
- 21 hours per week full-time intensive study
To apply or for more information, email us at pspadmissions@le.ac.uk, telling us your current level of English, when you want to start, and how many weeks you want to study.
HeadStart+ 2 weeks (Unconditional offer)
Entry requirement: You must have an unconditional offer for a University of Leicester academic programme.
September 2025
- Mode of study: On campus
- Dates: 8 September 2025 - 19 September 2025
- Application deadline: 25 August 2025
- Offer acceptance and fee payment deadline: 27 August 2025
- Enter University: September 2025
- Fee: £595