Dates and Fees

Term dates

The University-Wide Language Programme is delivered over 3 terms (detailed below).

• Term 1: Starts on Monday 7 October and ends on Saturday 17 December 2024 (10 weeks)

• Term 2: Starts on Monday 20 January and ends on Saturday 29 March 2025 (10 weeks)

• Term 3: Starts on Monday 28 April and ends on Saturday 5 July 2025 (10 weeks)

Courses length

Most courses are delivered in the evenings, one lesson per week, over 2 terms (20 weeks).

There are some courses delivered over one term (10 weeks), on evenings or Wednesdays afternoon (e.g.: British Sign Language courses at Level 1, French for Business and the course in Chinese Language, Culture Awareness and Social Etiquette).

Fast Track courses are delivered on Saturdays over one intensive term (10 weeks), usually from 10 am to 2.30 pm.

Please notice that British Sign Language courses that offer the FULL levels 1, 2 and 3, don't follow the above term dates. For further details, please see the schedule of each course: BSL Full Level 1, BSL Full Level 2 & BSL Full Level 3.

Lessons

Most 2-hour lessons take place in the evenings, between 5 and 9 pm (e.g.: 5-7 pm; 6-8 pm or 7-9 pm). We also offer courses on Wednesdays afternoon from 3 to 5 pm. Fast Track courses take place mostly on Saturdays comprising 4 hours in two clock of 2 hours each (e.g.: 10 am to 12 pm and 12.30 to 2.30 pm). Please details on each course page.

If a lesson has to be rescheduled or made up, due to a postponement or cancellation, the class tutor will agree with students on a suitable date/way to make up those outstanding hours. Solutions can include the extension of the term by one or two weeks, as required, scheduling extra lessons on a suitable date and/or extending some of the remaining lessons by half or one hour, to make up the missed hours. These arrangements will be discussed and agreed between students and the class tutor. Lessons or hours that couldn't be rescheduled, due to postponements or cancellations (and that don't fall under the category of force majeure*) will be refunded pro rata. 

*(Force majeure, describes an event that is out of the control of the University's control, such as a pandemic, a natural disaster or human actions, such as armed conflict.

Learning hours

Learning hours are divided into two groups. Guided Learning Hours refer to lessons' time or hours being taught by your tutor. Independent Learning Hours refer to the time students spend learning outside lessons. This includes doing homework, practising, reading, listening to radio or podcasts, and watching films and videos in, or about, the target language.  

A 10-week term covers 30 hours of learning time – this comprises 20 hours of guided learning and 10 hours* in individual additional study. A full course (2 terms) comprises 40 hours of guided learning and 20 hours* of additional study, making a total of 60 learning hours.

Fast Track courses cover twice the amount of hours in one term making a total of 60 learning hours over 10 weeks - 40 hours of guided learning and 20 hours in individual additional study.

Fees cover all tuition, access to a VLE, marking, tests** and handouts, but not the textbook.

*The number of independent learning (IL) is the minimum we recommend to support appropriate progress and attainment. This can vary according to each learner's circumstances (i.e.: mother tongue, ability to speak other foreign languages, current learning skills, time available, hours of sleep, etc.). Thus, please consider the possibility of needing to invest additional weekly hours of IL to support your progress and attainment.

**With the exception of the BSL exams – see below for costs.

Fees

Fees vary according to each course. Our fees vary for a number of reasons primarily due to class sizes and language levels. Each course page details the fee of the course. 

Course fees can be paid in full when registering. 20-week courses offer the options of paying the course fee in two equal instalments. British Sign Language courses at Level 2 and 3 offer the option of paying the course fee in three equal instalments. 

Students commit themselves to the full length of the course, whether it is 10 weeks, 20 weeks or longer. Learners who choose to pay in instalments and fail to pay subsequent instalments can be liable for the full fee as agreed in the Terms and Conditions.

British Sign Language - Accreditation and fees

British Sign Language courses offer nationally recognised accreditation in BSL awarded by Signature (Levels 1, 2 and 3). The University collects exam fees, which are transferred in full to the awarding body. 

Signature fees

BSL Level 1

• Level 1 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Part 1, Unit 101: £20
• Level 1 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Part 2, Unit 102: £44
• Level 1 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Part 3, Unit 103: £44

BSL Level 2

• Level 2 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Unit 201: £49
• Level 2 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Unit 201: £60
• Level 2 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Unit 201: £60

BSL Level 3

• Level 3 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Unit 301: £46
• Level 3 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Unit 302: £46
• Level 3 Award: British Sign Language Studies - Signature - Unit 303: £76

Signature's exam fees booklet 2024/25.

Concessions

Our courses are the same for everyone, staff, students and members of the public. Please note that the Languages at Leicester programme is unable to offer discounts or concessionary rates. Exceptions to this are the contributions of third parties looking to support foreign language acquisition.

Outgoing Study Abroad students

Outgoing Study Abroad students* registered with the Study Abroad Unit and planning to go abroad in 2025/26 can benefit from a 50% discount when enrolling on a language course with Languages at Leicester. The discount will apply to the Term 2 (and/or Term 3) session ONLY.

Students will be required to undertake the full length of the relevant course and undertake exams.

*Excluding Modern Language students.

MA TESOL students

MA TESOL students who are required to join our language courses during the Autumn term as part of the MA please select the option MA TESOL on the payment page when enrolling. Upon registration, please choose "MA TESOL - Term 1 only" (please notice that it may not be available for all courses). If you have any queries please contact us.

PhDs and ECRs from the School of Arts, Media and Communication

PhD students and ECRs from the School of Arts, Media and Communication, can join in courses paying 50% of the fees. Students are required to undertake the full length of the course and the assessment. Upon registration, please choose "School of Arts PhD and ECR - Full Course" (please notice that it may not be available for all courses).

Refugees, asylum seekers and charity workers

Please see the University of Sanctuary page for details.

Payments

Enrolments are processed online via the Enrol Now link using the University's Shop@le system. The University does not accept cash and cannot take card payments over the phone.