10-week Academic English Qualification Course (blended learning) 2021 entry
This course is for users of English as an additional language who are considering postgraduate study at an English-medium institution. This could be in the UK or another country.
This blended-learning course consists of six weeks of online tuition followed by four weeks of study in St Andrews.
The course will prepare you for your future studies by developing your academic English and study skills. You will get to participate in lectures and experience academic, social and cultural life at a leading UK university.
After completing the course assessments, you will be issued with a certificate of performance. This can normally be used as evidence of your English language ability if you apply for a postgraduate degree programme at the University of St Andrews within the following 25 months. Other institutions may also accept an AEQC certificate as evidence of English language ability on a case-by-case basis.
Course type
Full-time pre-degree course to prepare students who use English as an additional language for postgraduate degree programmes.
Course dates
- Start date: 24 June 2021
- End date: 2 September 2021
This is a blended learning course, divided into online and on-site phases as follows:
- Online phase (orientation and six weeks of tuition): 24 June to 6 August 2021
- On-site phase in St Andrews (four weeks of tuition): 9 August to 2 September 2021
Students must be available to study online from Thursday 24 June to Friday 6 August 2021, and to arrive in St Andrews before Monday 9 August 2021.
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Course duration
Ten weeks (six weeks of online tuition, followed by four weeks of study in St Andrews)
Entry requirements
- You must be studying on or have already completed an undergraduate degree programme.
- You must provide evidence of English language ability equivalent to B1+ level or higher on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This evidence can be from any English language test score, or a university transcript showing performance on English language or English-medium modules. Other forms of evidence may be considered, but we want to ensure you have sufficient English language ability to benefit from the course.
- Applicants will need to have a laptop computer that they can use both in class and for out-of-class assignments.
Tuition fees
£4,150
- A non-refundable deposit of £300 is required to reserve your place on the AEQC course.
- Fees must be paid in full by Thursday 10 June 2021.
- Payment can be made by the following methods:
- International bank transfer
- Credit card through the online payment portal.
- When making a payment by bank transfer or credit card, please choose the ‘Tuition fees’ option and enter the relevant amount. This applies to deposits and balance payments.
Application deadline
Friday 28 May 2021
A limited number of AEQC places are offered each year, and these are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants should apply as early as possible to be sure of securing a place.
Meet us in your country
Whether you have questions about your application or student life, or you would like to meet a member of staff from the School you wish to study in, you can do so no matter where you live.
Course information
This intensive course will help you to:
- enhance your academic English
- develop your academic skills
- learn about postgraduate study at a UK university
- experience living and studying in the UK
- meet English language requirements to study a postgraduate degree at the University of St Andrews or another institution.
Teaching format
Online phase
During the online phase, you will participate in online learning activities for approximately 18 hours per week, and will work individually on assignments. Online learning activities will typically include:
- watching lectures and other videos created for the course
- completing interactive worksheets or online tasks
- contributing to discussion forums
- engaging in peer assessment of written work
- joining live video tutorials or English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classes.
You will also have to submit assignments and will receive electronic feedback from your teacher.
The online phase only includes formative assessments, which do not count towards your final grade. You will receive feedback on your assessments to help you enhance your ability before taking summative assessments (which do count towards your final grade) in the on-site phase. You are expected to participate fully in online learning activities, and your participation will be monitored.
On-site phase in St Andrews
This phase of the course consists of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classes and academic lectures and seminars. These sessions will help you to enhance your academic reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. You will also gain an understanding of good academic practice in higher education.
You will have a mix of both online and in-person teaching, which will be about 18 guided study hours per week. Most of your in-person tuition will be in small groups, normally with 16 or fewer students.
You will follow the same course of study as students taking our 10-week Academic English Pre-sessional Course for Postgraduate Offer-holders (blended learning), which is accredited by BALEAP (The British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes). You will have opportunities to interact with this group, who intend to continue directly onto degree programmes at the University of St Andrews, during the course.
Some or all in-person teaching on this course may change to online teaching depending on health and safety measures in summer 2021.
Assessment and learning outcomes
During the course, you will be tested across the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking using assessments that are benchmarked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). You will be awarded an overall grade on the University of St Andrews 20-point scale to reflect your performance on course assessments, as well as individual scores for each of the four skills.
Overall grades and individual skill scores are benchmarked to CEFR levels as follows:
- a score of 4-6 is equivalent to CEFR B2- level
- a score of 7-10 is equivalent to CEFR B2 level
- a score of 11-13 is equivalent to CEFR B2+ level
- a score of 14-16 is equivalent to CEFR C1- level
- a score of 17-20 is equivalent to CEFR C1 level
You can see how these grades and scores compare with those on other tests using our CEFR benchmarking table for English language tests.
Students who complete this course with an overall score of 14 or higher should be able to:
- Write clear, well-structured texts on complex topics in an appropriate style for their field, using supporting evidence and examples from sources as required.
- Give clear, well-structured presentations on complex subjects in their field, expanding and supporting points of view with appropriate reasons and examples.
- Demonstrate detailed understanding of a wide range of lengthy, complex texts where stated opinions and implied points of view are discussed, given time to reread where necessary.
- Demonstrate sufficient understanding to follow extended speech on abstract and complex topics of academic relevance.
- Produce work that demonstrates an understanding of good academic practice and scholarship, including strategies to avoid plagiarism.
Certificate of performance
If you complete all the assessments on the course, you will be issued with a certificate of performance. This describes your performance overall and in the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking, with scores that are aligned to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Evidence for St Andrews
Your certificate can normally be used to meet English language entry requirements for postgraduate degree programmes at the University of St Andrews. You will need to meet the performance thresholds for your intended subject as stated on the English language requirements for postgraduate students page.
Required performance thresholds may change from year to year, and AEQC can only evidence English language levels from CEFR B2- to C1, as shown on our CEFR benchmarking table.
Your certificate will be valid for use at St Andrews for 25 months.
Evidence for other universities
AEQC certificates may be accepted on a case-by-case basis by other universities as evidence of English language ability. Please contact the relevant institution directly to confirm.
Accommodation
Students can apply for University accommodation for the duration of the course.
Accommodation will be available from Wednesday 4 August 2021. Students will have to move out of their allocated room on Monday 30 August 2021.
To apply for University accommodation, you must complete the online accommodation application form. When you complete the online application, you must ensure you check the box for the 10-week pre-sessional course.
If you do not wish to apply for University residential accommodation, please be aware that you are responsible for making your own alternative arrangements. Find out more about private accommodation in St Andrews.
Contact
International Education Institute
University of St Andrews
Kinnessburn
Kennedy Gardens
St Andrews
KY16 9DJ
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2255
Email: ie@st-andrews.ac.uk
Policies
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our admissions policy.
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Curriculum development
As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.
Tuition fees
The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.