Course to prepare you for a main course of study (pre-sessional course)

A pre-sessional course to prepare you for study is an intensive English language course, or any other course you take to prepare you for your main course of study in the UK.

The pre-sessional course does not need to lead to a qualification, but it must be at the acceptable level for Tier 4 (General) students (see the Your course of study page) unless it is:

• a pre-sessional course at an independent school, which may include some academic study as well as English language, to prepare you for your main full-time course of study at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level 3 or above; or
• a pre-sessional English language course which you study immediately before taking up an unconditional offer of a full-time course of study at NQF level 6 or above, and which is covered with the main course of study under a single confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) issued by your Tier 4 sponsor; or
• a pre-sessional English language course which will allow you (if you successfully complete it), to study a full-time course at NQF level 6 or above. You must have the same Tier 4 sponsor for both courses, and that sponsor must have already given you a CAS for the pre-sessional course and a conditional offer for the main course.

If a pre-sessional course meets these requirements, it can be at any level.

If a pre-sessional course is below the acceptable level for Tier 4 (General) students, you may want to apply to study under a different immigration route. However, you cannot switch into Tier 4 if you are in the UK as a child visitor or student visitor - you will need to leave the UK at the end of the pre-sessional course and apply from overseas for permision to study your main course here.

If you have a unconditional offer

If you have an unconditional offer of a place on your main course of study, we may give you permission to study in the UK for both your pre-sessional course and your main course. We will only do this if your pre-sessional course will be:

• with the same education provider as your main course; or
• with a partner institution named on your education provider's sponsor licence.

Your education provider will need to assign you a single CAS that covers both the pre-sessional course and the main course. The pre-sessional course must end no more than two months before the main course starts.

If you have a conditional offer

If you only have a conditional offer of a place on your main course of study, or if your pre-sessional course provider is separate from your main course provider, you will need to apply to us for permission to do the pre-sessional course first.

If you successfully complete the pre-sessional course, you can apply from inside the UK to extend your stay under Tier 4 and do your main course.