Tab Content: Undergraduate applicants
If you have not met the English language requirements for direct entry, please contact us with a copy of your English language certificate to enquire if you are eligible for one of our pre-sessional programmes.
To be considered for a pre-sessional programme you need to have made Lancaster University your firm choice in UCAS. There is no deposit for the pre-sessional programmes.
- If you are eligible for a pre-sessional programme, we will let you know by email and you will need to reply, confirming that you want to take the pre-sessional programme.
- We will then send you an email confirming that we have added the pre-sessional programme to your offer. If you have already accepted your academic offer, you will not need to accept it again after the pre-sessional programme has been added. You will not be issued with a separate offer letter for the pre-sessional programme.
- The revised offer will update the start date of your studies and the offer letter in your online application will show that a pre-sessional programme has been added to your offer.
If you decide not to accept a place on the pre-sessional programme that is offered, you will need to meet the English language condition originally stated in the offer letter. If you are planning to take another English test in order to meet your English condition, we would advise you to book a test as soon as possible.
If you improve your English scores, it may be possible to take a shorter pre-sessional programme, provided that you meet the entry requirement for the shorter programme. If you have already been accepted onto one pre-sessional and now meet the requirements for another, you should contact us to discuss this, uploading the new English test to your online application.
Unconditional offers
If your offer is showing as ‘unconditional’, but you have been offered a pre-sessional programme, then you have been accepted for study at Lancaster provided you successfully complete the pre-sessional. This means that you have to participate in all classes, contribute in class, complete all pieces of work to the required standard and demonstrate that you are ready for academic study at Lancaster. If you are unable to do this for any reason, you may not be able to progress to your academic studies.
Tab Content: Postgraduate applicants
You don't need to contact us to apply for our pre-sessional programmes. If you have not met the English language requirements for direct entry, we will automatically consider you for one of our pre-sessional programmes when we receive a copy of your English language certificate. You should upload this to your application in our postgraduate application portal.
If you decide not to accept a place on the pre-sessional programme that is offered, you will need to meet the English language condition originally stated in the offer letter. If you are planning to take another English test in order to meet your English condition, we would advise you to book a test as soon as possible.
If you improve your English scores, it may be possible to take a shorter pre-sessional programme provided that you meet the entry requirement for the shorter programme. If you have already been accepted onto one pre-sessional and now meet the requirements for another, you should contact us to discuss this, uploading the new English test to your online application.
Unconditional offers
If your offer is showing as ‘unconditional’, but you have been offered a pre-sessional programme, then you have been accepted for study at Lancaster provided you successfully complete the pre-sessional. This means that you have to participate in all classes, contribute in class, complete all pieces of work to the required standard and demonstrate that you are ready for academic study at Lancaster. If you are unable to do this for any reason, you may not be able to progress to your academic studies.
Tab Content: Deadlines
To be considered for the 10-week PSE programme, you need to have confirmed that you want this added to your offer by 31 May 2024.
To be considered for the 4 or 5 week PSE programme, you need to have confirmed that you want this added to your offer by 19 July 2024.
The latest arrival dates for the pre-sessional programmes are as follows:
10 weeks Pre-sessional (in-person): 19th July 2024
10 weeks Pre-sessional (online): 19th July 2024
4 weeks Pre-sessional (In-person): 6th September 2024
5 weeks Pre-sessional (online) : 28th August 2024
If you are unable to start by the latest arrival dates given, you may not be able to take part in the PSE and would need to meet the English requirements for direct entry.
If you have already met our English language requirements and you are interested in taking one of our pre-sessional programmes, we recommend you consider our two-week Study Start programme as an alternative. However, if you are particularly interested in taking a pre-sessional English programme, please contact the admissions team and we will consider your request.