School of Education
Centre for English Language Education

Which Presessional Course is Right for You?

The length of Presessional English for Academic Purposes (PEAP) course you will need depends on the entry requirements of your degree course and your current English language skills.

Please follow these instructions to determine which course you should take:

  1. Look at the boxes below for standard courses or specialist courses and choose the information that is relevant to your degree requirements.
  2. Identify your current IELTS (or equivalent) score, this will give you the length of PEAP course you need to take.


    Please note that if you study on campus in Nottingham, you must have a SELT recognised qualification to be eligible to apply for a visa to enter the UK. If you are studying your PEAP course online, we will accept non-SELT recognised qualifications.

    Tests accepted when applying for a presessional courses
     Test takenTypeAccepted for on-campus course Accepted for online course
    IELTS
    SELT Yes Yes
    LanguageCert SELT Yes Yes
    Pearson PTE SELT Yes Yes
    Trinity ISE   Yes Yes
    IELTS  Non-SELT No Yes
    Pearson PTE Non-SELT No Yes
    TOEFL IBT In person only    No Yes
     
  3. Follow the links or use the menu to go to the relevant course page for detailed information regarding what you will learn and how you will be assessed
  4. Then visit the course details page for important information regarding course dates, application deadlines and fees. You will need the details of the length of your CELE course when you apply.

Standard PEAP Programmes – open to students in all schools and departments 

Our presessional courses are split into 10-week blocks (apart from the shorter courses in the summer) and each block is referred to as a PEAP. If you need to study with us for 40 weeks, you will therefore study PEAP 1, 2 3 and 4. If your current level of English and the required level for your degree programme allow you to take a shorter presessional course, you will study a reduced number of PEAP blocks.

Your degree course requires IELTS 6.0 (with no score lower than 5.5) 

IELTS scores
Your current IELTS scoreCourse length neededLevel of PEAP course you need
Overall No score lower than
4.0 4.0  40 weeks PEAP 1PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
4.5 4.0 40 weeks PEAP 1PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
4.5 4.0 (with 4.5 in writing) 30 weeks PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.0 4.5 20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.0 5.0 20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.5 5.0 10 weeks PEAP 4
5.5 5.5 6 or 10 weeks PEAP 4
6.0 5.0 (with 5.5 in writing) 6 weeks PEAP 4
 

Your degree course requires IELTS 6.5 (with no score lower than 6.0) 

IELTS scores
Your current IELTS scoreCourse length neededLevel of PEAP course you need
Overall No score lower than
4.0 4.0  40 weeks PEAP 1PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
4.5 4.0 40 weeks PEAP 1PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
4.5 4.0 (with 4.5 in writing) 30 weeks PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.0 4.5 30 weeks PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.0 5.0 20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.5 5.0 20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.5 5.5 20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
6.0 5.0 (with 5.5 in writing) 10 weeks PEAP 4
6.0 5.5 (with 6.0 in writing) 6 weeks PEAP 4 or specialist course
6.0 6.0 6 weeks PEAP 4 or specialist course
 

Your degree course requires IELTS 6.5 (6.5 in writing and reading, 6.0 in speaking and listening) 

IELTS scores
Your current IELTS scoreCourse length neededLevel of PEAP course you need
Overall No score lower than
4.0 4.0 and below Not eligible to study
4.5 4.5 reading and writing, 4.0 listening and speaking 40 weeks PEAP 1PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.0 5.0 reading and writing, 4.5 listening and speaking 30 weeks PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.5 5.5 reading and writing, 5.0 listening and speaking 20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
6.0 6.0 reading and writing, 5.5 listening and speaking 10 weeks PEAP 4
 

Your degree course requires IELTS 7.0 (with no score lower than 6.0 or 6.5) 

IELTS scores
Your current IELTS scoreCourse length neededLevel of PEAP course you need
Overall No score lower than
4.5 and below 4.0 and below Not eligible to study
5.5 5.0 40 weeks PEAP 1PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
5.5 5.5 30 weeks PEAP 2PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
6.0 5.0 (with 5.5 in writing) 20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
6.0 5.5  20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
6.0 6.0 20 weeks PEAP 3 and PEAP 4
6.5 6.0 10 weeks PEAP 4
6.5 6.0 (with 6.5 in reading and writing) 6 weeks PEAP 4 or specialist course
6.5 6.5 6 weeks PEAP 4 or specialist course
 

Specialist courses

You have an offer to study an undergraduate or postgraduate business degree

We offer a six-week course for students holding an offer for an undergraduate or postgraduate business programme, which has been designed in collaboration with the Nottingham University Business School.

Please refer to the tables above to check requirements based on target scores (6.5 or 7.0) required for your business degree.

Please note that in the event that the number of students recruited to this course is low, we may not be able to run it. We will inform you and provide more information at the earliest opportunity.

 

You have an offer to study an undergraduate or postgraduate education degree

We offer a six-week course for students holding an offer for an undergraduate or postgraduate education programme, which has been designed in collaboration with the School of Education.

Please refer to the tables above to check requirements based on target scores (6.5 or 7.0) required for your education degree.

When applying for the six-week education course, please select the Certificate - CELE 6 Wk Preparatory English course. If your application is successful, you will be placed on the education course. Please note that in the event that the number of students recruited to this course is low, we may not be able to run it. We will inform you and provide more information at the earliest opportunity.

 

You have an offer to study an undergraduate or postgraduate engineering degree

We offer a six-week course for students holding an offer for an undergraduate or postgraduate education programme, which has been designed in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering.

Please refer to the tables above to check requirements based on target scores (6.0 or 6.5) required for your engineering degree.

When applying for the six-week education course, please select the Certificate - CELE 6 Wk Preparatory English course. If your application is successful, you will be placed on this course. Please note that in the event that the number of students recruited to the engineering course is low, we may not be able to run it. We will inform you and provide more information at the earliest opportunity.

 

You have an offer to study an undergraduate or postgraduate architecture and built environment degree

We offer a six-week course for students holding an offer for an undergraduate or postgraduate education programme, which has been designed in collaboration with the Department of Architecture and Built Environment.

Please refer to the tables above to check requirements based on target scores (6.5 or 7.0) required for your education degree.

When applying for the six-week education course, please select the Certificate - CELE 6 Wk Preparatory English course. If your application is successful, you will be placed on the architecture and built environment  course. Please note that in the event that the number of students recruited to this course is low, we may not be able to run it. We will inform you and provide more information at the earliest opportunity.

 

 
Apply for a course

Centre for English Language Education

Enquiries
Presessional enquiries
Academic Language and Communication Skills enquiries

School of Education
Dearing Building
Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road
Nottingham NG8 1BB