Higher Education Institutions often think of Pre-Sessional English courses as a recruitment tool, helping to filter out students whose linguistic skills aren’t up to the demands of their chosen degree. However, in this focus on students’ initial interactions with their university, some may end up struggling with longer-term engagement and retention.
With the international student market growing in importance in higher education – not only for these students’ contributions to campus life, but for their favourable impact on the wider economy of their host country – let’s look at some of the ways Pre-Sessional English courses can help foster student success beyond enrolment.
What do students learn on a Pre-Sessional English course?
Pre-sessional English (PSE) courses are also known as English for University or English for Academic Purposes programmes, and as the name suggests, international students take the course before the start of their degree.
Students taking PSE courses will develop the skills they need to transition smoothly into a degree course and thrive at their chosen university. These skills go beyond mere language proficiency, encompassing areas such as:
- Academic writing and research skills, with some courses tailored to meet specific course or university requirements
- Critical thinking and seminar participation techniques to help them engage in discussions
- Time management and independent learning strategies for self-directed study
Alongside these crucial skills for academic life and beyond, taking a PSE course helps students overcome the early struggles they might experience on moving to a new country, giving them a base to build on so that they can ‘hit the ground running’ when they arrive at university.
Realistic scenarios
By putting students through a series of interactive tasks, PSE programmes are designed to mirror some of the scenarios they’ll encounter ‘in real life’ once their course begins. Working in small groups, just as they will on their degree, students learn the language and ‘soft’ skills they’ll need to collaborate successfully with their peers from different cultures.
As Ariana, one of our PSE students, comments: “I was very satisfied with the overall experience because I was in a group with students from different countries and this made me learn a lot about their culture. Thanks to my teacher and this course, now I am confident while I talk English.”
Boosting academic confidence
Indeed, building international students’ confidence with speaking English in an academic context increases their engagement in lectures and seminars – but the benefits don’t end there. PSE courses introduce them to the online resources and digital learning platforms they’ll be using throughout their studies, as well as familiarising them with the culture and expectations of their chosen university.
To build confidence further, many universities choose to embed mentorship, peer connections and student support services into their PSE delivery. Mentorship programmes in particular have been shown to boost students’ confidence and enhance their integration, which has further knock-on benefits.
A sense of belonging
On the subject of integration, research by UK student mental health charity Student Minds found that international students were much more likely than UK residents to worry about issues related to community, relationships and belonging.
By helping students to become more confident communicators in both academic and social contexts, and introducing them to their own networks before they arrive, PSE courses help with this by reducing isolation, minimising culture shock and building a sense of community and belonging from the beginning.
That has a direct impact on course completion rates, with research showing that students who feel like they belong at university-level study are more likely to complete their first year.
Pre-Sessional English: A long-term investment
This positive effect on course completion indicates that PSE programmes are worth universities viewing not merely as an entry requirement, but as a long-term investment. That’s because the impact goes beyond recruitment, helping your international students integrate into your university community, succeed academically and set themselves up for a successful career. This means that expanding and improving PSE programmes also contributes to a positive student experience, which then helps with recruitment, completing the cycle.
PSE courses can be outsourced to external providers if you don’t have the resources and capacity to offer them in house. Our PSE programme increases students’ language skills by up to 1.5 IELTS points before arrival, with 98% of them progressing on to their chosen degree. You can customise our course to help prepare students for your specific university culture and for particular degrees, helping students get the most from it and enhancing your investment.
Speak with us today to develop a bespoke PSE offering that will support your students and increase your international student retention rates. Get in touch to find out more.
