To turn a bewildered, inept foreigner into a full-fledged student, there are various academic preparation courses – both language and subject-based. Is it mandatory to take them? For a domestic graduate who wants to enter a university immediately after school, say, in Britain or Germany – yes, it is mandatory. There, the pre-university preparation course counts as the “twelfth” grade. However, in some other countries, this “barrier” does not exist. It also does not exist for those who have already completed a course or two at their home university, not to mention graduates aiming for a master’s degree. So, should you spend time and money on preparatory courses or not? To understand this, you need to know what these courses are and what specifically they can give you.
More knowledge!
There is a sea of various pre-university programs for foreign applicants, especially in English-speaking countries. Their difference from other language courses is that, in addition to linguistic intricacies, they teach a lot of other useful things. In particular, academic skills that allow the student to adapt to the teaching system adopted in that country. In some places, the program also includes a number of general education subjects. Thus, in the words of the director of the Canadian language school Young People's Language School, Jeannette Gallina, “filling the gap between finishing secondary school in one’s home country and studying at an English-speaking university, both linguistically and cognitively.” That is, Gallina explains, the school’s program gives applicants with an excellent transcript but shaky English the opportunity to improve their language proficiency, and those who know English well but have an imperfect transcript – to acquire more knowledge in core subjects to raise their average score.
Some language centers have only recently introduced pre-university preparation programs, while others can be called veterans in this field. For example, at the International Center for English Language at the British university Oxford Brookes, such courses have been taught for 15 years. “We introduced them because foreign students need an educational foundation comparable to that which Britons have,” explains school staff member Cissy Feng. The courses are attended by both applicants for the first year of a bachelor’s degree and future master’s students. Although in many educational institutions there are special preparatory programs for those who are going to study for a master’s degree – Pre-Master’s.
Not to get lost…
There are two types of preparatory courses. First, actual language training – “Language for Academic Purposes.” Such courses last up to six months, include preparation for one or another international language exam (sometimes taking it as well) plus academic skills. The second, more substantial type, more closely resembles our preparatory courses, with the difference that much more attention is paid to language, and academic skills are also taught – to an even greater extent than in purely language courses. These are the very Foundation programs, without which a recent school graduate cannot enter a British university. But upon successful completion, you are often automatically enrolled in the educational institution where you took the course, or easily get into the one you want.
But this is in the most general terms. In fact, within these types of programs there are many variations – the courses themselves can differ greatly. For example, at the Australian University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, students can choose one of four preparatory programs lasting from 9 to 12 months. Each of them grants both the right to study at the university and excellent preparation for learning. These are full-fledged academic programs, and the student chooses the direction in which they intend to study. Moreover, graduates are accepted not only at UNSW but also at other universities in Australia and New Zealand.
Frances King School of English in London is not a university but a language school. Nevertheless, the nine-month (or six-month for “advanced”) preparatory program consists not only of English classes. It includes nine modules: business, economics, information technology, British culture and university life, language for academic purposes, IELTS preparation, as well as pre-master’s preparation and the “Academic Year/Semester” program with a flexible schedule (new students are accepted every month), which can be entered even with elementary knowledge of English.
Often, language schools offer fairly short preparatory courses. For example, the LAL group of schools, with branches in five countries, has organized programs in its centers in Britain, the USA, and Malta lasting from four to 12 weeks. Here, they specifically “coach” those who are going to enter universities in Britain, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, where a particularly high score on this exam is required, to pass the IELTS. And in parallel, they teach essay writing, lecture note-taking, and other useful skills that every student should have.
In general, each educational institution does its best, inventing its own courses. At the same time, as noted by the director of an educational agency Tatiana Mokhova, “some language for academic purposes and Foundation courses are ordinary language programs that include a minimal academic component.” It is not surprising that students (and sometimes agents) find it difficult to navigate this “jungle” and later complain about wasted time and money.
To overcome the disparity, some steps have been taken by a group of educational institutions belonging to the British association of language schools English UK, which undertook to develop a common standard for pre-university preparation programs. The scheme they created is intended to serve as a guide for schools offering such courses and includes a number of areas that must be included in them. These include, in particular, academic and communication skills, classes in high school graduation subjects, and preparation for an international language exam—for example, IELTS. But the scheme will only operate in Britain; those wishing to study in other countries must rely on the qualifications of education agents.
And what about the Danes?
Meanwhile, the popularity of other places is growing. For example, more and more foreigners are choosing universities in Denmark, where tuition fees have been introduced for students from non-European Union countries, but they are several times lower than in the UK. However, there are virtually no preparatory courses in this country. Even the University of Copenhagen, which has the highest percentage of foreign students, can only offer Danish language and culture courses, which do not include academic preparation as such.
In Germany, a system of special preparatory colleges—Studienkolleg—has long been in place for recent school graduates. This is a year of very intensive study followed by exams leading to university admission. As for language for academic purposes, such a four- or eight-week program—Campus Intensiv—is offered primarily by the Goethe Institute, and recently more and more private language schools have been taking up this task. Courses are also being created at universities. For example, a few years ago, the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich launched an academic preparation program called Profis. "A large-scale study was conducted in Germany showing that many foreign students have difficulty adapting to the German education system and lose precious time," explains university representative Raffaella Delli Santi. "Because of this, they have to drop out." Profis, which includes German language classes and training in study skills and academic writing, is held before the start of the semester directly on campus. "Students are also introduced to the environment, shown where to find things at the university, given advice, and helped to integrate into the student community and get used to new realities," Santi says. So to some extent, it is also an orientation course.
University or school?
Both language for academic purposes courses and Foundation programs are offered by a wide variety of educational institutions: universities, further education colleges, special preparatory colleges, and language schools. Where should an applicant go? Experts’ opinions do not always coincide. However, many agree that traditionally applicants prefer to prepare at the institution they plan to attend.
Dina Carvalho from the Brazilian education agency Kangaroo Tours believes: "Usually applicants choose courses at the university where they intend to study, mainly because that is where they will spend their student years. Also important is the fact that many universities guarantee admission to those who complete the preparatory program."
The representatives of university-based courses themselves consider this trend correct. Where else, they say, will such academic skills be provided? "The University of Leeds preparatory program is conducted directly on campus by our own teaching staff," says the director of the aforementioned program, John Juren. "This means that participants are treated like regular, full-fledged students and they enjoy the same rights and privileges."
But we are unmatched in language teaching, retort representatives of language schools. Here is the opinion of Sarah Grettorix, director of the Colchester English Study Centre: "I believe that language schools provide better preparation, but universities are trying their best to take students away from them. Meanwhile, universities are not as careful in leveling students and do not give each one as much attention."
Moreover, as Mark Henwood (MLS International College, Bournemouth) believes, a language school gives the student greater flexibility. "We at MLS know from experience: a student sometimes arrives in Britain firmly knowing where he intends to study. But after spending a year in the country, many change their minds," he notes. "Preparatory courses should provide him with choice, targeting a wide range of university programs, both in terms of specialty and geography."
Victoria Donnelly from Newcastle College offers another option—naturally, a college. "Preparation at a college gives more freedom than at a university: after six or nine months, you can choose where to apply," she notes. "But if you choose a university, you will be tied to it for the entire three-year diploma course."
But the most sensible schools and universities, instead of debating who is better, have joined forces. For example, students of the preparatory program at the Frances King school in London attend Roehampton University—they take notes at lectures and learn to use the library. The Maltese branch of LAL specifically cooperated with the University of Malta to help applicants from non-European Union countries quickly reach the required IELTS level. And successful completion of the language for academic purposes course at the British language center Anglo World guarantees admission to the University of Portsmouth.
No matter how much experts argue, almost everyone agrees on one thing: young people tend to overestimate both their independence and their knowledge of a foreign language. Therefore, they often neglect preparatory courses. But in vain. After all, extra knowledge never hurts.