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English Language Teaching

English Language Teaching at the University of St Andrews provides high quality English language programmes for international students. It is staffed by a dedicated and enthusiastic team of language teaching professionals, who collectively have extensive university teaching experience and expertise in English for academic purposes.   Many of our teachers have taught - or studied - in other countries and are therefore attuned to the needs of students who are studying through the medium of another language.

Since 1990,  ELT has been dedicated to delivering English language teaching to students from all over the world.  Our Centre for International Foundation Programmes offers a number of full-time foundation programmes which combine the academic language, scholarship skills and subject courses designed to prepare students for success at university.

We run long and short pre-sessional courses for students who are already holding an offer for a degree programme.  These provide an excellent orientation to the University, and enable students to develop the language skills they will need for success in a UK academic context, not to mention the language for survival in a new cultural context.

Our In-sessional Language Service provides workshops and tutorials to all students of the University who use English as an additional language and who need to develop their language in an academic context.

We liaise regularly with Admissions so that students who have completed any of our courses or programmes have a smooth transition into the University as undergraduates or postgraduates.

Our programmes and services

The University of St Andrews

St Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the UK, established in 1411.  It is a non-campus institution situated in a small medieval town.  The University is closely integrated with the town and most students become very fond of its unique environment and sense of community.

The town is situated beside the North Sea and is bordered by long sandy beaches. St Andrews still has many fine medieval buildings. The old town is dominated at its eastern end by the dramatic outline of its ruined Cathedral and at the western end by the Royal and Ancient Golf Clubhouse. Between them lies the University with its old grey cloisters, chapel and quadrangle.

 English Language Teaching is situated close to the town centre with views across the famous golf courses to the mountains and sea beyond.