JYA English Plus

You can study JYA English PLUS as a full-year programme (May to April) or a part-year programme (eight months from May to December). 

JYA English PLUS has two parts:

• a 16-week Pre-sessional course that focuses on English and academic skills
• one or two terms where you study academic modules.

Pre-sessional course

The 16-week Pre-sessional course focuses on developing your English language and study skills so that you can meet the level of proficiency required to make the most of your academic studies. 

The course covers:

• what it is like to study at a UK university and what is expected of students
• skills in academic reading, writing, critical thinking and using academic sources
• listening effectively in lectures and classes, and taking notes
• speaking in seminars and delivering presentations
• the IT systems and e-learning platforms used at Kent.

Your final assessment has four elements:

• E-portfolio – this is an ongoing assessment taking place over the duration of the course. It consists of weekly tasks to be completed and takes account of. your level of participation through online engagement and interaction.
• Final essay – related to the academic subject area to which you intend to progress.
• Individual presentation based on the topic and research linked to the final essay.    
• Kent International Test of English (KITE) – your language and academic skills are tested online through a series of staged tests.

Your academic modules

Once you have completed the Pre-sessional course, you move on to study academic modules alongside first-year students.

We offer a wide range of modules from academic schools across the University, making it easy for you to find something to fit your interests and level of knowledge. If you are an exchange student, your academic modules may be chosen by your home institution. Your assessment depends on the modules you choose but is generally the same as for the other students on those modules.

You continue to study English language and academic skills to improve your proficiency. 

Academic credits

Full-year programme: 120 credits in total (60 credits during the autumn term and 60 credits during the spring term). 

Part-year programme: 60 credits in total, taken during the autumn term. 

We normally require a GPA of 3.0 or above (out of 4.0) or equivalent. However each application is considered on an individual basis.

The language entry requirement for JYA English Plus is 4.5–6.0 overall in UKVI IELTS with at least 4.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.

The Pre-sessional element of JYA English Plus, which runs from Monday 8th May - Friday 25th August, can be delivered either online or in person/on campus.

You need to apply to the University of Kent by Monday 10th April if you wish to study on campus. The application deadline to study online is Monday 24th April. 

You will need to supply the following supporting documents:

• certificates of your academic results to date
• an academic reference
• a personal statement
• a copy of your passport.

Exchange students

If your home university has an exchange agreement with the University of Kent (see Exchange partners), please liaise with your study abroad office when you apply. We can only accept applications for our exchange programmes from students who have been formally nominated by their home university.

Apply now as an exchange student

Non-exchange students

If your university does not currently have an agreement with Kent, you can still apply. Please bear in mind it is your responsibility to liaise with your home institution about transferring credits for your study at Kent.

Apply now as a non-exchange student

Visit our Student immigration website to find out about visas for short-term study.