BUIC universities can offer you a wide range of English language support and training ranging from short pre-sessional or summer courses for students who need a little additional English tuition, to yearlong general English programmes for those students starting at a lower level of English ability. Many of our language centres also provide specialist English language preparation eg pre masters English, art & design with English, etc. Most of the language centres at BUIC universities will be accredited and therefore students have a guarantee of quality, and will be ideally placed to progress to successful academic studies in their chosen discipline.
Below you will find our recommendations and procedures for non-native speakers of English.
When you apply, you will need to consider whether your level of English is adequate for the requirements of the programme you want to study. Although academic programmes vary to some extent in the demands they make on language, nearly all will require the following skills in English:
Some programmes will make heavier demands on your English: for example, certain courses in medicine and dentistry require students to deal with patients who may speak with different accents. It is very important to consider carefully whether your English language level is sufficient to meet the specific demands of your course.
We strongly recommend that you find out your level of English by taking a test of English for academic purposes before you make your application. Two suitable tests are IELTS and TOEFL. The advantage of these over other tests of English is that they measure academic English language skills.
If you supply the results of another test BUIC members may still require you to take IELTS or TOEFL because these tests have the specific aim of assessing the use of English for academic purposes.
The Institutional Test version of TOEFL (ITP) is not acceptable to BUIC universities for admissions purposes. ITP relies upon students taking past papers, under conditions which may not meet international testing standards. While it has its uses as a 'rough and ready' indication of ability, it is not the same as a formal TOEFL or IELTS test. The TOEFL website also makes it clear that ITP results should NOT be sent to universities as part of an application process. Results of ITP tests may be included on the BUIC application form, but candidates should realise that this qualification will NOT be recognised.
The 'International English Language Testing System' is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia, and was established in 1989. The academic version is intended for those intending to enrol in universities and other institutions of higher education, and for professionals such as medical doctors and nurses who want to study or practice in an English-speaking country.
All candidates must complete four modules - listening, reading, writing and speaking. The speaking module is a key component of IELTS, and is conducted in the form of a one-to-one interview with a native English speaker. The examiner assesses the candidate as he or she is speaking, but the speaking session is also recorded for monitoring as well as re-marking in case of an appeal against the score given.
At present, official IELTS test centres have not been opened in Iraq and the British Council Iraq do not administer IELTS test in their premises. If you wish to take IELTS test, you can contact the regional test centres such as Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, etc.
More information, including a full list of IELTS test centres around the world can be found on IELTS website: www.ielts.org
The 'Test of English as a Foreign Language' is a test used to measure whether candidates have the appropriate language skills to undertake university/college study conducted in English. It is an international test developed by ETS Educational Testing Service in Princeton University, USA.
The paper-based TOEFL (PBT) is divided into four sections, each one measuring the ability of candidates in reading, listening, structure and written expression, and writing in English. The internet based TOEFL (iBT) also tests a candidate's spoken English. All tasks in the test focus on language used in an academic, higher-education environment.
TOEFL is currently offered in four locations in Iraq, i.e. Baghdad, Erbil, Mosul and Sulaimani. (The latter is an internet-based test; the first three locations are paper-based tests.)
More information: www.ets.org/toefl/
Each BUIC member has its own entry requirements, but the following is a general guide to the minimum scores required for entry to a postgraduate degree at a BUIC university.
| Subjects | IELTS | TOEFL | TOEFL IBT (internet based) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Science & Engineering | 6.0 no less than 5.5 in any band | 550 paper based 213 computer based | 80 no less than 17 in any band |
| Business, Education (taught), Health Sciences, Historical Studies, Public Policy, Humanities, Social Sciences | 6.5 no less than 6.0 in any band | 580 paper based 237 computer based | 93 no less than 20 in any band |
| Law, and competitive programmes (e.g. MBA) and others requiring high degree of fluency (e.g. English Literature | 7.0 no less than 6.5 in any band | 600 paper based 250 comp based | 100 no less than 23 in any band |
| Medicine, Dentistry | At least 7.0 no less than 6.5 in any band | At least 600 paper based 250 comp based | At least 100 no less than 23 in any band |
Please check with individual BUIC universities for more detailed information in respect of admissions criteria.
If you feel that your level of English is not adequate for your academic programme, or if you have not yet obtained a required score on IELTS or TOEFL, you may be interested in one of the full-time English language courses run by BUIC members.
These kinds of courses prepare students in the English language skills needed for study and provide a useful orientation to academic and social life in Britain. Even if you already fulfil a University's English language requirement, you will still find the preparation given by these courses very helpful.
The period of language study needed to raise your proficiency in English to a suitable level will depend on several factors, including your level on starting the course and your ability to learn a second language. In our experience students normally need to study English on a full-time course for at least 10 weeks (often much longer) in order to improve their overall IELTS score by 1.0.
This means, for example, that students with an overall IELTS score of 5.0 will normally need a course of at least 10 weeks to improve it to 6.0. However, it should be noted that if any individual component of the overall IELTS score (for example, writing) is more than 0.5 below the overall score, progress is likely to be much slower. Thus, a student who has an overall score of 5.0 on IELTS but only 4 on the writing component will probably need a course much longer than 10 weeks to improve to an overall score of 6.0.
Remember that an adequate level of English will help to ensure that you are successful on your academic programme and that you obtain maximum benefit from it.
After you have registered as a student at your university, you may be be required to take an English language test. The purpose of the test is to enable language support to be offered to students at an early stage if it is needed.
Most BUIC members offer a language support service to those students who may need help with their English in order to succeed in their academic studies. Theses service can consist of advice, self-access materials and part-time in-sessional courses. Students usually find that these types of service are useful in helping them to cope with the language demands of their academic courses.
When you begin your studies at your University, you may find that you need a period of adjustment to the new academic and social environment. Studying at a university in a foreign country is an interesting and exciting experience, but it takes time to become accustomed to it.
You may have to adjust to unfamiliar methods of studying and new academic demands, in addition to facing the need to work in English. At the same time you will be living in a different country, with perhaps a very different culture and set of social customs. Allowing yourself time to settle into this new environment is therefore essential.
BUIC members can help you to overcome any problems you may face during your studies, and aim to ensure that any difficulties are dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible.
If you require any further information from individual BUIC members relating to English language proficiency levels for study, and English language courses, please refer to the links below:
Bangor
University
University of Birmingham
University
of Bradford
University of
Cambridge
University of Coventry
Durham
University
University of
Exeter
University
of Glamorgan
University of Glasgow
The
University of Hull
Kingston University London
University of Leeds
University
of Leicester
University of
Liverpool
University College London
University of London: Institute of
Education
St George's University of London
University of Manchester
Newcastle
University
University of Nottingham
Oxford Brookes University
University of Portsmouth
Queen's University Belfast
University of
Salford
University of Sheffield
Sheffield Hallam University
University of Southampton
University of
Surrey
Warwick University