English language courses for international students

If you do not meet the University’s English language requirements, the University’s English Language Academy (ELA) offers several English programmes. The ELA is an accredited IELTS testing centre offering IELTS preparation courses and IELTS examinations.

Pathway academic programmes

These programmes are suitable if you have an offer of place from the University of Auckland conditional on meeting English language requirements. If you successfully complete the FCertEAP, EPPS or EPUS with the required grade, you will meet the University’s English language requirements, and will not be required to take IELTS or any similar test.

Foundation Certificate in English for Academic Purposes (FCertEAP) is a 20-week direct entry University pathway. The FCertEAP prepares you for academic studies, including note-taking, academic report and essay writing, exam preparation, presentation skills and communication techniques. If you successfully complete the programme with the required grade you are not required to take IELTS or any other similar test.

To be eligible, you must gain an acceptable score in the ELA Placement Test or have an Academic IELTS test result with the following band scores:

• Undergraduate students: an overall score of 5.0, with no less than 5.0 in Writing, and no less than 4.5 in the Reading, Listening and Speaking bands.
• Postgraduate students: an overall score of 5.5, with no less than 5.5 in Writing, and no less than 5.0 in the Reading, Listening and Speaking bands.

The Academic IELTS score must have been issued within 24 months of the programme commencement date.

English Pathway for Undergraduate Studies (EPUS) is a 10-week direct entry University pathway for undergraduate studies. If you successfully complete an EPUS course with the required grade, you are not required to take IELTS or any other similar test. EPUS prepares you for academic studies, including note-taking, academic report and essay writing, exam preparation, presentation skills and communication techniques.

EPUS is suitable if you have a conditional offer of place from the University, and an Academic IELTS band score of no more than 0.5 away from your required band, with no less than 5.0 in the Reading, Speaking and Listening bands and no less than 5.5 in the Writing band (unless stated otherwise by the University).

The Academic IELTS score must have been issued within 24 months of the programme commencement date.

English Pathway for Postgraduate Studies (EPPS) is a 10-week direct entry University pathway for postgraduate studies.

If you successfully complete EPPS with the required grade, you are not required to take IELTS or any other similar test for University entry. EPPS prepares you for academic studies, including note-taking, academic report and essay writing, exam preparation, presentation skills and communication techniques.

EPPS is suitable if you have a conditional offer of place from the University, and an Academic IELTS band score of no more than 0.5 away from your required band, with no less than 5.5 in the Reading, Speaking and Listening bands, and no less than 6.0 in the Writing band (unless stated otherwise by the University).

The Academic IELTS score must have been issued within 24 months of the programme commencement date.

Other courses

Academic English will equip you with the skills needed to cope with university studies, including note-taking, academic report and essay writing, exam preparation, presentation skills and communication techniques. This full-time course runs in ten-week blocks, and you can choose to focus on either IELTS or university preparation skills.

General English will help you improve your ability to communicate in English in social and work situations and progress to other ELA courses.

The course focuses on the development of communication skills with a balance of speaking, listening, reading and writing tasks. You will learn through class activities, individual, pair and small group work.

General English includes elective classes which allow you to tailor your course to meet your learning goals, as you can choose an elective class to focus on a particular subject or skills. The elective classes are dependent on level and student demand. (Minimum enrolment of three weeks.)

IELTS preparation is an elective option you can study in the Academic English and General English courses. For more information, please refer to ELA website.

English Language Academy
Phone: +64 9 919 7695
Email: ela@auckland.ac.nz
Web: ela.auckland.ac.nz