English Language Course Options and Placement Exams

Whether you are interested in preparing for studies overseas, improving your business English, improving your English for hospitality and tourism or wanting to combine English lessons with a sport or activity, StudyLink’s course database has great study options. Our counsellors can help you find a course and answer your questions about English language exams.

Academic English courses help prepare you for studies in an English-speaking country. They can be general academic courses or aimed at preparing you for a specific English language exam. Business English courses help you improve your English skills for a business context and include business terminology, presentations and correspondence. Courses that combine English with a sport or activity include golf, dance, horseback riding, basketball, soccer, tennis, cinema and surfing.

Two of the most common English language placement exams are the IELTS and the TOEFL. Be sure to contact a counsellor to discuss which exam is more appropriate for your study plans.

The IELTS exam is recognised internationally. It includes recognition by some universities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. The exam covers listening, reading, writing and speaking skills. Students should take the academic reading and writing modules. The IELTS is primarily a paper-based exam, but a computer-based exam is administered in some locations.

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam assesses a person's ability to use and understand North American English by testing reading, listening and writing. The TOEFL exam is offered in computer-based and paper-based versions. A new internet-based version of the TOEFL exam (TOEFL iBT) is being introduced in stages throughout the world. This will include reading, listening, speaking and writing components. If you are planning to take the TOEFL exam, be sure to have your exam results sent directly to StudyLink. StudyLink’s code number is 8911.

Each institution and course can have different cut-off scores. If your exam results do not meet the requirements for the course you are interested in, take a look at some of the English language courses available on the StudyLink website, consider other courses or contact a counsellor for suggestions. Additional English language courses can help you be more successful with other studies. To find your nearest testing location and testing dates, contact a counsellor.

Apply Online

Applying online to study overseas is easy and convenient. StudyLink’s online course search and applications make it easy for you to find a course and apply at your convenience. With StudyLink’s online application system, when you click on the ‘Apply Now’ button, the application will be saved in your ‘My StudyLink’ section. You can start, save and submit the application at your convenience. Once you click ‘Submit’, your application will either go to a counsellor for review or directly to the institution.

Our counselling team can assist you with any questions along the way and we are happy to give you a call or provide quick answers to your questions submitted through email, instant messenger or our web form. Online applications can save you time and since everything is typed, it makes for a well-presented and easy-to-read application. If you plan to apply to two or three different institutions, you can save time as some of the standard information will automatically be entered into your other applications.

Sign in now to start or continue your applications. Or contact a counsellor with any questions.

Don’t miss out on studying in 2006

Australia – If you would like to start studying in Australia starting in July/August 2006 (second semester), we encourage you to apply now. You will need to submit your full application materials by mid-April. Contact a counsellor for assistance with selecting a course or completing your applications.

US – If you would like to start studying in the US in September 2006 (first semester), we encourage you to submit your application now. Contact a counsellor with any questions.

UK – Applications are being accepted for students interested to start studies in the fall of 2006 (August/September) for most disciplines. Applications are now being reviewed on a rolling admissions basis. Contact a counsellor to discuss your study plans and get help selecting a course.

If you are applying for medicine, dentistry or veterinary science, applications have closed for the September 2006 entry. Consider applying for 2007 or applying for a different course starting in 2006. Contact a counsellor for assistance in selecting a course.

Institutions New to our Website:

Pacific Lutheran University (USA)

University of the Pacific (USA)

Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (USA)

Shane Global Language Centres (UK)

Fast-track your way to university

In the past, if you didn’t get into university, you could repeat your senior year in secondary school, enrol in a vocational college or get a low-paying job. Today, you have many more options. Some of these options will even get you through university faster than the traditional alternatives, so you can begin your career sooner.

The university-level Diploma program is one such option for students who completed senior secondary school but who didn’t meet the direct entry requirements for university. Diploma programs such as those offered by IBT Education colleges are the equivalent of the first year of a Bachelor degree at various universities in Australia and the United Kingdom. Upon successful completion of a university-level Diploma program, you may enter second year of the appropriate Bachelor degree at the related university. For some international students, this option could save you up to 16 months of study as you don’t need to undertake a foundation program.

A second option is a Degree Transfer Program. Colleges such as Eynesbury International in Adelaide offer Degree Transfer Programs that give you entry into Semester 2 of the first year of a Bachelor degree.

Another option is a university foundation program. These programs may be offered to international students by universities or private colleges, generally as bridging programs to prepare international students for their transition from senior secondary school to undergraduate studies in another country. However, some private colleges offer foundation programs to international students who have completed the equivalent of Year 11 in Australia or O Levels in the United Kingdom, which lead to university-level Diplomas and then the second year of a Bachelor degree. So you don’t even need to have completed senior secondary school.

For those who are keen to experience university life, some private colleges are located on university campuses so you get to enjoy full access to all of the university’s facilities and services including libraries, computer laboratories, sporting facilities and on-campus accommodation. These colleges also have programs that are based on the curricula of well-known universities and are taught by university lecturers so you get to experience the real thing.

With so many new options available, you may even complete university and start your career sooner than your classmates who choose the traditional options.

Contact a StudyLink counsellor for more information on studying at an IBT Education college.

The attraction of Adelaide

With Adelaide’s international-student population growing at a rate higher than the national average, it seems there is more to this city than a relatively low cost of living and an inviting Mediterranean climate.

For over 170 years, Adelaide has actively supported those who wish to learn. Its educational institutions are amongst Australia’s oldest and they continue to win accolades and rank highly on international listings. The city has produced over 100 Rhodes Scholars and three Nobel Laureates.

Whether you want to gain an internationally respected degree or vocational qualification or engage in post-grad research, there is an option to suit your needs. Adelaide is home to internationally recognised universities and an extensive Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. Students wanting to learn English have a variety of flexible programs to choose from. English language students will have ample opportunity to practise their newfound skills as this English-speaking city is open and friendly. And because Adelaide’s academic institutions enjoy a high level of integration, it’s easy for you to move, or graduate, from one to another.

While Adelaide offers the same lifestyle and quality education opportunities as other cities in
Australia, statistics suggest it costs 18% more to live in Sydney, 15% more to live in Melbourne, 7% more to live in Perth and 5% more to live in Brisbane. This means your dollar will go further in Adelaide. Accommodation is also more affordable in Adelaide than it is in many other of Australia’s cities. Adelaide students can live in the heart of the city and still be within a 20-minute public transport ride of the beach.

Despite Adelaide’s large international-student population, it hosts about 230,000 Australian students so there’s plenty of scope to immerse in the local culture. The city is safe, welcoming and alive with many festivals, galleries, wineries, award-winning restaurants and a dynamic sporting environment. It is also home to a large multi-cultural community. In fact, it was the first Australian city to invite people of all cultures and religions to settle.

In Adelaide there is no shortage of places to visit on your weekends and semester breaks. South Australia is everything you might imagine this huge continent to be: the state is larger than Texas; it has 5,000km of coast; and the interior is home to rolling hills, sheep stations, vineyards, gold mines, salt lakes, ancient mountain ranges and the mighty outback deserts. As for those famous koalas, kangaroos, echidnas and platypuses, there are plenty – perhaps best seen on world-famous Kangaroo Island.

Located halfway between Sydney and Perth, nowhere in Australia is too far. A flight from Adelaide to Sydney, for instance, is under three hours and can cost less than US$70. And thanks to Adelaide’s new International Terminal, you’ll be enjoying more direct flights than ever before.

To learn more about study options in Adelaide, visit StudyLink’s Adelaide destination directory or contact a counsellor.

Industry experts address PLU students

Pacific Lutheran University recently commenced its MBA Executive Leadership Series, a showcase of speakers from a wide range of industries. Timely issues are addressed by the series’ presenters with a view to helping students pursue their vocation and a greater sense of purpose in life and work.

Business ethics expert and religious studies professor David Batsone addressed a crowd of approximately 120 students, faculty and staff recently on the importance of keeping promises to customers. He cited Microsoft’s under-production of its gaming technology, Xbox 360, as an example of how under-delivering can hurt customer loyalty. Batstone said that failure to meet expectations often derived from companies’ focus on generating strong revenue at the expense of retaining customers over the long term.

Given that four out of five companies cite company reputation as a primary factor in purchasing decisions, Batstone advocated for a stronger commitment to mission statements and aspirations that so many companies post on the wall and promptly forget.

Former MBA program director Abby Wigstrom-Carlson said they hoped that by providing students with role models and strategies for success, they could help create better corporate leaders.

To find out more on PLU and its MBA course, contact a counsellor.

Students’ say: on English language foundation programmes

So you want to study in England but your English needs a bit of work beforehand. English language foundation programmes can prepare you for gaining entrance into university.

One such program is offered by the Shane Global Language Centres. In addition to helping you acquire the necessary English to enter a higher education course, they try to build your study skills so you can effectively participate in a degree course. You will also be given an overview of British culture, geography, traditions and institutions.

Cambodian citizen Samnang Seima recently completed the International University Foundation Programme with Shane Global London. In addition to helping him prepare for university, Samnang said the course gave him the opportunity to study the English language and to learn more about Britain.

The school’s social programme provided Samnang the opportunity to make friends from different parts of the world and he said he found his staff and teachers to be helpful and encouraging.

“It has been a wonderful experience studying with Shane Global Language Centres,” he said.

Samnang has been offered a place in Business Administration at the University of Portsmouth.

Vin Chhoun of Cambodia attended the International Foundation course in London Bromley.

Vin was attracted to the course because it had a range of subjects including British Study and Study Skills, IT, Business Studies and general English.

Vin said he believed general English was a very important subject and useful for students who wanted to attend university. “The teacher gives a lot of homework, especially IELTS, which is crucial for students to pass the test to go to university,” he said.

“Furthermore she also teaches us how to do research from the books and internet, and also give explanation how to take note from the lecture in university.”

Vin applied to several universities in the UK with the hope of studying business and administration so he could eventually return to Cambodia to help his father with his business.

Contact a counsellor to find out about more about Shane Global and English language foundation programs to suit your needs.