UoL English Foundation Course
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Foundation Course
for Learning English Language
The English Language Foundation Course is designed to prepare international students from non-EU countries with lower level B1 language proficiency (e.g. IELTS at least 4.0) for successful entrance into UoL undergraduate and graduate programs by enhancing their language proficiency to upper level B1 level (e.g. IELTS at least 5.0), or higher. This course focuses on developing the students’ English language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as building their academic language and communication skills required for successful study at UoL. The course is provided by UoL onsite and lasts a full academic year (two semesters, 26 weeks, 416 hours). The students will be required to take one of the approved exams by the Council of Ministers, listed above. Students attending classes in person (in Cyprus) who fail to pass any of these approved exams with an upper level B1 score will not be allowed to repeat the foundation year and they will have to leave the country.
The same course is also provided online and students can attend it from their home country without a minimum entry score. The only requirement is to take one of the approved exams listed above and attain an upper level B1 score required for entrance in a UoL program.
Candidates for UoL programs from non-EU countries, who do not meet the English language requirement of an upper level B1 score, should apply to attend either the onsite or the online UoL English Foundation Course.
Course Objectives
Develop students’ proficiency in all aspects of the target language (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) to successfully participate in one of the endorsed examinations approved by the Council of Ministers.
- Develop the academic vocabulary and language skills required for studies in higher education.
- Enhance communication skills to facilitate academic and social interactions and participation with greater confidence in class discussions and debates and/or when presenting academic topics.
- Enhance critical reasoning and analytical skills through reading and writing tasks.
- Develop transferable 21st-century skills such as digital literacy, collaboration, creativity, intercultural awareness, autonomy and lifelong learning.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the one-year course, students will be able to:
- Understand and use lexis and concepts related to personal and academic learning in the four basic language skills: Listening (e.g. YouTube videos and Ted Talks), Reading (e.g. review and report of articles on websites and journals), Speaking (e.g. collaborative work, class discussions, debates) and Writing (e.g. essays, discursive essays, note-taking, paraphrasing, summarising)
- Create digital content (short videos, digital stories, digital portfolio) focusing on topics such as university life, intercultural communication, etc.
- Work in teams to manage problems in authentic cases of communication and develop timely solutions based on informed decisions.
- Participate actively in real-life circumstances of intercultural communication and interaction.
- Apply the principles of effective evaluation and feedback in authentic cases of communication to complete individual/group projects (writing reports, creating digital content, etc.).
- Develop confidence in successfully participating in one of the suggested and approved examinations of the Council of Ministers for continuing their studies in higher education institutions in Cyprus.
Admission Criteria
- Conditional admission into a UoL academic program based on the fulfilment of all other criteria, the only condition being the attainment of a satisfactory score (high B1 such as 5.0 in IELTS) in the English language in one the approved by the Council of Ministers international tests.
- Have already attained at least a low B1, such as a 4.0 in IELTS, in one of the approved by the Council of Ministers international tests.
- Applied and secured a visa to enter Cyprus for the duration of the Foundation English course.
- Successful completion: attainment of the approved high B1 score such as 5.0 in IELTS (for undergraduates) or 5.5 (for graduates) or the equivalent satisfactory score in one of the approved by the Council of Ministers international tests, in which case he/she can start their academic program; otherwise, must depart from Cyprus.
English (UK) 
Ελληνικά