Before you arrive
Please read this useful information about the programme.
Welcome to the programme
1. Free airport pick-up
Royal Holloway offers you a free airport pick-up from London Heathrow on the days below.
12 week pre-sessional: Wednesday 14th June
8 week pre-sessional: Wednesday 12th July
4 week pre-sessional: Wednesday 9th August
To book your free airport pick-up on these days, please contact internationaladvice@rhul.ac.uk
2. Accommodation fees and NHS health surcharge
Make sure you pay your accommodation fees and NHS health surcharge if your visa is for less than 6 months. For more infirmation visit the NHS health surcharge webpages.
3. Welcome to Royal Holloway email
Look out for your 'Welcome to Royal Holloway' email which contains important information about Online Sign-up.
Student induction
To help you learn about Royal Holloway and the pre-sessional we have put together the information below.
Your student inductions will take place on the dates below:
12 week pre-sessional: Thursday 15th June
8 week pre-sessional: Thursday 13th July
4 week pre-sessional: Thursday 10th August
Please watch the two videos below before the induction date.
How to get online
Your programme structure
Latest arrival dates
12 week pre-sessional: Wednesday 28th June
8 week pre-sessional: Wednesday 26th July
4 week pre-sessional: Wednesday 16th August
This means you must be fully enrolled and able to attend the first class on Thursday 29 June, Thursday 27 July, and Thursday 17 August respectively. Failure to do so will mean you cannot attend the Pre-sessional.
If your arrival is delayed and you cannot attend the start of the programme, please contact us as soon as possible by emailing pre-sessional@rhul.ac.uk
Payment of your fees
Make the payment of your accommodation fees as easy as possible!
We recommend that you pay your university accommodation fees before you arrive at Royal Holloway. Please see our website for the different methods we have available to pay your fees.
The first days of the programme
In this section, we have provided some further information about the programme to help prepare you before the start of your programme.
Students from many different countries will study on the Pre-Sessional English Language Programme. Some will have previous experience of studying in the UK, whilst others will be arriving in the UK for the first time.
You will receive around 15 hours of academic tuition a week on reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, taught by experienced tutors, who will provide academic support as well as with settling into life in the UK. The programme activities will be similar to those on your main academic courses and include writing an essay supported by research and participating in small group discussions and presentations. Make sure you bring a tablet, iPad or laptop for use in class.
On arrival, you will attend a number of induction sessions to introduce you to life at Royal Holloway. We show you around our beautiful campus, introduce you to our staff, and get you online, using College email and the Library. On entering the programme you will be placed in groups, streamed where possible into undergraduate and postgraduate groups. We provide you with the CeDAS learning materials. Remember that if you are on the 12 week programme you must purchase the course books and have them for the start of the programme. Please see the Additional Cost section here for details.
The majority of students on this programme progress successfully to their main course, feel better prepared for the academic tasks of their degree, and overall gain a real sense of accomplishment.