Preparatory Year

Introduction

For a long time international Bachelor and Master programmes at Saxion, taught in English, have been popular with students from all over the world. Apart from the appropriate educational background, it is essential that students master the English language sufficiently to be able to follow the international courses. For students who need intensive English language preparation in order to be admitted, Saxion offers preparatory courses of various duration and content.

Apart from improving your English, there are other benefits you may derive from taking part in the preparatory programmes. If you come from cultural backgrounds in which studying and teaching is done in completely different ways from what you will find at Saxion, preparation for more active and interactive study methods will lead to a better chance of academic success afterwards. Another benefit may be that it allows you some time to adapt yourself to Dutch culture and life in the Netherlands before you start your academic course.

Aim of the programme

The Preparatory Year course is a full-time course delivered over 2 semesters, each of which lasts for 15 weeks. The overall aim of the course is to help you develop your skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening in English for academic purposes.

By the end of the course you should be ready to study successfully in one of Saxions 4-year Bachelor or Short Degree courses or Master programmes. The various parts of the course aim to refine and extend your knowledge of English and its use in the English-speaking academic world.

Course content

The Preparatory Year includes:

• 600 hours of tuition from mid-September until the middle of June;
• 600 hours of supervised self-study and development of learner autonomy;
• general improvement of the four English language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking) while also treating grammar and vocabulary;
• an added focus on academic study skill;
• exam-preparation classes;
• 2 project weeks, where you will research and plan a short survey project. You will work in a team and give a joint presentation;
• workshop ‘Cultural awareness and introduction to the Netherlands’, including some excursions and outings.

Self study is an essential part of the Preparatory Year course. We expect that you will practise your English extensively outside the classroom, and make use of the many opportunities to develop your knowledge of the language.

We believe that you will make better progress when you are actively participating in class than if you are sitting passively just listening to the teacher. In other words, our teaching method is based on a communicative approach and active participation. As well as listening to the teacher or doing tasks on your own, you will often be asked to take part in small group discussions and debates, and to exchange ideas with each other, or to complete tasks as part of a small group. During these tasks, we expect that you will work co-operatively with other members of the group. It is essential that you use English at all times in class and as much as possible out of class as well.

Classes are held each weekday from Monday to Friday. Students are also expected to do homework regularly. The timetable offers up to 16 contact hours per week. It is very important for students to be punctual, and we expect good attendance in all classes.

Teachers will assess your progress midway through each semester and at the end of each semester. Teachers may give other informal tests from time to time. This course is not an examination course: its aims are much wider than this, helping you to prepare fully for your future studies. On the basis of your homework and class performance, your teachers may be able to advise you about your approximate IELTS level.

At the end of the course, there is an opportunity to take an English language test to prove your language proficiency as required for admission to Saxion 4-year Bachelor, Short Degree or Master programmes.

Requirements

It is essential that prospective students have already reached a score of IELTS 5.0 (or comparable level of English proficiency) so that the starting level is in line with the level (IELTS 6.0) students have to achieve to get admission to courses of higher education.

Prospective students are required to apply for their future four-year course, Short degree programme or Masters programme at the same time they seek entry to the Preparatory courses. The reason for this is to ascertain if they have the proper previous education for their intended future studies.

Note for young students

Living and studying abroad demands a willingness of the student to adapt to a different culture, to accept different ways of doing things in the host country, and even different study methods. Students will have to mature very fast and look after themselves: cook their own meals, clean their own room or house and stay healthy.

Finances

The course fee amounts to 7,800,- euros. For an extensive overview of costs, please refer to our finances overview.

The costs for all mandatory study materials are included in the course fee. The exam fees for language tests such as IELTS or TOEFL are not included in the course fee.