The Language Centre receives about one third of its running costs from the University, and earns the remainder from course fees. Student fees are kept lower than those for other learners: they have risen by £5-10 for a termly course and £25 for an annual course. Please see the full fee information for 2024-25 for Academic English and Modern Languages.
Information for Departments and Colleges
Student fees, the priority funding scheme, student reimbursements and commissioning your own course
The overall termly course fee for 2024-25 is split between £100 paid by the student and £100 paid by their college (for undergraduates) or by their department/faculty (for postgraduates). The reason for this funding structure is as follows. The 2009 Education Committee consultation on language learning in the University by non-specialists produced a clear view that priority should be given to language courses required for study and research and to courses in Academic English which would support international students for whom English is an additional language. Since then, departments and colleges have met the relevant charges for their matriculated students who require these courses. The Language Centre will send departments/colleges a list of their students taking Academic English courses for checking and payment, once the students have enrolled. There is no requirement for prior approval from departments/colleges for students to enrol on these courses as they are an entitlement for students whose first language is not English.
Priority Funding for General, Academic and Intensive Modern Languages courses
Departments/faculties/colleges can choose to pay the termly fee (£125) on a student’s behalf to guarantee a place for a student with strong academic needs. This is known as Priority Funding.
Students fill out an online form on the Language Centre website, a link to which is found on each individual language page under Language Courses. The system sends an email approval request to their tutor (for undergraduates) or supervisor (for postgraduates), using contacts details supplied by the student. If approved, the system then sends a further approval request to the department/college’s financial signatory – again using contact details supplied by the student. If approved, the Language Centre is then notified, and we email the student to advise them when we have enrolled them on their chosen course. Please note the deadline for sponsors’ approval for General and Academic courses is 12 noon on Wednesday of Week 1. The deadline for the end-of-term Intensive courses is 12 noon on Wednesday of Week 7. An application can cover one, two or three terms of the same course, but if a student wishes to apply for Priority Funding for two or more different courses, a separate application is needed for each course.
Reimbursement for Fast Track courses
Some colleges or departments may consider refunding students a proportion of the Fast Track course fee on completion of the course and assessments at the end of Trinity term. A form to record any agreements for reimbursement is available for students to download from our website: it should not be returned to the Language Centre. Students are advised to contact their college or department to determine their reimbursement arrangements before they enrol. Please note that there is no formal Priority Funding scheme for Fast Track courses, but we are able to invoice colleges or departments who might wish to cover the full cost of the course for their student.
We would be very happy to discuss tailoring a course to your department’s or college’s requirements in Modern Languages or Academic English, with options on length, timing and whether or not the course would have an examined element. Delivery of the course could be online, on your own premises, or at the Language Centre.
A tailor-made course is a cost-effective way to offer quality language teaching to students in your department, faculty or college. Students will benefit from studying with their peers, and our tutors can provide material directly relevant to their course of study.
The Language Centre will invoice the sponsoring department, faculty or college for the cost of the course shortly before or at the start of the course. Students from the department/faculty/college attending the course do not pay a course fee to the Language Centre.
If you have any queries, please contact us on admin@lang.ox.ac.uk.
Following Dr Jane Sherwood's departure to take up another role in the University, from September 2022 there are Joint acting Directors in place: Sam McIlroy (Head of Academic English) and Marion Sadoux (Head of Modern Languages).
Contact us
The Language Centre
12 Woodstock Road
Oxford
OX2 6HT
Tel: 01865 283360
Email: admin@lang.ox.ac.uk
MT24 Academic English poster coming soon
