What is a pre-master's course?

Studying at postgraduate level is an exciting way to go deeper into an area that interests you. Your knowledge, skills and experience will reach new heights, setting you up for a bright future. But what if you're not sure you are ready? Helpfully, there are courses designed to meet your need. Find out how you can prepare to study a postgraduate degree with our clear guide to pre-master's courses.

What is a pre-master's course?

Pre-master's provide international students with a steady path to studying a master's degree. They help you sharpen the academic tools you need at postgraduate level, and offer direct entry to an MA, MSc or comparable course. Their length can vary, and you may have the option to complete yours over one, two or three semesters.

Most pre-master's are run by universities, with some offering them at a specialised college within their institution. These may be known as international study centres or international colleges. By operating in this way, universities can give you tailored support and a great introduction to campus life.

What will I study on a pre-master's?

The aim of all pre-master's is to prepare you for a master's degree. As such, you can expect to study and develop various academic skills. These often include:

• Academic writing
• Critical thinking
• Data analysis
• English language skills
• Presentation skills
• Problem-solving
• Research skills
• Teamwork

At many universities, there are different pre-master's courses for different fields of study. This allows them to focus on areas that are particularly relevant to you.

For example, the UK's University of Sussex offers seven different subject routes. These include life sciences, film and media, and computer science and engineering. Each feature subject-specific modules. On the computer science route, these include design and prototyping, and programming and systems control.

What are the entry requirements for a pre-master's?

The entry requirements for pre-master's courses vary depending on the university and subject route. However, you can generally expect to need a recognised undergraduate degree or diploma. You are also likely to need to meet English language requirements. Typically these are IELTS 6.0 or equivalent for shorter pre-master's, and IELTS 5.5 or equivalent for longer ones.

Entry requirements can also vary depending on where you are from. It is always worth checking any specific ones for your country closely.

Discover how to apply to university.

How much does a pre-master's cost?

The cost of pre-master's courses varies widely. It can depend on the university, subject and length of study.

In the UK, for example, a one-semester pre-master's at the University of Wolverhampton has a tuition fee of GBP 9,500. For the two-semester option, the fee is GBP 12,000.

At the University of Sheffield – which appears in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings – fees are much higher. Moreover, they vary by length and subject. The following table shows how:

Variation can also be seen in other study destinations. For example, pre-master's at Australia's University of New South Wales College have a fee of AUD 24,400, and all last for one term. At the University of Newcastle College of International Education, you can complete a pre-master's over one trimester for AUD 19,180 and over two trimesters for AUD 38,340.

Wherever you go, it is important to consider tuition fees carefully. For more insight, read our guide to how much it costs to study abroad.

Where can I study a pre-master's?

Pre-master's courses are available in major study destinations around the world, and are particularly common in the UK. The following table offers examples of universities that run pre-master's in the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland.

What alternatives are there to a pre-master's?

A pre-master's is not the only type of course designed to prepare you for a postgraduate degree. If you are most interested in improving your language skills, you could enrol on a pre-sessional English course. Some universities also offer extended master's degrees, which are effectively a combination of a pre-master's and a master's.

There are also similar options at undergraduate level. Notably, many universities offer foundation courses and pathway programmes. You can find out more about all of this with our guide to study levels.

Why study a pre-master's programme?

Master's degrees can be a big challenge, even if you have already studied at undergraduate level. This can be especially true if you are studying a new subject, or in a new country. It is understandable if you think you may need extra preparation.

With a pre-master’s course, that is exactly what you get. You will be given the time and expert guidance to enhance your academic skills, from researching to writing and beyond. In many cases, you will also study subject-specific modules, helping you understand your subject at the required level.

Outside of the classroom, you will also have more time to get used to life in a new place. Often, your pre-master's will be taught from the same campus as your master's, giving you a clear head-start for when it begins. The route from your tutorials to your accommodation or favourite cafe may already be familiar.

Pre-master's can be a great option if you have spent time out of education. Find out more about how universities handle this with our guide to acceptable study gaps.

A student's pre-master's experience

Want to know what it's like to study one of these courses? We spoke to international student Eri Takayama to find out. Here's what she told us about her experience of a pre-master's in business studies at the University of Greenwich.

Eri, why did you choose to study a pre-master's programme? 

First of all, I wanted to study for an MBA in the UK. However, I was not confident enough to enrol on an MBA course straight away, mainly because of my level of English. When I started the pre-master's course, my IELTS band score was 6.0. It was enough to study at the undergraduate level, but lots of universities required at least 6.5 for master's courses and the MBA usually demands 7.0. Therefore, I needed to improve my academic English.

I had previously studied English and read lots of essays, but I was not so good at discussion or writing essays. So a pre-master's course was the ideal way to start my life in the UK and prepare me for the advanced level of study and understanding.

What did you enjoy the most while studying the pre-master's programme?

I learned lots of practical skills, such as essay writing. This gave me confidence in every aspect of academic life in the UK. At first, a couple of essays that I had to write in the programme made me panic, because I didn't know how to organise my workload or logically discuss my opinions. But after a while, I felt much more relaxed and confident.

In addition to that, in the pre-master's programme, I met a lot of international students from various countries. It was great to meet lots of people, make new friends and see different cultures. Together, we were able to get used to British life together.

How did the pre-master's programme help your studies? 

I ended up studying a two-year MBA course. In the pre-master's programme, we studied the basics of business administration such as communication, marketing theories and economics. Thanks to the pre-master's, I already understood the basics in these subjects, so it was very easy to start my MBA course.

Would you recommend a pre-master's to other international students?

While the pre-master's is not for everybody, I found that it gave me confidence and greater academic English skills. So if you need to improve your English or gain basic knowledge of your subject before enrolling on a long-term qualification, I would definitely recommend a pre-master's programme.

You can get even more study abroad insights from Student Q&A, our home of real international student perspectives and advice. We can also explain how to qualify for a master's degree. Alternatively, you can start looking for your perfect pre-master's course with our simple search tool.