ESOL courses can help you if English is your second language and you are living or planning to settle in the UK. ESOL is offered at five different levels from Pre-entry (for beginners) to Level 2 (for upper-intermediate learners). You'll need to do a short test when you apply so we can put you on the level that's right for you.
Depending on your circumstances, your course could be free. Our Admissions team will give you all the information you need when you enrol.
There are regular homework assignments.
You need to have some basic understanding of the English alphabet and forming letters. Before you enrol, you'll have a short test with one of our tutors to help us decide what level is right for you. If you have any ESOL qualifications from the last three years, please bring the certificates with you to the test.
If you're 19 or older and want to study another course alongside ESOL, remember to check the entry requirements for the other course as well.
Moving to the UK and studying English at Merton have both enriched my life and changed it for the better. Svitlana Toma, ESOL Adult student
ESOL
When Gabriela Sandoval Molina arrived in the UK from Venezuela, she found it difficult to adapt as she spoke very little English.
Gabriela said: “I tried to learn English by watching videos or using apps, but it was not easy and it just made me feel frustrated. One day my wife, who does speak English, suggested that I enrol on to an ESOL course at Merton College. From the day that I started at Merton, I found the staff here to be very friendly and happy to help if I needed something.
I would particularly like to thank my teacher Cheryl Manteaw for her patience, dedication and willingness to help students achieve excellent results. She used different strategies so that we could all reach the same goal, adapting the learning environment to suit the new ‘normal’ that was imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. My English has improved enough to enable me to make my life in this beautiful country so much easier and it's all thanks to this ESOL course, my teacher and fellow students,"
To read more about how our ESOL courses have made such a positive difference to our students' lives, please visit our Spotlight on ESOL page
