UCL / KINGS - how strict are they with the language requirement ?

1986

11 22

Posted Jan 19, 2010 09:25

Hi everyone,

I hold a conditional offer both from KINGS and UCL.
At UCL the offer is subject to the condition of 109 iBT(TOEFL).
At KINGS the offer is subject to the condition of 100 iBT (TOEFL).

Last saturday I took the iBT TOEFL and had a very bad feeling.
If I don't achieve the necessary score, there is the option of a pre-sessional course, in which one has to take an exam at the end.

I sounds very risky for me to go for the pre-sessional course and then mabe not be able to pass it -> I would be force to go home and couldn't start with a LLM.

Any ideas how strict these universities are with their english requirements? Does someone have an idea what percentage of students pass the pre-sessional tests?

Thanks for the help !

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Marina_Est...

13 25

Posted Jan 19, 2010 18:27

Hi 1986,
could you tell me when did you apply for both unis and when did they send the offers?
Thanks a lot!
Marina

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1986

11 22

Posted Jan 19, 2010 21:22

Hi,

I applyied in october and received an answer in January.

Any idea concerning the english requirement issue?

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Marina_Est...

13 25

Posted Jan 19, 2010 22:30

Sorry, I have no idea...

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froze'n

11 21

Posted Jan 20, 2010 04:51

hey 1986....
As far as i know, UCL and KCL are not so much flexible in their english language requirements....Like in your case, you have been asked to get 109/110 in your TOEFL, then you must score 105 or more.....other wise its highly likely that they will ask you to attend a presessional course. Keep your fingers cross'd, i hope you will achieve your target. Best of Luck.
take care.....

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tnuchpiam

42 74

Posted Jan 20, 2010 09:45

Both schools offer pre-sessional English courses, but UCL, in particular, is very strict about this as well. You must perform well enough in the pre-sessional course; there were cases of students from my country who packed up because they did not pass the pre-sessional tests with grades acceptable to them.

This is certainly not to discourage you, 1986, but rather to alert you to what lies ahead in case you did not obtain the required TOEFL results. KCL seems to be more flexible; I also learned of a student (again from my country) who went to talk with the people there directly (on some other conditions) -- and she was successful!

Let's hope for the best!

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1986

11 22

Posted Jan 22, 2010 10:38

Thanks!

I think the situation is clear:
No matter what score I will achieve, I will try to convince them to accept me.
If this doesn't work, I will have to go to a university that asks for less points in the TOEFL!

Seems to risky to go to london for the pre-sessional course and then mabe fail...

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dbk

103 206

Posted Jan 22, 2010 10:58

Thanks!

I think the situation is clear:
No matter what score I will achieve, I will try to convince them to accept me.
If this doesn't work, I will have to go to a university that asks for less points in the TOEFL!

Seems to risky to go to london for the pre-sessional course and then mabe fail...

If you work during 2 weeks, 1 hour per day, you can easily get 109 or more... Why don't you try that? It's worth it, if then you can go to UCL/KCL.

<blockquote>Thanks!

I think the situation is clear:
No matter what score I will achieve, I will try to convince them to accept me.
If this doesn't work, I will have to go to a university that asks for less points in the TOEFL!

Seems to risky to go to london for the pre-sessional course and then mabe fail...</blockquote>

If you work during 2 weeks, 1 hour per day, you can easily get 109 or more... Why don't you try that? It's worth it, if then you can go to UCL/KCL.

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1986

11 22

Posted Jan 22, 2010 19:15

hey,
thanks for the reply.

But isn't it a too high risk? I could have a bad day or whatever, and then byebye..back home :)

first let's see what I will achieve in the TOEFL. I should receive the results in some days...

thanks again!

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dbk

103 206

Posted Jan 23, 2010 14:09

hey,
thanks for the reply.

But isn't it a too high risk? I could have a bad day or whatever, and then byebye..back home :)

first let's see what I will achieve in the TOEFL. I should receive the results in some days...

thanks again!

If you have like 3 months, you can take 3 TOEFL tests... I know it's expensive, but it's worth it.

Anyway if you buy a Barron's book with CD's (or a Kaplan's one), practice a bit, you can easily achieve a 109 score.

<blockquote>hey,
thanks for the reply.

But isn't it a too high risk? I could have a bad day or whatever, and then byebye..back home :)

first let's see what I will achieve in the TOEFL. I should receive the results in some days...

thanks again!</blockquote>

If you have like 3 months, you can take 3 TOEFL tests... I know it's expensive, but it's worth it.

Anyway if you buy a Barron's book with CD's (or a Kaplan's one), practice a bit, you can easily achieve a 109 score.

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1986

11 22

Posted Jan 23, 2010 15:12

I actually did work for a while with the Barron's book with CD. Still I have the feeling that i did bad in the exam...

:(

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dbk

103 206

Posted Jan 23, 2010 15:48

I actually did work for a while with the Barron's book with CD. Still I have the feeling that i did bad in the exam...

:(

As you can take the test many times, that's fine.

Good luck!

<blockquote>I actually did work for a while with the Barron's book with CD. Still I have the feeling that i did bad in the exam...

:(

</blockquote>

As you can take the test many times, that's fine.

Good luck!

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Villieboy

8 15

Posted Jan 28, 2010 23:11

I confirm that both are seriously strict with the requirements.

I applied with the toefl ibt 98. In the case of KCL, I tried to negotiate but didn't work. I did the exam again, now it is cleared.

You could try the exam for 2-3 times more. It's part of the investment.

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1986

11 22

Posted Jan 29, 2010 09:01

Thanks for your help guys!

Do you know anyone who was able to get in, altough he did not achieve the necessary grade in the TOEFL/IELTS?

Any idea how to approach the negotiation with the appropriate university if I wouldn't achieve the necessary grades in the iBT TOEFL?

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1986

11 22

Posted Feb 01, 2010 15:06

hey guys,

I received 105 in the iBT TOEFL.
Reading: 25
Listening: 26
Speaking: 26
Writing:28

I hold a conditional offer. Do you think they might turn a blind eye?

If yes, how should I approach them?

Thanks

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Judy Law

20 40

Posted Feb 02, 2010 14:26

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MAB79

219 437

Posted Feb 03, 2010 08:38

hey,
thanks for the reply.

But isn't it a too high risk? I could have a bad day or whatever, and then byebye..back home :)

first let's see what I will achieve in the TOEFL. I should receive the results in some days...

thanks again!

First of all: You already convinced them. If not, you would not have received an offer!

Second, I scored only 98 the first time. This was not because my english language skills are not good enough, but rather because I have not taken the time to see how the four section work. This will take you for about 2 hours. But once you realize how the test works, it eill work well! In the speaking and the writing part, it does not even matter what you write, but how you speak or write. I studied 2 days before I retook the exam for about 2 hours and scored 110 points...I really would retake the toefl...it's worth it!

<blockquote>hey,
thanks for the reply.

But isn't it a too high risk? I could have a bad day or whatever, and then byebye..back home :)

first let's see what I will achieve in the TOEFL. I should receive the results in some days...

thanks again!</blockquote>

First of all: You already convinced them. If not, you would not have received an offer!

Second, I scored only 98 the first time. This was not because my english language skills are not good enough, but rather because I have not taken the time to see how the four section work. This will take you for about 2 hours. But once you realize how the test works, it eill work well! In the speaking and the writing part, it does not even matter what you write, but how you speak or write. I studied 2 days before I retook the exam for about 2 hours and scored 110 points...I really would retake the toefl...it's worth it!

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Magiur

19 38

Posted Feb 03, 2010 12:40

@ MAB79

May I ask you what was your English language background before the test? Have you ever studied or lived in an English speaking country before?

I'm particulary worried about the test!!

Regards

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MAB79

219 437

Posted Feb 03, 2010 17:21

@ MAB79

May I ask you what was your English language background before the test? Have you ever studied or lived in an English speaking country before?

I'm particulary worried about the test!!

Sure. I am from Switzerland. We learn English as a third language in school (1st French and for me 2nd was Latin). After graduating from grammar school, I decided not to study, but to work as a flight attendant fpr the international swiss carrier. After one year, I started with law school. So, I've been to English speaking countries quite often, but never lived there for more than a few days or weeks.

Do not worry! Try to get the system and the good scores will come!

Regards

<blockquote>@ MAB79

May I ask you what was your English language background before the test? Have you ever studied or lived in an English speaking country before?

I'm particulary worried about the test!!</blockquote>

Sure. I am from Switzerland. We learn English as a third language in school (1st French and for me 2nd was Latin). After graduating from grammar school, I decided not to study, but to work as a flight attendant fpr the international swiss carrier. After one year, I started with law school. So, I've been to English speaking countries quite often, but never lived there for more than a few days or weeks.

Do not worry! Try to get the system and the good scores will come!

Regards</blockquote>

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Magiur

19 38

Posted Feb 03, 2010 18:51

Ohh, so we're even neighbours :-) I'm actually from Austria.

Thank you very much for the information! It very helps!! My situation is quite the same. I learned English as a third language in school, but never lived or studied in an English speaking country.

Many people said to me 'Don't worry, if you study the structure of the test, the result will be fine.' Nevertheless, there is still quite a concern that the score will be to low...

Regards

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