Learning ESOL in college
Learning ESOL in College is a big commitment. The information on this page will help you know if you can get a free place at college, if you can get help with childcare and transport costs and what the demands on your time will be.
Please note, this information is for your guidance only - please always speak directly to colleges' student services departments for full and up-to-date information.
How can I get a place studying ESOL at college?
There are two main ways to get a place on a college ESOL course in Glasgow.
1. Attending community classes provides a route into studying ESOL at college. All three Glasgow colleges have agreed to prioritise learners from community ESOL classes provided through the Glasgow ESOL Register.
2. Since January 2022, colleges in Glasgow have also accepted direct applications for their courses. The links below will take you to ESOL application pages for each college:
City of Glasgow College
Glasgow Clyde College
Glasgow Kelvin College
Different colleges open their applications at different times. Spaces on these courses are in very high demand, and tend to be filled very quickly. When applications are closed, colleges usually allow you to register your interest or enquire about courses. This can be a good way to show the college that you want to study ESOL at college level.
There are thousands of people in Glasgow looking to join a college ESOL course, and it can take a long time to find a course. Joining the Glasgow ESOL Register is a good way to find a suitable community class, and to improve your English skills, whether or not you wish to go on to study at college level.
Learning ESOL in College is a big commitment. The information on this page will help you know if you can get a free place at college, if you can get help with childcare and transport costs and what the demands on your time will be.
Please note, this information is for your guidance only - please always speak directly to colleges' student services departments for full and up-to-date information.
How can I get a place studying ESOL at college?
There are two main ways to get a place on a college ESOL course in Glasgow.
1. Attending community classes provides a route into studying ESOL at college. All three Glasgow colleges have agreed to prioritise learners from community ESOL classes provided through the Glasgow ESOL Register.
2. Since January 2022, colleges in Glasgow have also accepted direct applications for their courses. The links below will take you to ESOL application pages for each college:
City of Glasgow College
Glasgow Clyde College
Glasgow Kelvin College
Different colleges open their applications at different times. Spaces on these courses are in very high demand, and tend to be filled very quickly. When applications are closed, colleges usually allow you to register your interest or enquire about courses. This can be a good way to show the college that you want to study ESOL at college level.
There are thousands of people in Glasgow looking to join a college ESOL course, and it can take a long time to find a course. Joining the Glasgow ESOL Register is a good way to find a suitable community class, and to improve your English skills, whether or not you wish to go on to study at college level.
Being an ESOL Student in a Glasgow college
- Most ESOL students in colleges do not have to pay anything to study - but if you have a job, colleges may check to see how much you earn and may ask you to pay some fees for your course if you earn more than a certain amount.
- Before you enrol in a college course, think carefully if you can commit to studying for 3 to 5 whole mornings or afternoons per week for 45 weeks. To stay in college you will have to attend 80% or more of your classes, come to class on time, stay for the whole class and not take holidays during term time.
- Most college ESOL courses are part-time (less than 16 hours per week) - this is so that everyone can have a chance to study. People who receive benefits (e.g. Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Universal Credit, etc) cannot usually study full-time and some people's immigration and visa status in the UK does not allow them to be full-time students.
- Looking after children can make it harder to commit to classes - If your children are in school try to find a class in a college near to their school, that starts and finishes at times that leave you free to drop-off and collect your children without being late for class or having to leave class early.
- If your children are below school-age they will need to be looked after by someone, or be in a nursery. You will need to arrange childcare before you start a class.
- Colleges usually have some limited funds to help students on low incomes with the cost of putting children in nursery - but you will have to organise a nursery place yourself. Each college will have different rules on who can get financial help and how much they can get.
- Colleges often have some limited funds to help with the cost of travelling to college. Each college will have different rules, but to get help with travel costs you will usually have to live a certain distance from the college and/or be on a low income.
- Most ESOL students in colleges do not have to pay anything to study - but if you have a job, colleges may check to see how much you earn and may ask you to pay some fees for your course if you earn more than a certain amount.
- Before you enrol in a college course, think carefully if you can commit to studying for 3 to 5 whole mornings or afternoons per week for 45 weeks. To stay in college you will have to attend 80% or more of your classes, come to class on time, stay for the whole class and not take holidays during term time.
- Most college ESOL courses are part-time (less than 16 hours per week) - this is so that everyone can have a chance to study. People who receive benefits (e.g. Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Universal Credit, etc) cannot usually study full-time and some people's immigration and visa status in the UK does not allow them to be full-time students.
- Looking after children can make it harder to commit to classes - If your children are in school try to find a class in a college near to their school, that starts and finishes at times that leave you free to drop-off and collect your children without being late for class or having to leave class early.
- If your children are below school-age they will need to be looked after by someone, or be in a nursery. You will need to arrange childcare before you start a class.
- Colleges usually have some limited funds to help students on low incomes with the cost of putting children in nursery - but you will have to organise a nursery place yourself. Each college will have different rules on who can get financial help and how much they can get.
- Colleges often have some limited funds to help with the cost of travelling to college. Each college will have different rules, but to get help with travel costs you will usually have to live a certain distance from the college and/or be on a low income.
