General English for Academic Purposes

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About General English for Academic Purposes 

Adelaide University’s General English for Academic Purposes (GEAP) course is designed for any student looking to improve their English language skills. From beginners to advanced students, the GEAP learning style emphasises teamwork and problem-solving skills. Build confidence as your language ability improves and develop skills that can be applied in the real world in your career or further study.

With no entry requirements and multiple levels of study from beginner to advanced, the GEAP can be tailored to your specific needs and study goals. Study the GEAP as a standalone program for personal or professional advancement, or once successfully completed, you may be able to use it to gain credit towards a degree at your home university. 

Improve your English language skills, boost your scores and learn about Australian culture in a supportive environment. 

What you’ll learn 

The GEAP program helps you achieve your personal language goals through tailored study plans. With five levels from beginner through to advanced, GEAP builds your skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing through engaging and practical lessons. 

Before starting the GEAP, you’ll need to sit a short placement test to ensure you are enrolled at the appropriate level. You’ll be tested on your reading, writing and listening skills, as well as vocabulary, grammar, written expression and the understanding of meaning in a conversation.

You can also choose specialisations that best suit your needs and match your goals – whether that’s in business, culture or test preparation.

The specialisations offered are:

Life Skills English

Practical English for work, daily life and community engagement

Designed for international students who want to build practical English skills for real-life situations in Australia, including work, everyday communication, and digital learning.

Australian Culture

Discover Australia through language, place and experience

Designed for international students, both short-stay groups and long-term learners, who want to explore Australian life while improving their English. With weekly excursions included in the course, it’s ideal for those who enjoy learning through real experiences.

Academic Readiness

Build the English and academic skills you need for university study

Designed for students who want to prepare for study in English at university, this course focused on building confidence and fluency in using English for academic purposes. It is suitable for PEP 30 and PEP 35 students or anyone with IELTS 5.5 / GEAP 3B+ who would like to improve their academic English skills. This course is delivered in May, June, October and November.  Terms 4, 5, 8, and 9.

Test Preparation

Build the language and strategies to succeed in English language proficiency tests

Perfect for students aiming to improve their results in IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo English Test (DET), or similar exams, this course will strengthen the English language skills that support strong test performance and share strategies to improve your listening, reading, writing and speaking abilities.

Dates and fees 


Intake Term

Orientation and Start date

Census date*

Last date to enrol^ 

2026 ELC Term 1

Monday, 5 January

Monday 5, January

Friday, 16 January 

 2026 ELC Term 1

Monday 16, February

Monday 16, February

Friday 27, February 

 2026 ELC Term 1

Monday, 23 March

Monday, 23 March

Tuesday, 7 April 

2026 ELC Term 2

Monday, 4 May

Monday, 4 May

Friday, 15 May 

 2026 ELC Term 2

Tuesday, 9 June

Tuesday, 9 June

Monday, 22 June 

 2026 ELC Term 2

Monday, 20 July

Monday, 20 July

Friday, 31 July 

2026 ELC Term 3

Monday, 24 August

Thursday 27 August

Friday, 4 September 

 2026 ELC Term 3

Tuesday, 6 October

Tuesday, 6 October

Monday, 19 October 

 2026 ELC Term 3

Monday, 16 November

Monday, 16 November

Friday, 27 November 

*Census Date: Last day to withdraw without incurring liability for student contributions or tuition fees.

^Last date to enrol: Students must arrive in Adelaide and visit the English Language Centre to enrol in their Academic English Program by the 'Last Date to Enrol' to be admitted to the program.

Course fee: AUD$630 per week. 

Enrolment for GEAP must be in five-week blocks. 

Students coming to Australia on a Student Visa are required to pay Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). For more information about OSHC, visit the Preparing to come to Australia webpage

Students arriving on a Tourist or Working Holiday Visa are advised to arrange their own health insurance in their home country before departure. 

Thursday 1 January – Friday 2 January 

Monday 26 January 

Monday 9 February – Friday 13 February 

Monday 9 March  

Friday 3 April – Monday 6 April 

Monday 27 April – Friday 1 May 

Monday 8 June 

Monday 13 July – Friday 17 July  

Monday 28 September – Monday 5 October 

Monday 9 November – Friday 13 November 

Monday 21 December – Thursday 31 December. 

How to apply – international students

Follow the easy steps to apply for your Adelaide University program. 

Contact the ELC

Have a question about studying with ELC? Get in touch with our friendly team. 

Email: elc@adelaide.edu.au

Phone: +61 8 8313 4777