Learn English for Academic Purposes (LEAP) is designed to help international students at the University of Salford with their academic English skills.
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About LEAP
Learn English for Academic Purposes (LEAP) is designed to help international students. It offers free online English language and academic skills workshops, short courses, and 1:1 support appointments. Whether you're adjusting to academic study in the UK or want to sharpen your skills, LEAP is here to support you.
There are no formal assessments for any LEAP workshops or courses, but you’ll get regular feedback and track your progress through engaging activities. Our support is available throughout the year (Trimesters 1, 2, and 3), and is open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
- Workshops are online, lasting about 45 minutes
- Courses are held on campus, and consist of five one-hour sessions, over five weeks
- 1:1 support: A place for personalised help with your English, assignments, or presentations. Appointments last for up to 45 minutes. We add appointments each week.
Short Courses
Practical Academic Development (PAD) course
Are you an international student or studying with English as an additional language?
This free 5-week course will help you develop a range of academic skills for success.
You'll learn to:
- Maximise your academic reading time
- Improve your active listening skills
- Develop personalised note-taking techniques
- Structure well developed paragraphs
- Understand why referencing is necessary
Where: Maxwell Hall, room MH1
When: Thursdays, 2:00 – 4:00 (starting October 8)
How: Sign up via Advantage
Practical Academic Speaking (PAS) course
Want to feel more confident speaking at university?
Join this 5-week course, designed for international students who want to communicate with greater confidence in seminars, group work, discussions, debates and presentations.
Where: Maxwell Building, room 926
When: Wednesdays, 2:00-4:00 (starting Wednesday 4 November 4)
How: Sign up via Advantage
COIL Programme for International Students
Build your confidence speaking at university while connecting with international students from Germany through our Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programme. Open to all University of Salford international students, this is a chance to take part in a genuinely global learning experience, exchange perspectives and develop your cross-cultural communication skills.
Across three interactive online (via MS Teams) sessions, you will practise:
- Engaging Confidently in Seminars | Tuesday 10 Nov 2026 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Sign up for this session - Arguing Critically and Persuasively | Tuesday 17 Nov 2026 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Sign up for this session - Presenting Powerfully and Professionally | Tuesday 1 Dec 2026 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Sign up for this session
Workshop Schedule
- Explore the topics below and click on an event title to book your place through Advantage.
- New workshops are released at the beginning of each trimester.
- If there are no workshops scheduled, explore our on-demand webinars and eLearning resources to access support at a time that suits you.
- If you require more specialist support, please contact the Learning and Skills Team by emailing askus@salford.ac.uk.
Practical Academic Development (PAD) 5-Week Course
Starts: 8 Oct 2026, 2:00 pmFinishes: 8 Oct 2026, 4:00 pmVenue: Peel Park Campus, In person - location TBCRemaining places: 16This five-week face-to-face course helps international students and students whose first language is not English to improve their academic skills. With practical activities, specific techniques and clear feedback, students will become more confident in producing academic work.Writing at a UK University [Online]
Starts: 16 Oct 2026, 1:00 pmFinishes: 16 Oct 2026, 2:00 pmThis is an interactive online workshop where you will learn about how to approach written assessments at a UK University. You will also learn about different writing styles for assessments and how to engage with support available to you.What Feedback Really Means (and How to Use It) [Online]
Starts: 19 Oct 2026, 1:00 pmFinishes: 19 Oct 2026, 2:00 pmRemaining places: 13This workshop is for all international students and students whose first language is not English to learn how to interpret academic feedback and improve future work.Read smarter, not harder - Academic reading made easy [Online]
Starts: 23 Oct 2026, 1:00 pmFinishes: 23 Oct 2026, 2:00 pmRemaining places: 9Struggling to keep up with academic reading? This workshop will introduce simple and effective strategies to help you read faster, understand more, and feel more confident approaching academic texts.Practical Academic Speaking (PAS) 5-Week Course
Starts: 4 Nov 2026, 2:00 pmFinishes: 4 Nov 2026, 4:00 pmVenue: Peel Park Campus, Maxwell, Room 926Remaining places: 10This five-week face-to-face course helps international students and students whose first language is not English to develop the speaking and communication skills needed for university study. Through interactive activities, discussions, collaborative tasks, debates and presentation practice, students will develop practical strategies for communicating their ideas clearly, confidently and appropriately with others.Structuring your PG dissertation: An overview [Online]
Starts: 6 Nov 2026, 1:00 pmFinishes: 6 Nov 2026, 2:00 pmThis is an interactive online workshop where you will learn about the different sections of a postgraduate Dissertation and what each section adds to the overall Dissertation.Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) - Engaging Confidently in Seminars
Starts: 10 Nov 2026, 11:30 amFinishes: 10 Nov 2026, 1:00 pmBuild your confidence and take a more active role in university seminar discussions. This interactive online session will help you understand what is expected in seminars, contribute your ideas clearly, ask useful questions, and agree or disagree respectfully.Practical Academic Speaking (PAS) 5-Week Course
Starts: 11 Nov 2026, 2:00 pmFinishes: 11 Nov 2026, 4:00 pmVenue: Peel Park Campus, Maxwell, 926Remaining places: 18This five-week face-to-face course helps international students and students whose first language is not English to develop the speaking and communication skills needed for university study. Through interactive activities, discussions, collaborative tasks, debates and presentation practice, students will develop practical strategies for communicating their ideas clearly, confidently and appropriately with others.Write like a Pro - Sound more academic in your assignments [Online]
Starts: 13 Nov 2026, 1:00 pmFinishes: 13 Nov 2026, 2:00 pmRemaining places: 13Learn how to make your writing sound more academic, clear and confident. This workshop will help you use a more formal tone, express ideas carefully, and avoid language that sounds too informal or too certain.Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) - Arguing Critically and Persuasively
Starts: 17 Nov 2026, 11:30 amFinishes: 17 Nov 2026, 1:00 pmDevelop your ability to build, explain and defend strong academic arguments. This interactive online session will help you present your ideas clearly, support them with evidence, respond critically to different viewpoints, and challenge ideas in a respectful and persuasive way.Practical Academic Speaking (PAS) 5-Week Course
Starts: 18 Nov 2026, 2:00 pmFinishes: 18 Nov 2026, 4:00 pmVenue: Peel Park Campus, Maxwell, Maxwell 926Remaining places: 18This five-week face-to-face course helps international students and students whose first language is not English to develop the speaking and communication skills needed for university study. Through interactive activities, discussions, collaborative tasks, debates and presentation practice, students will develop practical strategies for communicating their ideas clearly, confidently and appropriately with others.Become a Proofreading Pro: Top Tips for Academic English [Online]
Starts: 23 Nov 2026, 1:00 pmFinishes: 23 Nov 2026, 2:00 pmRemaining places: 13This workshop is for all international students and students whose first language is not English to learn how to edit and proofread their academic work efficiently and effectively.Practical Academic Speaking (PAS) 5-Week Course
Starts: 25 Nov 2026, 2:00 pmFinishes: 25 Nov 2026, 4:00 pmVenue: Peel Park Campus, Maxwell, Maxwell 926Remaining places: 17This five-week face-to-face course helps international students and students whose first language is not English to develop the speaking and communication skills needed for university study. Through interactive activities, discussions, collaborative tasks, debates and presentation practice, students will develop practical strategies for communicating their ideas clearly, confidently and appropriately with others.Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) - Presenting Powerfully and Professionally
Starts: 1 Dec 2026, 11:30 amFinishes: 1 Dec 2026, 1:00 pmDevelop the skills and confidence to deliver clear, well-structured and professional academic presentations. This interactive online session will help you organise your ideas, guide your audience through your presentation, communicate with greater confidence, and respond effectively to questions.Practical Academic Speaking (PAS) 5-Week Course
Starts: 2 Dec 2026, 2:00 pmFinishes: 2 Dec 2026, 4:00 pmVenue: Peel Park Campus, Maxwell, 926Remaining places: 18This five-week face-to-face course helps international students and students whose first language is not English to develop the speaking and communication skills needed for university study. Through interactive activities, discussions, collaborative tasks, debates and presentation practice, students will develop practical strategies for communicating their ideas clearly, confidently and appropriately with others.
