More refugees will get the chance to study English Language at UCOL fees-free next year thanks to new funding secured from the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).
The funding, from the TEC’s Refugee English Language fund, gives a limited number of eligible refugees in 2017 the opportunity to study the New Zealand Certificate in
English Language at Level 3 or
Level 4. The purpose of the Refugee English fund is to help refugees reach a level of English that helps them to get a job or undertake higher education.
UCOL Head of School - Education, Bridget Percy, says “It’s great that UCOL is able to do something to help refugees feel more at home in New Zealand. They can work towards a formal English Language qualification that will improve their confidence in communicating in everyday life, and help them with employment opportunities and higher education.”
Mrs Percy says these courses will also help refugees to improve their scores in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT), the latter of which can be sat at UCOL.
UCOL’s New Zealand Certificate in English Language courses are now open for enrolments and interviews. Classes will start on 20 February 2017.