Prepare for Success

Your free online preparation course

Improve your academic expectations, skills and readiness on our free online preparation course – ahead of starting your academic programme. This online course is designed to provide you with practical advice, guidance and support, so that you are ready to succeed from day one of your academic programme.

Why study Prepare for Success?

This specialist course is designed to empower you, as an international student, with the confidence, skills, and knowledge needed to thrive academically and culturally in your new environment.

You’ll benefit from:

Developing life skills to help boost personal and social confidence ahead of arriving in your new study destination
Practical advice about life in your new study destination
Understanding what it takes to become a successful learner with practical advice about academic study

Your course

Depending on when you are starting your academic programme, you will enjoy a version of Prepare for Success that is tailored to your preparation needs.

Choose your intake to find out what to expect from your Prepare for Success course:

Prepare for Success start date: Monday 2nd December 2024

Your Prepare for Success course will include:

the ability to access the course content in your own time and at your own pace.
an immersive learning experience through interactive modules and quizzes.
access a wealth of resources including language tools and practical tips to enhance your academic and cultural readiness.

Prepare for Success start date: Monday 18th August 2025

Your Prepare for Success course will include:

live sessions with expert tutors who will help you understand what it takes to be a successful learner when you arrive.
sessions with International Study Centre staff to ask your questions and get a better understanding of your study destination.
access a wealth of resources including language tools and practical tips to enhance your academic and cultural readiness.
a vibrant community of international students preparing to start their academic programme, just like you! Share insights, tips and build a network that extends beyond the course.

What will I learn on the course?

The Prepare for Success online preparation course will prepare you for your academic studies by focussing on three essential areas:

Life: Learn more about intercultural skills, your study destination, and preparing for life and study in the UK.
Language: Improve your English through language and skills modules with interactive activities to practise your learning along the way.
Learning: Develop confidence as a learner, and understand what it takes to become successful.

Why I joined Prepare for Success

How to access Prepare for Success

Getting started with your Prepare for Success course is easy. To access this course, all you need to do is confirm your place with us and begin paying towards your tuition fees.

1. Confirm your place

It’s important that you confirm your place on your academic programme in order to gain access to the preparation course. To secure your place, you will need to pay a confirmation payment made up of £1,000 security deposit and £260 non-refundable administration fee.

2. Make your advance tuition fees payment and get your CAS

You will need to pay your advanced tuition fees as stated in your offer letter and receive your CAS so you can access this online preparation course. Find out more about your confirmation payment and tuition fees on our fees page.

3. Start studying

After you have confirmed your place and paid your advanced tuition fees, you will receive further instructions about how to access the course from our Central Student Support team.

Highly rated by students

Rated 4.7 out of 5 by students
^{(Prepare for Success Survey 2023)}

93% of students felt better prepared for arriving at their study destination having completed Prepare for Success.
^{(Prepare for Success Survey 2023)}

91% of students agreed/strongly agreed they would recommend Prepare for Success to their friends.
^{(Prepare for Success Survey 2023)}

The course serves as an introduction to what awaits students not only at the ISC, but more broadly at university. The course equipped me with knowledge I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and which I later found out was extremely helpful in navigating university life.

Flavia from Albania

Studied International Foundation Year in Arts, Humanities, Law and Social Sciences
Progressed to LLB (Hons) Law

Students smiling by building and dragon sculpture

How to apply

Find out more about the application process at Cardiff University International Study Centre and learn what information and documents you will need to provide.

International Study Centre

Join the community at Cardiff University International Study Centre. Our programmes prepare you to succeed in your studies and enjoy student life in an exciting, multicultural capital city.

English Language Programmes

Our online English Language preparation courses will help you develop your English language skills to the level required to begin your chosen pathway programme.

Join us today

We're here to support you throughout the application process. Use our online application form and our student enrolment advisors will be available to answer your questions.