Elevate your English skills for everyday use, career advancement, and travel with RMIT UP – language experts for over 50 years.
The General English course is designed to help you build real-world English skills for everyday life, work and travel. You will gain the confidence to speak, listen, read, and write in English across a range of social and professional settings.
The General English course:
With a flexible structure covering all proficiency levels from Beginner to Advanced, this program combines engaging classroom learning with digital tools and immersive, practical activities.
Whether your goal is to support future studies, enhance career opportunities, or simply improve everyday communication, you will benefit from experienced, highly qualified instructors and RMIT UP’s world-class facilities right in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD.
Beginner - Advanced (see course details)
Each level delivered over 10 weeks, except for Beginner Level (5 weeks).
20 hours of scheduled classes per week (plus independent learning)
For improved learning, average 15 per class, maximum 18
General English is one of 3 English language courses delivered RMIT UP (CRICOS Provider No. 01912G).
The other 2 courses are our Academic English course, which is tailored for students seeking the academic English skills required for direct entry to RMIT, and IELTS Preparation.
General English and Academic English are accredited under English Language Pathways (CRICOS course code 120098J) while IELTS Preparation is accredited under CRICOS course code 120099H.
In English Language teaching
Within the Melbourne CBD
For students at all academic levels
Classes are held from Monday to Friday in two 2-hour shifts scheduled between 8:20am and 5:30pm.
We offer classes in two shifts. Which shift you will study will be dependent on your English level and class.
| Shift 1 | Shift 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | 8.20am – 10.20am | 1.00pm – 3.00pm |
| Break – 30 minutes | ||
| Session 2 | 10.50am – 12.50pm | 3.30pm – 5.30pm |
For every 4 hours in the classroom, we recommend you do at least one hour of independent study every day.
The Beginner level course consists of 100 hours and takes 5 weeks to complete.
All other course levels, from Elementary to Advanced, consist of 200 hours and each one takes 10 weeks of full time study to complete.
You can access your timetable via Canvas, RMIT’s Learning Management System. All class times are listed in Melbourne time.
| Intake | Orientation | Course start date | Course end date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Friday, 29 May | Monday, 1 June | Friday, 3 July |
| 6 | Thursday, 9 July | Monday, 13 July | Friday, 14 August |
| 7 | Friday, 14 August | Monday, 17 August | Friday, 18 September |
| 8 | Friday, 25 September | Monday, 28 September | Friday, 30 October |
| 9 | Friday, 30 October | Monday, 2 November | Friday, 4 December |
Once you apply to study at RMIT, you will be sent a letter of offer. After you have accepted the offer and paid for your course, you will be issued with a Confirmation of Enrolment (COE). You will then be contacted on the enrolment date to complete the enrolment process.
RMIT Melbourne is closed on public holidays. Plan ahead by checking when they take place at the Business Victoria website.
We offer face-to-face English language teaching in the CBD of Melbourne, Australia.
RMIT Building 85, Level 1, 97-99 Franklin Street.
RMIT UP is located at RMIT’s Melbourne City campus, in the heart of Melbourne. We are conveniently located between Swanston Street and Elizabeth street, just a short walk from Melbourne Central Station.
The campus has easy access to the city’s many trams and train stations including Melbourne Central train station, Elizabeth Street and Swanston Street trams and the new State Library Station, part of the Metro Tunnel project (open in 2025).
RMIT offers a free* service that collects you from the airport and takes you to your pre-arranged accommodation. Please refer to Prepare to arrive webpage for more information.
Otherwise, you can catch a taxi or take the Skybus into the city centre.
*Conditions apply
RMIT UP English Language Pathways courses Elementary to Advanced Plus is quality endorsed by NEAS.
For this course, you can either complete an RMIT UP placement test, or one of the recognised English language proficiency tests in the table below. Based on your test results (which can be no more than 24 months old), we will determine your course entry level.
Please note: RMIT UP placement test results are only valid for 6 months from the test date. Students applying to study in our English Language courses need to have a valid RMIT UP placement test result or will be asked to re-sit a test before enrolment or on arrival for the start of class.
For information on minimum English language requirements for Student Visa holders, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
Select a level to see the test score required.
We may also test you when you arrive to confirm your level of English. If we assess you at a different level than the one provided in your application, you may need to study more (or fewer) weeks than originally offered. This may affect when you can start the next program you had planned to study.
* The RMIT UP English Placement Test is accepted for placement into all course levels, including the Beginner, Elementary and Pre-intermediate levels.
** In cases where there is a variance of more than 5 between one or more PTE-A communicative skills scores, RMIT UP will either advise on which course level applies or require students to do the RMIT UP English Placement Test.
There are 2 ways to apply for the General English course:
Apply direct to RMIT via the online Application Portal.
Apply to RMIT via an international agent.
If you successfully complete the Intermediate level, you can choose to continue studying General English with advanced courses, or change to our Academic English stream, which provides students with the academic English skills needed to further study at RMIT University.
Students who successfully complete an Upper Intermediate, Advanced or Advanced Plus Academic English course can pathway straight into many RMIT courses without having to complete a further English language test. Find out more.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.
You do not need to pay the Student Services and Amenities fee (SSAF) for the General English program. The SSAF fee applies to other RMIT courses, including Foundation Studies.
If you request a replacement certificate or statement for your English for Academic Purposes program, this will incur additional charges.
| Replacment document | Fee |
|---|---|
| General English replacement Statement of Attendance | AU$10 |
| General English replacement Statement of Course Results (final results for the one level studied) | AU$10 |
| General English replacement completed set of Statement of Course Results (final results for the one level studied) | AU$20 |
Find out more details about how fees are calculated and the expected annual increase.
For information about circumstances in which you might be eligible for fee refunds and the amounts refundable, please read the RMIT UP ELICOS Refund Procedure.
To apply for a refund for your General English course, please complete the online refund application form.
The following bursary discounts may be available for eligible English students studying at RMIT:
If you are a citizen of a Latin American country, the European Union (EU) or Turkey, this bursary provides a tuition fee discount on your General English language course.
If you are a citizen of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or Thailand this bursary provides a tuition fee discount on your General English language course.
RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.
RMIT UP Student Services will contact all new students via email with important information about enrolment and orientation. Please refer to the English Language student enrolment guide for more information.
Enrolment opens 2 weeks prior to the start of each intake. New students will receive an email from Student Services with:
Orientation is compulsory for all new students. It takes place on the Friday before the start of each intake.
The orientation program covers:
Contact the RMIT UP Student Services team at rmit.up.studentservices@rmit.edu.au
Everything you need to know for your first few weeks at RMIT including enrolment information, timetables and orientation.
Explore the services, activities and support available to you as a student.
Do you want to see where you could be studying? We have put together a virtual campus tour.
Contact us to enquire about this course.
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
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