We offer English courses for people seeking asylum, refugees, migrants and adult family members at the following levels:
- Pre-entry level
- Entry level 1
- Entry level 2
- Entry level 3
Our main courses run for 30 weeks over the academic year (September 2026 to July 2027) for 4 hours per week, or 2 hours per week with creche, and students work towards Trinity College London exams in Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing. We offer a limited number of creche places for 6 months to 5 year-old children on the Pre-Entry/Entry 1 course, thanks to funding from Southampton City Council. Regular attendance is really important as places are limited and in high demand.
Our teachers are qualified and experienced ESOL tutors who are supported by a team of skilled and dedicated volunteer classroom assistants. Our intensive support is designed to build confidence and give students a strong foundation in English language learning, and we specialise in helping those who cannot read or write in their first language. We signpost to other providers when learners are ready to progress to Level 1 or want more help.
How much does it cost?
Thanks to funding from Southampton City Council, our courses are free to people seeking asylum*, those referred by an IDVA or part of the UK government Afghan Resettlement programme or Hong Kong BNO scheme (you must have been in the UK less than 3 years and ESOL funding not claimed by another provider).
For our 30-week courses we ask for a small contribution to be paid at the start of the course – usually around £150 – just £5 per week. This is the only money we ask for and it includes the cost of all teaching, exam fees, a crèche space (where needed and available), and class resources. It also gives you free access to other short courses and activities at CLEAR.
* Am I eligible?
Due to restrictions in our funding, we are not able to offer you a free place if you are not eligible for funding, for example, if you hold a spouse visa for less than 3 years or if you are an asylum seeker with an appeal claim less than 6 months old.
If you are are interested in learning with us, please complete the online form:
Referring someone to learn ESOL at CLEAR…
If you would like to refer someone to CLEAR who is interested in improving their English, please complete the form, indicating that you are applying on behalf of someone else – the form is here.
Attending the Assessment
Once we have registered your interest and we have checked that you are eligible, we will book you in for an assessment. We start by asking for some information about you and how confident you are with reading, writing, speaking and listening in English. If we can help you, we will suggest which course may be best for you. If we have a space available, we will enrol you and give you details about when it is starting.
If we are unable to offer you a place, we will explain why and suggest some other places you could learn English. If spaces do become available, we will update the website and open our online enquiry form.
Our Learner Handbook
You can find a copy of our learner handbook below.
Other places to learn English
You can find other ESOL providers in the South East of England on an interactive map available here.