Skills for life and work
We offer a range of courses for you to develop your skills and knowledge for both life and work. You can enjoy a course starting from beginners’ level all the way to advanced level. Build your confidence in reading, writing, mathematics, and digital skills on a short or long course. Our supportive tutors will help you gain the skills and qualifications to achieve your ambitions.
Most of our courses are FREE if you are on a low income or claiming benefits.
How do I apply?
Step 1: Book an appointment for an assessment at our campus so we can offer you the right course.
Step 2: We will mark your assessment in 7 working days and email you with the courses we can offer.
Step 3: Then complete your enrolment by either calling or visiting the college enrolment team.
How to book an appointment for an assessment?
Call 02045820423 or email universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk
Where will the assessment take place?
Initial assessments take place at our City Lit Campus Keeley Street London, WC2B 4BA on the M floor student learning centre.
- English pronunciation: stage 3Course start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: David John GwillimDesigned for fluent non- native students and all who have completed 'English Pronunciation' stages 1 and 2. Conversation and the reading aloud of a variety of texts will help to pinpoint those pronunciation worries still to be addressed.
This course will be taught online.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £181.00 - English pronunciation: stage 2Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David John GwillimDesigned for people who have completed ‘English Pronunciation: stage 1’ although new students with sufficient skills can join. Develop confidence and clarity, explore diphthongs and triphthongs, inflection and the rhythms of Standard English. This term the course will be taught in the college.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £181.00 - Grammar in practice: advanced (level 2+)
Course start date: Wed 1 Oct 2025 (and 2 other dates)Location on this date: Online
Is your grammar holding you back? Learn how to communicate more effectively by analysing, discussing and experimenting with English grammar. This course will help you realise that grammar is really about meaning: understanding better the meaning of what someone is saying and expressing yourself more meaningfully.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name). The course runs over three terms (though you may start any term, places allowing).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £90.00 - English Functional Skills (level 1) Course start date: Wed 19 Feb 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
The purpose of this course is to prepare you for the English Functional Skills Level 1. It will support you in developing your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in English for work, education and real life situations.
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £111.00 Concession £70.00 - English Functional Skills (Level 2) Course start date: Tue 25 Feb 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
The purpose of the Functional Skills English Level 2 qualification is to prepare learners for work, study and real life situations. Learners who achieve this qualification will demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak, listen and communicate in English. Learners will be able to apply these communication skills effectively to a range of contexts in the workplace and practical situations.
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £111.00 Concession £70.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -Entry 3 (speaking and listening)Course start date: Mon 13 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating with others. You will practice speaking fluently in different types of conversations, asking and answering questions to build your vocabulary. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise different tenses and improving your pronunciation.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £300.00 Senior fee £240.00 Concession £150.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -level 1 (Speaking and Listening) Course start date: Tue 14 Jan 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating with others on different topics in a range of contexts. You will practice speaking fluently in different types of conversations, responding to questions on a range of topics and you will build your vocabulary by learning more synonyms and antonyms. You will also have the opportunity to hear a variety of accents and varieties of English. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise different tenses and improve your pronunciation including stress and intonation to convey meaning.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £150.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -level 2 (Speaking and Listening) Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Blended (learn both online and in-person)
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating straightforward and detailed information, ideas and opinions clearly, adapting speech and content to take account of the listener(s), medium, purpose and situation. You will improve your fluently and accuracy in extended and varying conversations, responding and contributing on a range of topics. You will also build your vocabulary by learning more sophisticated words for formal settings. You will have the opportunity to hear a variety of accents and varieties of English and be able to apply speaking skills in face to face and telephone situations. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise a wide range of sentence structure and tenses and improve your pronunciation including stress, rhythm and intonation to convey meaning.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £529.00 Senior fee £423.00 Concession £265.00 - Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2) Course start date: Fri 9 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Unsure when to use present perfect or past perfect? Is reported speech still causing you problems? Do you need to practise your conditionals? Join this course and put your grammar into practice in speaking, writing, reading and listening. Gain confidence in using grammar effectively through high level and engaging tasks
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00 - English entry 3 for deaf people - part 3 Course start date: Mon 13 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This course will help you get become confident in your everyday communication including reading and writing. We will focus on topics that interest you and use these to help you improve the key elements of reading and writing as well as communication skills to enable you to express your thoughts and feelings including in difficult situations. You will learn to how write whole sentences and paragraphs, use adjectives effectively, organise your writing, make notes and complete drafts, spell important common words, use punctuation correctly and develop reading and writing strategies most suited to you. And you will learn some digital skills including reading and finding information from websites.
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
Full fee £0.00 - English grammar for deaf people (entry 1) - part 3 Course start date: Mon 28 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This course is suitable if you have enough vocabulary to be able to read and write basic sentences. During this course, you will learn more vocabulary and grammar to help you talk, read and write about yourself, your family and friends and complete forms, short sms and e-mails. This course has no exams.
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
Full fee £0.00 - English for deaf people: English for work - reading and writing skills (entry 3) - part 3 Course start date: Mon 28 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This course is suitable if you are looking for or already are in employment. The aim of the course is to help you to acquire English skills necessary for communication at work via e-mails, memos, reports etc. This course has no exams.
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
Full fee £0.00 - English Entry 2 for deaf people - part 3 Course start date: Tue 14 Apr 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This course will help you to get confident in reading, writing and communication. You will learn to read pieces of texts, write sentences, spell correctly and use punctuation. This course has no exams.
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
Full fee £0.00 - Grammar in practice: pre-intermediate (entry 2- entry 3) Course start date: Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you need help with your grammar? Do you want to know more about verb tenses? Do you want to ask questions with good pronunciation and correct grammar? On this course, you will learn all the essential grammar to help you speak and write well. You will focus on when to use present simple, present continuous and past simple. You will practise when to use 'do', 'does', 'is', 'are' and 'did' in questions and how to say these words. By the end of the course you will have a strong foundation for your English learning.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £40.00 - Maths functional skills level 2Course start date: Wed 19 Feb 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you need to gain a national maths qualification to show you have a good level of mathematical competence? Functional Skills Level 2 Maths shows employers and others that your maths skills are at a good level and that you can use skills to solve complex issues in a variety of situations. You will develop your maths to become a problem-solver, analyser and decision-maker.
You MUST pass the first 6 weeks of the course. You must attend every class and do the necessary homework. If you do not, you will not be able to continue the course.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 4582 0423 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in Maths. For more information Click here
Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £111.00 Concession £70.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.
Add me to waiting list