English: B2–C1 Intensive

This intensive crash course refreshes your English by revising core grammar with a focus on the form and use of the tenses. This includes combinations of tenses such as the past continuous and simple past to relate events to each other in time as well as when to use and how to combine the will-future and the present continuous with future meaning. The grammar is trained in activities that integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

The emphasis is on general English, with some academic English common across disciplines, such as comparing and contrasting, discussing data, and narrating change and stasis. The exercises based on topical themes related to health, the environment, and society give you plenty opportunity to apply vocabulary and express yourself in English to develop confidence, fluency, and accuracy. The course thereby readies you for your studies and sets you on your way to joining a semester course that will enhance your level.

The total break time will be 15 minutes per session.

This is a small-group course: The number of participants in this small-group course is limited to ensure greater individual attention. The minimum number of participants is 6; the maximum 10.

Course information

Places available
Course level
B2 - C1
Date
09.02.2026 - 13.02.2026
16:00 - 19:30
20 Lessons
Lecturer
Stephan Meyer, MA
Credit points
1 ECTS
Registration deadline
Sunday 25.01.2026
Course fee
Students and PhD candidates: CHF 333.00
Members of staff: CHF 603.00
Alumni: CHF 603.00
Registration

Course materials

The course materials will be provided by the instructor.

Attendance

Number of absences allowed: 1

Coursework

Participants are expected to:
  • participate actively in class;
  • complete learning assessments;
  • spend 1-2 hours per course session on preparing and reviewing the lesson and on autonomous learning.

Credit points

To earn the credit points, students must fulfill the attendance requirement, complete the coursework, and pass the required number of assessments. The course is graded on a pass-fail basis.

Important

The courses and services offered by the Language Center are open to the groups of people listed under Eligibility for Admission. Students must also be matriculated:
a) students at the University of Basel should enter their matriculation number on the registration form;
b) students from other Swiss universities or EUCOR universities should upload a valid confirmation of their matriculation when registering.
Registrations without proof of student status will not be considered.

Placement test

To register for this course, you are required to demonstrate that you are on the corresponding language level in one of the following ways:

a) on the registration form, note the title and semester of a successfully completed course at the University of Basel Language Center from the last two semesters; or
b) upload an officially recognized language certificate or a confirmation of a language course, both from the last two years, during registration; or
c) take a placement test and upload a PDF or other copy of the results during registration.

Date for rescheduled sessions

If the course instructor has to cancel one or more sessions, they will be re-scheduled for Monday, 16 February 2026, starting at 10:00.

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