ABI College requires all students to show that their English Language ability is at a level which allows them to successfully complete their chosen course of study and is in line with Awarding Body expectations and requirements. Students who are non-native English speakers and who have not undertaken their final two years of schooling in English, must demonstrate capability in English at a standard equivalent to the levels identified below, before being recruited to the programme where the programme is both taught and assessed in English. Our English Language Requirements for Higher National Diploma (HND) courses are as follows:

  • Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level B2
  • PTE 51
  • IELTS 5.5; Reading and Writing must be at 5.5
  • or equivalent

For more information, please visit Pearson’s FAQs on English Language Requirements (link to

The great advantage of ABI College is that you will be studying at a small and friendly institution rather than at a large provider where staff are often inaccessible and group sizes are usually much bigger than at ABI. In addition because we keep our overheads low we are able to offer excellent value for money compared with many other UK providers of Higher Education. The College is fully approved by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and is able to offer awards by its collaborative University Partner Plymouth Marjon University. The College also an accredited centre for Pearson Edexcel qualifications.

Our courses are designed at different levels. During the admissions process, we will ensure that you enrol on the right level, and that throughout your studies you have reliable support in order to successfully complete your course and achieve desired result.

  • You will receive advice on academic and personal matters – such as any problems you may encounter with your studies, difficulties over your attendance or concerns about your course.
  • You will have access to pastoral care with options to meet with designated professional College staff to discuss personal issues.
  • You will have Study Skills lessons during the first term of your studies where you will learn more about academic writing, referencing, plagiarism and other academic skills.
  • You will receive practical information about various discounts you will be eligible for as a student such as travel cost reductions and other benefits.
  • You will be free to request a one-to-one session with your Programme Leader if you have difficulties with any aspect of the course, so that you receive any additional support that you may require.

Studying for a Higher Education degree is a big commitment and requires dedication. However, with the teaching and support you will receive from ABI, there is no reason why you will not reach the summit and achieve your goals so long as you are prepared to put in the work required.

A success story

Our Principal is a former student of ABI College. She started her higher education studies at ABI College 10 years ago, completed an HND  Business with distinction, before proceeding to a postgraduate course in Strategic Management and Leadership, followed by an MA in Management and Leadership awarded by Marjon Plymouth, the College’s Partner University. She is now researching a PhD at the University of Buckingham. After lecturing and leading a number of business programmes at ABI College, she progressed to her current position as College Principal. From this example you can see that we offer our students opportunities and support throughout their studies and beyond. Your hard work and efforts will open up to you many opportunities to enjoy success in your life and future career.

Yes, almost certainly you will find other students with a similar background and experience to yourself. At the same time study at ABI College gives you valuable opportunities to meet new people, establish friendship and widen your horizons.

We welcome a diverse range of students to ABI College and most of successfully combine a range of additional commitments. We support mature students (those over 21 years of age and often considerably older) and work together with every individual student to make their goals achievable. Most of our courses are full-time and will require you to attend on a regular basis 2-3 days a week. You would receive notification of timetable in advance of the beginning of each term so that you can make necessary arrangements and ensure that you can attend without any problems.

You will need a device to access your learning materials that are published on our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called ABILearn, ideally that would be a computer. You can also access the VLE through different devices such as smart phones, tablets and laptops. Additionally, you could also use our computer lab at the College to work on your assignments.

Our lecturers will upload all lectures slides on our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called ABILearn.

At the beginning of your studies, you will be given a username unique to you and a password to access learning materials via the Internet. Additionally, students enrolled on programmes leading to a Marjon qualification (foundation degree, BA, MA or MBA) have access to full range of the University learning resources including an extensive range of electronic books.

The team at ABI College will support you during your studies to achieve your best potential. Your tutors and other qualified staff will offer you career advice as you require, and will work with you to prepare your CV and advise you on what future prospects you might want to explore. We also invite guest speakers and encourage students to attend graduate seminars and workshops during their course and these activities often provide ideas for future career development.