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Studies & Degrees in Business English

Business English is English as it is used at work: in meetings, negotiations, presentations, emails and reports. It is not a university degree but a specialised language course, taken by students who are about to enter the job market and by professionals who need English in their work. Courses assume a working knowledge of general English and add the vocabulary, formats and conventions of business.

What students learn

Schools build their courses around real work situations. Bournemouth City College, in the United Kingdom, describes practice in team meetings, negotiations, marketing presentations, financial reporting, advertising, and trade fairs and events. The Atlantic School of English & Active Leisure, in Ireland, lists the language of meetings, negotiating, giving presentations, describing a product or project, sales and marketing, financial matters, and telephoning and writing emails and letters. Most courses therefore cover:

  • Meetings, discussions and negotiations
  • Presentations and describing products, projects and trends
  • Business writing: emails, letters and reports
  • Telephone and video calls
  • Vocabulary for marketing, sales and finance

Course types and levels

Group courses. Language schools teach Business English in small groups, usually with a choice of intensity. At Bournemouth City College the course has 10, 20 or 30 lessons of 45 minutes per week, a maximum of 12 students per class, and lasts from one to 12 weeks, with a start every Monday. It accepts students aged 18 or over with a level between A2 and C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

One-to-one courses. Professionals with little time often choose individual tuition, where the content follows their own job. The Business English Skills Training (B.E.S.T.) programme of the Atlantic School of English & Active Leisure consists of 30 hours of one-to-one tuition, and the same hours can be taken online.

Courses for companies. Some schools teach a company's staff. ILO, a language school in Oeiras (Portugal), offers English for companies focused on meetings, presentations, negotiations and international communication.

Within a degree. Several schools listed under this subject are universities and business schools. There, Business English is a module or a support course within a business programme, not a separate qualification. Ask the school how many hours it involves and whether it leads to an external exam.

Exams and certificates

A course certificate from a school shows attendance and level. An external exam is what employers and universities usually ask for. The situation changed recently:

  • Cambridge BEC. The Business English Certificates (B1 Business Preliminary, B2 Business Vantage and C1 Business Higher) have been discontinued in all countries except China, according to Cambridge English. Schools that still advertise BEC preparation outside China should be asked which exam their course now leads to.
  • Linguaskill Business. Cambridge's online, on-demand exam certifies a candidate's level of Business English from B1 to C2 on the CEFR. It is modular: speaking, writing, reading and listening can be combined as needed.
  • TOEIC. The TOEIC tests of ETS measure English for the workplace. There is a Listening & Reading test and a Speaking & Writing test.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 36 schools for Business English. Spain has the most (10), followed by the United Kingdom (7), Ireland (4) and the United States (4). Canada has two, and there are single schools in Portugal, Malta, Poland, Denmark, Argentina, Trinidad and Tobago and Fiji. Most are language schools; examples are Bournemouth City College in the United Kingdom, the Atlantic School of English & Active Leisure in West Cork and the University of Limerick Language Centre in Ireland. In Spain the list includes language schools such as Espanole International House Valencia and TtMadrid, which trains English teachers in Madrid, alongside business schools.

Studying in an English-speaking country adds daily practice outside class. Studying in Spain suits students who want to combine English for work with Spanish. For the United Kingdom, the visa depends on the length of the course: according to GOV.UK, a course of six months or less requires a Visitor visa, and an English course of more than six and up to 11 months a Short-term study visa, which costs £228 (checked in October 2026). Nationals of many countries need no visa for short visits, so check the rules for your nationality.

Careers

Business English is a skill added to a profession, not a profession in itself. It is useful in international trade, tourism, finance, marketing, customer service and any company that works with foreign clients or suppliers. Cambridge English describes Linguaskill Business as intended for students entering the workplace at graduate level and for employees who need certification for professional development or promotion.

Frequently asked questions

What level of English do I need for a Business English course?

Usually at least a pre-intermediate level. Bournemouth City College, for example, accepts students from CEFR level A2 to C1, and Linguaskill Business tests ability from B1 to C2.

Can I still take the Cambridge BEC exam?

Only in China. Cambridge English states that the BEC exams have been discontinued in all other countries. Linguaskill Business is the Cambridge exam for Business English that remains available.

How long does a Business English course last?

From one week to several months. Group courses at Bournemouth City College last one to 12 weeks, and the one-to-one programme of the Atlantic School of English & Active Leisure has 30 hours of tuition.

Is Business English a university degree?

No. It is a language course or a module within a business programme. The proof of level that employers recognise is an external exam such as Linguaskill Business or TOEIC.