English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses are increasingly expected to support students’ discipline-specific communication needs within higher education. This study examines the professional English needs and perceptions of ESP course effectiveness among students at the Faculty of Education, University “Ukshin Hoti” Prizren, Kosovo. The research employed a mixed-methods design combining questionnaire data from 108 students with semi-structured group interviews. The study investigated students’ self-perceived English proficiency, language-learning challenges, and evaluations of ESP course content and teaching practices.

The findings indicate that students demonstrate moderate confidence in their general English proficiency but experience difficulties in academic writing, oral presentations, listening comprehension, and the use of specialised terminology in academic contexts. The results further suggest a discrepancy between general language competence and confidence in discipline-specific communication tasks. Students viewed writing-oriented course components as particularly valuable, while several participants emphasised the need for more interactive teaching methods and greater integration of practical communication activities.

The study highlights the importance of needs-based ESP instruction that responds more directly to students’ academic and professional communication demands. The findings may contribute to ongoing discussions concerning ESP curriculum development in multilingual and non-Anglophone higher education contexts.

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