<p>This study examined the relationship between English language skills and the academic performance of Somali students in the Higher education certificate (HEC) program at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) Mbale, Uganda. English serves as the primary medium of instruction in Ugandan higher education; however, many Somali students enter the HEC program with limited English proficiency, which may hinder their academic success. Despite the growing enrollment of Somali students in regional universities, empirical evidence on how specific English language skills affect their academic performance remains scarce. Focusing on reading, listening, and writing skills as predictors of academic performance, this study employs a quantitative correlational design. Data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 119 Somali HEC students, using an English skills test and official Grade Point Average (GPA) records. The analysis used descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficients. The results showed statistically significant and moderate relationships between reading and writing skills and academic performance, whereas listening skills demonstrated a weaker but significant association. Writing skills have emerged as the strongest predictor of academic performance. These findings suggest that literacy-based competencies play a more decisive role than listening skills in shaping academic success in the HEC context. This study provides context-specific evidence on the differential impact of English language skills on academic outcomes among Somali students in a cross-border higher education setting. This underscores the gatekeeping role of reading and writing proficiency in English-medium preparatory programs. Accordingly, this study recommends targeted, skill-prioritized language support interventions, particularly in academic reading and writing, within preparatory and bridging programs to improve student performance and progression.</p>