The most common way to provide evidence of your English is with the IELTS Academic test.
Required IELTS scores
See our table below for other approved English Language tests.
We accept a wide range of country-specific qualifications (second table). Please ensure that your test results are in date when you make your application.
As indicated some courses may require a higher score.
*Majority English speaking countries
We define these as Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and USA.
| Type | Undergraduate Programmes (apart from exceptions) | All Postgraduate Research and Taught and BSc Veterinary Nursing (year 1 entry). MA Scriptwriting * | Other Exceptions |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O‐Level/International Cambridge O Level English (as a first or second language) | Grade C or 4 if taken in England since September 2016 |
Grade C or 4 if taken in England since September 2016 MA Scriptwriting overall grade B/3 | Grade C or 4 if taken in England since September 2016 |
| IELTS | 6.0 (with 5.5 in each component) |
6.5 (with 6.0 in each component) *MA Scriptwriting – must have minimum 6.5 overall with 6.5 in Reading, Listening and Speaking and a minimum 7.0 in Written component | 7.0 *All BSc Healthcare Science must have 7.0 overall with 6.5 in written component |
| Pearson Test of English | 59 (with 59 in all components) |
59 (with 59 in all components) * MA Scriptwriting - written component must be minimum 66 | 59 (with 59 in all components) |
| Pearson Versant (proctored version) Not accepted for Tier 4 applicants | Overall 51 | Overall 56 | Not Acceptable |
| TOEFL (IBT) | 72 (with at least 17 in listening & writing, 20 in speaking and 18 in reading) |
87 (with at least 21 in listening & writing, 22 in speaking and 23 in reading) *MA Scriptwriting - written component must be minimum 27 | 87 (with at least 21 in listening & writing, 22 in speaking and 23 in reading) |
| Scottish National Grade 5 or Intermediate Grade 2 | C | C | C |
| Cambridge First, Advanced, Proficiency – taken post January 2015 | 169 overall (no less than 162 in each component) | 176 overall ( no less than 169 in any component) *MA Scriptwriting - written component must be minimum 185 | 185 overall (no less than 176 in any component) |
| Cambridge ESOL | CPE Grade C CAE Grade B | CPE Grade B CAE Grade A | CPE Grade B CAE Grade A |
| Language Cert International ESOL B2 SELT version ONLY | B2 High Pass overall and min 33/50 in each skill | B2 High Pass overall and min 33/50 in each skill | Not Acceptable |
| International Baccalaureate English A1 (Standard or Higher) | Grade 5 | Grade 5 | Grade 5 |
| International Baccalaureate English B (Higher Level) | Grade 5 | Grade 5 | Grade 6 |
| Trinity College (ISE only) | ISE II as evidence of all skills in English (B2) | Not accepted please take another qualification | Not accepted please take another qualification |
| TEEP Uni of Reading | 6.0 (with 5.5 in each component) |
6.5 (with 6.0 in each component) * MA Scriptwriting - 6.5 (with 6.5 in each component and 7.0 in writing) | 7.0 |
| City and Guilds International ESOL | Communicator | Expert | Mastery |
| Michigan (MELAB) NB ECPE scores must be converted to MELAB | 80 | 90 | 90 |
| European Baccalaureate Language 1 | Grade 6.0 | Grade 7.0 | Grade 7.0 |
| European Baccalaureate Language 2 | Grade 6.0 | Grade 7.0 | Grade 7.0 |
| European Baccalaureate Language 3 | Grade 7.5 | Not acceptable | Not Acceptable |
| ESB ESOL International | Level 1‐Step 2 | Level 2‐Step 1 | Level 2‐Step 2 |
| Ascentis/Aim Level 2 Certificate in ESOL International | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Pre‐Sessional English programmes that are BALEAP accredited and studied in the UK https://www.baleap.org/aboutbaleap/accredited-institutions | Pass | Pass | Not Acceptable |
| Year 1 of University study taught in English (only for applicants not requiring a T4 Visa) | 55% overall and no less than 50% in each module GPA of 2.6 out of 4 and no less than 2.2 in each module GPA of 3.2 out of 5 and no less than 2.8 in each module Or C in each module | Not acceptable | Not Acceptable |
Exceptions:
| Territory | Qualification | UG (apart from exceptional programmes) | All Postgraduate Research and Taught and BSc Veterinary Nursing (year 1 entry). MA Scriptwriting * | Exceptions (detailed at bottom of section) |
| Austria | Matura / Reifeprufung | 2 (gut) in English when both written and oral exams have been taken | 2 (gut) in English when both written and oral exams have been taken | 2 (gut) in English when both written and oral exams have been taken |
| Belgium | Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs or Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Superieur | Distinction in English | Distinction in English | Distinction in English |
| Bulgaria | Secondary School Diploma | Not accepted | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Croatia | Maturi Extended English | Grade 4 or 5 | Grade 4 or 5 | Not accepted please take another qualification |
| Cyprus | Apolyterion | Apolyterion final average of 18/20 | Not accepted please take another qualification | Not accepted please take another qualification |
| Czech Republic | Vysvedceni o Maturitni Zkousce/Maturita | Grade 2 in English | Grade 1 in English | Not accepted please take another qualification |
| Denmark | Stundentereksamen | Grade 7 in English | Grade 10 in English | Grade 10 in English |
| Estonia | Gumnaasumi Loputunnistus | Pass in the English State Exam at level B2 | Pass in the English State Exam at level B2 or overall grade 5 in English | Pass in the English State Exam at level C1 |
| Finland | Ylioppilastutkintotodistus | 5 (magna cum laude approbatur) in English | 5 (magna cum laude approbatur) in English | 5 (magna cum laude approbatur) in English |
| France | French Baccalaureate (General) | 14 (bien) in English | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| France | French Bacclaureate (OIB) | 14/20 in English | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Germany | Abitur/Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife | 11 (gut) in English when taken as an achievement/ main/intensive course | 13 (sehr gut) in English when taken as an achievement/ main/intensive course | 13 (sehr gut) in English when taken as an achievement/ main/intensive course |
| Germany | Fachhochschulreife | 2 (Gut) in English | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Germany | DAAD | B2 | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Greece | Apolyterion | Apolyterion final average of 18/20 | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China | HKALE Use of English | Grade E or better | Grade D | Grade B |
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China | HKCEE English Language | Level 3 or better | Level 4 | Level 5 |
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China | HKDSE English Language | Level 3 or better | Level 4 | Level 5 |
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China | Associate Degree, Higher Degree or degree taught in English – evidence from the institution confirming the medium of instruction as English must be supplied | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Hungary | Advanced Level Matura (Erettsegi) | English advanced level grade 4 | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Iceland | Studentsprof | 8 in English when taken as a compulsory language | 8 in English when taken as a compulsory language | 8 in English when taken as a compulsory language |
| India | Standard XII | 65% Not accepted from the Punjab or Haryana boards | 70% Not accepted from the Punjab or Haryana boards | 70% Not accepted from the Punjab or Haryana boards |
| Kenya | KCSE | C | C+ | B |
| Latvia | Atestatas par visparejo videjo izglitibu | Grade 8 at Level A in English | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Lithuania | Brandos Atestatas | Grade 8 in English B2 Level | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Luxembourg | Diplome de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires | 45 (bien) in English | 45 (bien) in English | 45 (bien) in English |
| Malaysia | UCLES 1119 Syllabus | Grade C | Grade C | Grade C |
| Malaysia | SPM | C6 or better | B4 or better | A1 |
| Malta | MATSEC | Grade 5 or above | Grade 5 or above | Not accepted |
| Netherlands | VWO | 7 in English | 8 (goed) in English | 8 (goed) in English |
| Norway | Vitnemal | Grade 4 in English | Grade 5 in English | Grade 5 in English |
| Poland | Matura (new) | Oral: 65% Written: Basic 75%, Extended 60% | Oral Basic: 90% Written Basic 80% | Oral Basic: 95% Written Basic 85% |
| Portugal | Certificado de fim de Estudos Secundários (previously Certidão do Décimo Segundo Ano) or Diploma Nível Secundário de Educação / Certificado Nível Secundário de Educação | 16 | 16 | 18 |
| Romania | Baccalaureat | Minimum of B2 in the 5 English components from the Baccalaureat | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Romania | in house English test by SAAC agent TESA (only to be used for SAAC applicants). | TESA‐ Overall grade of 6 with minimum 5.5 in each component | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Singapore | Polytechnics in Singapore | A copy of successfully completed qualification from Polytechnics in Singapore. AND A copy of the IELTS certificate they used to gain admission to the Polytechnics in Singapore programme ** | ||
| Singapore | GCSE O level English Language | Pass (A1 – C6) | Pass (A1 – C6) | n/a |
| Slovakia | Maturita | English Grade 2 | Grade 1 | Not accepted please take another qualification |
| South Africa | National Senior Certificate | 3 | 3 | n/a |
| South Africa | Senior Certificate | C | C | n/a |
| Spain | Curso de Orientacion Universitaria (COU) | Not accepted please take another qualification | Not accepted please take another qualification | Not accepted please take another qualification |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lankan A Level English | Grade A | Grade A | Grade A |
| Sweden | Slutbetyg fran Komvux/Avgangsbetyg | VG (val godkant) in English or Grade C in English (after 2014) | VG (val godkant) in English or Grade C in English (after 2014) | VG (val godkant) in English or Grade B in English (after 2014) |
| Switzerland | Maturita | 5 (gut/bien/bene) in English | 5 (gut/bien/bene) in English | 5 (gut/bien/bene) in English |
| Tanzania | Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) | C | C | n/a |
| Thailand | Thai universities international programmes that is taught entirely in English | A copy of successfully completed qualification from the Thai University International programme that is taught entirely in English. AND A copy of the IELTS certificate they used to gain admission to the Thai University International programme *** | ||
| Uganda | Ugandan Certificate of Education (UCE) | 6 | 6 | n/a |
| US | US High School Diploma (for applicants that have studied in the US, not accepted for International schools) | C or GPA of 2 on English Language component from Grade 12 level | ||
| West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia) | WAEC/WASSCE/SSSCE/ NECO | C6 (or grade C or above) | C6 | B3 |
| Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe General Certificate of Education at Ordinary Level (ZIMSEC) | C | C | C |
