English language entry requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

Degree requirements

English language requirements vary between degrees.  

Find the specific requirements for your chosen degree in our degree finder. 

Unless a higher level is specified in the published entry requirements in our degree finder, you will need a pass in English at the following grades or higher: 

  • National 5 at C 
  • GCSE/IGCSE at C or 4 
  • Level 2 Certificate at C (Level 2 Functional Skills English is not accepted for entry) 
  • IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry) 
  • IB Middle Years Programme English Language and Literature at 5 

Accepted qualifications 

We also accept a wide range of international English qualifications and English language tests. 

The qualifications we accept meet both the English language proficiency requirements listed above and the minimum standards for Student visas. 

If you have already met our English language entry requirements for your degree at the time you apply, your application may be considered more competitive in selection than applications where you still need to take an English language test.   

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic (2025 entry applicants only, not accepted for 2026 entry), TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.    

The English language requirements for MBChB Medicine and BVM&S Veterinary Medicine may be higher than the levels listed below. For more information, please check your country's qualification page or contact us using our undergraduate enquiry form. 

International qualifications by country 

Two year expiry

IELTS Academic / IELTS Academic for UKVI and IELTS Academic Online 

International English Language Testing System (internet-based or at any IELTS test centre) 

English requirements must be met in a single test. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake, IELTS General, IELTS for UKVI General or IELTS Life Skills for UKVI to meet our English language requirements. 

PTE Academic 

(Only accepted for 2025 entry applicants. We will not accept PTE Academic for entry from 2026 onwards. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.) 

In person at any Pearson test centre. 

TOEFL-iBT 

(including Home Edition) 

Internet-based or Paper Edition Test of English as a Foreign Language

English requirements must be met in a single test. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. 

Trinity ISE Trinity Integrated Skills in English 
Oxford ELLT Global and Oxford ELLT Digital 

Oxford English Language Level Test 

 

Three and a half year expiry

AP English 

English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition at 3 

AS or A level English 

English Language; English Language and Literature; or English Literature at C 

Austria: Matura / Reifeprufung 

English at 2 (gut) in both written and oral exams 

Botswana GCSE English (BGCSE) 

Grade C 

Brunei O Level English Language 

Grade C   

C1 Advanced, formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) 

Overall score of 176 with 162 in each component 

C2 Proficiency, formerly known as Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) 

Overall score of 176 with 162 in each component 

Cambridge O Level English Language 

Grade C 

Cambridge Pre-U English 

Literature in English (Principal) at M3 or above 

Cameroonian O Level English Language 

Grade C 

Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate English A plus English B 

English Language at 3 

Certificate of Nile International Secondary Level 1 English 

Grade C 

Denmark: Studentereksamen 

English A or English B at 7 

European Baccalaureate 

Either: 

  • L1 English - 6.0 
  • L2 English - 7.0 
  • L3 English - 7.5 

Finland: Ylioppilastutkinto / Studentexamen 

Grade M / 5 (magna cum laude approbatur) 

France: French Baccalaureate General (2021 entry onwards) 

Langue vivante A (Anglais) – 14 

France: Option International du Baccalaureat (British/American version) / Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) 

English Language and Literature at 12; or Cultural and Linguistic Enrichment at 12 

Gatehouse ESOL International (Classic) 

Level 2 or Level 3 

General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) English Language / Pearson GCSE English Language 2.0 

GCSE English Language at C / 4 

GCSE English Literature is not accepted.

Germany: Abitur 

English at 12 (Gut) when taken as a Hauptfach / Leistungskurs / Kur smit erhohtem Anforderungsniveau 

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) 

English Language at Level 4 overall and Level 4 in each component 

International Baccalaureate English A or B   

Standard Level 5 or Higher Level 4 (ab initio is not accepted) 

International Baccalaureate Standard Level English Literature and Performance Standard Level 5

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme English Language and Literature 

Grade 5 where a C/4 is required at GCSE 

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (iGCSE) English 

Grade C / 4. All First or Second Language iGCSE English qualifications are accepted. 

iGCSE English literature qualifications are not accepted.

IEB International Secondary Certificate (IEB ISC) 

Grade 4 in English as First/Home Language 

Indian CBSE or CISCE 

Class XII English at 75% 

Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate 

Grade O4 or H4 

Malaysian SPM English plus Cambridge GCE O Level English 1119 

Grade C 

Malaysian SPM English 

CEFR C1 

Malta: MATSEC 

Intermediate Level English Language at B 

Mauritius O Level English Language 

Grade C   

Netherlands: VWO Diploma 

Grade 7 

Norway: Vitnemål fra den Videregaende Skole 

Core English Grade 4 

Pakistani O Level English Language 

Grade C 

Poland: Matura 

English at Advanced Level in the 60th percentile and a score of 70% in the oral exam 

Rwandan O Level English Language 

Grade C 

Singapore Cambridge GCE A levels 

Higher 1, Higher 2, or Higher 3 English in Literature, or Higher 2 English Language and Linguistics at C 

Singapore Integrated Programme / NUS High School Diploma 

Secondary 4 English or Language Arts at Grade Point 2.0 

South African National Senior Certificate English 

Grade 4 when studied as Home/First Language 

SQA Intermediate 1 English  Grade A
SQA Intermediate 2 English  Grade C

SQA National 5 English 

Grade C. National 5 English and National 5 ESOL are accepted. 

SQA Standard Grade English Grade 3

SQA Higher English 

Grade C. Higher English and Higher ESOL are accepted. 

SQA Higher National Qualifications 

Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND) 

Sweden: Slutbetyg/Examensbevis från Gymnasieskolan – English 

English 7 at Grade C (VG) 

Uganda Certificate of Education 

Grade 2 English 

West African Senior School Certificate Examination – English (from 2025 entry) 

Grade B3 or above (B2 or above for entry to Medicine) 

Zimbabwean O Level English Language 

Grade C 

Applicants undertaking mandatory military service 

We understand that applicants from Singapore are required to complete mandatory military service. If you began your military service immediately after completing school, the three and a half year expiry period for your qualification will apply from the point you finished school, providing that you were taught and assessed in English. 

This extension does not apply if you are using IELTS, TOEFL and Trinity ISE to meet English language requirements. 

Foundation English for Academic Purposes 

We also accept satisfactory completion of all Foundation English for Academic Purposes (FEAP) modules in our International Foundation Programme in Arts, Humanities and Social Science as meeting our English language requirements. 

Access programmes delivered in Scottish Colleges 

We accept satisfactory completion of all Access programmes delivered in Scottish Colleges (including Scottish Wider Access Programme) as meeting our English language requirements. 

Certificates 

We will need to verify your qualifications and/or test results. If your certificates are not in English you will also need to submit a certified translation. 

Students who require a visa to study in the UK 

In addition to our English language proficiency requirements, the UK Home Office sets its own minimum standards for applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK. Our English language entry requirements are set at a level that will also meet the English language proficiency requirements of the UK Home Office. 

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK, the English qualification that you use for admission to an undergraduate degree must be included in our list of accepted qualifications, unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country as defined by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). 

English Language Education/International Foundation Programme 

If you are interested in our English language programmes as preparation for degree entry, or our International Foundation Programme in Arts, Humanities and Social Science you must have an approved secure English language test (SELT) for entry. Our approved SELTs meet our English language proficiency requirements and the minimum standard for Student visas. 

English language courses 

If you do not have the English grades we require for entry, you can improve your language skills through our range of English courses. 

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