English Language Requirements for UK Universities

English language requirements for UK universities usually take the form of an overall score plus a minimum in each of reading, writing, listening and speaking, and the level varies from university to university and from course to course within the same university. Each university publishes its figure in the entry requirements section of the course page, which is the document to follow when choosing a test. The Student visa carries a separate requirement set by the Home Office on GOV.UK, and the sections below explain how the two fit together.

How do UK universities set English language requirements?

UK universities usually ask for an overall score plus a minimum in each of reading, writing, listening and speaking, and the level varies from university to university and from course to course within the same university. The figures sit in the entry requirements section of each course page, which is the first place to look before choosing a test. Where a page gives no figure, the admissions team can be contacted directly to ask what level the course expects.

UCAS describes the expected level on the CEFR scale, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, with equivalence to B2 for degree level or above and B1 below degree level. The UCAS comparison table shows how the scores of different test providers sit against that scale, so a CEFR level on a course page can be matched to the score of a test the university accepts.

What is the difference between a university's requirement and the Student visa requirement?

A university's requirement is the English level it sets for admission to a course, whilst the Student visa requirement is the level the Home Office sets and publishes on GOV.UK. The two are checked separately, so a place on a course and a visa decision each depend on their own evidence.

For study at degree level or above, GOV.UK says the Higher Education Provider can assess a student's English itself, using a test that must still be equivalent to CEFR level B2. Below degree level the required level is B1. Applicants with no qualifying evidence must pass a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, which assesses reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Reading the course page and the GOV.UK Student visa page together shows both requirements, and the admissions team can be asked which of the university's accepted tests also serves the visa.

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Which English tests do UK universities accept?

UK universities usually accept results from various English language test providers, and the UCAS comparison table sets IELTS, PTE Academic, Cambridge English and TOEFL against the same CEFR levels. The course page names the tests and scores that apply to each programme.

IELTS for UKVI is a SELT, and UKVI accepts it only when it is taken in person at an official IELTS for UKVI test centre, whilst IELTS Academic can be taken at a test centre or remotely online. The approved SELT providers named on GOV.UK are the IELTS SELT Consortium, LANGUAGECERT, Pearson, Trinity College London inside the UK and PSI Services outside it. The formats of the main tests are published by their owners:

• IELTS Academic: four sections (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) with a test time of 2 hours and 45 minutes
• PTE Academic: one computer-based test at a test centre, in three parts covering Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening, with scores from 10 to 90
• Cambridge C1 Advanced: four papers lasting about 4 hours, at CEFR level C1, with scale scores of 180 to 199
• Cambridge C2 Proficiency: four papers lasting about 4 hours, at CEFR level C2, with scale scores of 200 to 230

How are the main tests marked, and what should candidates practise?

IELTS reports each of the four sections on a band scale from 0 to 9, and the overall band is the average of the four section bands, so a weak section shows clearly when a course sets a minimum in each skill. Listening has 40 questions at one mark each, and Academic Reading is marked in the same way, with the raw score converted to a band that varies slightly between test versions.

Practise Listening and Reading under the published timings, remembering that the Reading hour includes transfer time, and review every wrong answer for its cause, whether vocabulary, a missed instruction or a distractor. Writing is assessed on task achievement for Task 1 and task response for Task 2, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Speaking is assessed on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation.

Write timed answers and mark each one against a single criterion at a time, then record spoken answers and listen back for hesitation, repeated vocabulary and unclear sounds. Starting with the skill that scores lowest in a practice test suits a course minimum in each skill, with full timed papers closer to the test date. For PTE Academic, Part 1 combines Speaking and Writing, so those two skills are best practised together.

Can students avoid taking an English test?

Some applicants can avoid a test, because UCAS notes that some universities accept other methods of demonstrating English language proficiency and advises reading the entry requirements thoroughly to see whether an additional test is needed.

For the Student visa, GOV.UK lists several routes that remove the need for a SELT: a UK school qualification such as a GCSE or A level begun under the age of 18, a degree from a UK institution, a degree from a non-UK institution taught in English once Ecctis has assessed it, nationality of a country on the listed set, or English already proved in a previous visa application. The university's own waiver rules appear on the course page and can differ from the visa routes, so each needs checking separately.

What can students do if their score is below the requirement?

Many universities offer a pre-sessional English language programme, which helps an applicant reach the required level before the course starts. UCAS advises speaking to the admissions team to learn whether a pre-sessional is suitable for the course applied for, since the requirement and the programmes on offer vary by university.

Some test providers may also offer a free English level test, which gives a starting point before a full test is booked. Where the shortfall sits in one skill, the score report shows which skill to target, and preparation against that skill's published marking criteria applies directly to a retake.

When should the test be taken before an offer deadline?

The test should be booked early enough to leave time for a result and a possible retake before the date set in the offer or the application deadline. Provider websites show when tests are available and whether a centre is open, and the details used to book must match the passport or other identity document.

Results remain valid for a limited period after the test is awarded, so the sitting should fall inside the window that the university and the visa application both need. Timed practice in every skill before booking shows whether the minimum in each skill is within reach, and the booking can follow from that.

Related guides

• English requirements for UK visas by route
• English requirements for UK visas by route
• Pre-sessional English courses

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