Profile A

Our English language profiles are set at the minimum level required for entry to our programmes, which we believe should prepare you adequately for you to start your course. However, it is important for you to know that we expect your engagement with your English learning to continue throughout your time studying with us. As your course progresses, you will need to continue to develop your English skills so that you are able to understand the advanced concepts and nuances within it.
You should also be aware of language skills which are not scored in these English language tests, but which are essential for your daily use of English in an academic setting and in your day-to-day life in the UK. For example, being able to understand information and explain it to another person is a vital skill that students are expected to be able to do in English to communicate effectively with other English speakers. You should expect to develop your level of English through daily interaction with other people and with course materials.

Unless specifically stated, the information below details the English language skill level required for both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. We refer to these skill levels as ‘profiles’. For this profile, you need to achieve the listed level.

Applicants who are nationals of one of the following countries will generally be exempt* from providing additional evidence of their English language ability:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • The Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • British overseas territories
    • Anguilla
    • Bermuda
    • British Antarctic Territory
    • British Indian Ocean Territory
    • British Virgin Islands
    • Cayman Islands
    • Falkland Islands
    • Gibraltar
    • Montserrat
    • Pitcairn Islands
    • Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
    • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
    • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Canada
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Malta
  • New Zealand
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America.

This is in line with UKVI guidance.

* The University reserves the right to ask for additional evidence of English language if we have concerns about an applicant’s abilities.

Applicants who have studied one of the following in an English-speaking country may meet the University's English language requirements:

  • Final four years of high school education
  • Two years of a full-time Bachelor's degree
  • One year of a Master's degree
  • Two years of a TNE/international partnership degree

In all cases, the qualification must have been awarded no more than seven years prior to the start of the degree programme and the qualification must have been completed in an English-speaking country per the list in the 'National of an English-speaking country' section above.

We also accept qualifications completed in the following countries to meet this requirement:

  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Nigeria
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Uganda
  • Zambia

English Medium of Instruction

Applicants with a university-level qualification listed above, when fully taught and examined in English (not including Study Abroad years) in any country, may also meet the University's English language requirements.
This must be evidenced by means of an official Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter from the awarding institution, confirming that English is the medium of teaching and examination.

Duration of validity and evidence of ongoing engagement with English

In all cases, qualifications must have been awarded no more than seven years prior to the start of the degree programme. This is determined by year of award, for example, a degree awarded from 1 January 2018 would satisfy this requirement for entry in September 2025.

Qualifications completed beyond the seven-year timeframe may still be considered, provided there is clear and satisfactory evidence to demonstrate ongoing engagement with English (such as through work experience).

Work experience

Applicants can demonstrate ongoing engagement with English post-study through work experience in a country listed in the National of an English-speaking Country section of this page. Applicants will need to provide evidence that:

  • they have worked for a minimum of two years in an English-speaking country (as listed above) where the main language for the role was English since completing your qualification in English;
  • their role involved daily professional use of English;
  • and that their role has ended no more than two years before the start date of the course to which they are applying.

Any evidence to satisfy this must be provided by an employer confirming:

  • the name and contact details of the employer;
  • the nature of employment and use of English in the workplace;
  • and the dates of employment (ending no more than two years prior to the course starting).

Suitable evidence could be:

  • an electronic document or photo of a hard-copy letter on headed paper;
  • an email from the employer directly;
  • a copy of a signed contract.

The University reserves the right to refuse an English language exemption if we have concerns about an applicant's abilities.

The tests listed below are valid when they are taken no more than two years before the start date of your chosen programme of study. For UG and PGT courses starting in September, the test date must be no earlier than 1 September two years prior to entry (for example, 1 September 2021 for entry in September 2023). For UG and PGT courses starting in January, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than 1 December two years prior to entry (for example, 1 December 2020 for entry in January 2023). For PGR students, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than the first day of the month two years prior to the month in which the programme starts (for example, 1 January 2021 for entry in January 2023).

Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.

Qualification

Grade required

IELTS Academic for UKVI from authorised test centres only (otherwise see English language proficiency tests):

Results including the One Skill Retake (OSR) are acceptable. All scores will be taken from one Test Report Form (TRF).

7.5 overall with 7.0 in all skills

Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level IV:

pass in all skills

Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III:

merit in all skills

 

LanguageCert Academic SELT

C1 level with 80 overall and minimum score of 75 in all skills

Pearson PTE Academic UKVI

78 overall with no lower than 71 in all skills

Skills for English

C2 Pass

The tests below are valid when taken no more than two years before the start date of your programme of study. For UG and PGT courses starting in September, the test date must be no earlier than 1 September two years prior to entry (for example, 1 September 2021 for entry in September 2023). For UG and PGT courses starting in January, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than 1 December two years prior to entry (for example, 1 December 2020 for entry in January 2023). For PGR students, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than the first day of the month two years prior to the month in which the programme starts (for example, 1 January 2021 for entry in January 2023).

Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.

Qualification Grade required

IELTS Academic (at a test centre or online):

Results including the One Skill Retake (OSR) are acceptable. All scores will be taken from one Test Report Form (TRF).

7.5 overall with 7.0 in all skills
TOEFL iBT: 103 overall with R24, L22, S25, W24
TOEFL at Home: 103 overall with R24, L22, S25, W24

Pearson PTE Academic (Test Centre)

(Online valid for 2023 entry only)

78 overall with no lower than 71 in all skills
C1 Advanced, formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): 184 in all skills
C2 Proficiency, formerly known as Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE): 184 in all skills
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level IV: pass in all skills
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III: merit in all skills
NCUK EAP A* overall with A in all skills
NCUK English Test 7.0 or above overall, with 7.0 in all skills
Heriot-Watt Pre-Sessional English Grade A with 65% in all skills
Strathclyde ELT (including British Council UK pre-sessional Strathclyde ELT)

7.5 in two skills, no skill below 7.0

University of Portsmouth Pre-Sessional English
Kaplan EAP
LanguageCert Academic
Oxford International ELLT
University of Warwick EAP
AEMG Direct Entry Programme EAP

The qualifications listed below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Grade required

GCSE English Language

B or 6

GCSE English Literature

A or 7

IGCSE English as a 1st Language

A or 7

IGCSE English as a 1st language with speaking and listening endorsement

A or 7

IGCSE English as a 2nd Language

Not accepted

IGCSE English as a 2nd Language with speaking endorsement

Not accepted

IGCSE English Literature

A or 7

IGCSE English Language A / B

B or 6

AS Level or A Level English Language or English Language and Literature

C

AS Level or A Level English Literature

C

International Baccalaureate English A: Literature

6 at SL or HL

International Baccalaureate English A: Literature and Language

7 at SL or 6 at HL

International Baccalaureate Language B: English

7 at HL

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) Language Acquisition: English

6

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) Language and Literature: English

Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIE) O Level English specifications 1119, 1120, 1123, 1125, 1127, 1128

B

The qualifications below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Grade required

Austria: Reifeprüfung/Matura

2 (gut) in both written and oral

Belgium

17/20 or 85%

Croatia: Matura

English A/ visa razina at 5

Denmark Studentereksamen Level A

Grade 10

European Baccalaureate

L1 English at 70%, L2 English at 80%

Finland: Ylioppilastut-kintotodistus

5 in English A

France: Baccalaureat

16 in English LV A

France: Baccalauréat Français International/ Option Internationale du Baccalaureat – British English, American English or Australian English

12 in English Language and Literature

Germany where English is taken as a Leistungskurs / Kernfächer / erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau

13

Germany where English is not taken at higher level

15

 

The qualifications below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Grade required

Iceland: Studentsprof when taken as a compulsory language in final year

10 in English (when taken as a compulsory language in final year)

Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate

H3, O2 or B1 (pre-2017)

Luxembourg: Examen de Fin d'Études Secondaires

50 (tres bien) in English

Malta: Secondary Education Certificate

Grade 3

Netherlands: VWO

9

Norway: Vitnemal where English is taken as a common core subject

5

Poland

90th percentile in extended level English

Scotland: National 5

B in English

Sweden: Slutbetyg where English 7 has been taken

B

Switzerland: Maturity Certificate

6 (on a scale of 6) or 9 (on a scale of 10)

The qualifications listed below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Grade required

Cameroon O level

B in English

Caribbean CSEC

CSEC English with Three (III) at general proficiency

Gambia WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

B3

Ghana WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

B3

Hong Kong: HKDSE

5* in English

India (CISCE or CBSE) Standard XII/Senior School Certificate Examination

85% in English

India (Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal state boards)

95% in English

Kenya KCSE

English at grade B or 6

Liberia WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

B3

The qualifications listed below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Grade required

Malawi MSCE

English at 6

Malaysia SPM (pre-2022)

A in English language

Malaysia SPM

CEFR band C1

Nigeria WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

B3

New Zealand: National Certificate of Educational Achievement

English Level 2/3, 8 credit points with ‘excellence’

Sierra Leone WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

B3

Singapore: Integrated Programme Literature in English H2 or English Language and Linguistics H2:

C

Singapore Integrated Programme General Paper

n/a

Singapore Ordinary Level

Grade A in English

Singapore: Secondary 4 English Language/Language Arts

Grade A

Singapore: NUS Integrated Diploma where EL 6103 (Language in Society III) or EL5101 (Language in Society II) have been taken

A

South Africa NSC

English Home Language with 5 or English First Additional Language with 7

Tanzania Secondary School Leaving Certificate

Grade B in English

Uganda Certificate of Education

Grade 1 in English

United States: AP Language and Composition or AP Literature and Composition

4

United States: ACT

28 in ACT English with 7 in Writing

United States: SAT (taken after 2016) Reading and Writing scores

R 35, W 33 

Qualification

Undergraduate (Score Required)

Postgraduate (Score Required)

International Foundation Programme

73% overall for language units, minimum 68% in Text Response, minimum 68% in Academic Writing

Or

73% overall in Accelerated Academic Language and Literacy

N/A

Pre-sessional

Pass in Problem Based Learning Pass in Portfolio 73% in presentatio

Pass in Problem Based Learning Pass in Portfolio 73% in presentation