Profile D
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.
National of an English-speaking country?
Applicants who are nationals of one of the following countries and have completed high school or three years of education (whichever is longer) in their home country, will generally be exempt* from providing additional evidence of their English language ability:
- 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 States of America
* The University reserves the right to ask for additional evidence of English language if we have concerns about an applicant’s abilities.
Studying or studied in an English-speaking country or institution?
Applicants who have completed the final 4 years of high school education in a majority English-speaking country listed below up to year 12 (or equivalent final year) and have been awarded the standard high school leaving qualification will be exempt* from providing additional evidence of their English language ability.
Applicants who have completed a degree in an English-speaking country listed below, will be exempt* from providing additional evidence of their English language ability. Degree courses are defined as a Bachelor degree or master's of at least one year.
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- the Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Canada
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Falkland Islands
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Malawi
- Malta
- Montserrat
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pitcairn Islands
- Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Uganda
- UK (including British Overseas Territories and Crown dependencies)
- USA
- Zambia
Applicants who have completed a 2+2 degree will be required to meet their programme’s English language requirements through an additional English language test or other acceptable qualification unless two full years were delivered in one of the above countries.
Applicants who have completed a 2+2 UK TNE degree in China will satisfy our English Language requirements.
Applicants who have completed a degree in a country not listed in this section. If the degree is fully taught, examined and delivered in English (excluding study-abroad years) in a non-majority English-speaking country, and this can be evidenced by means of an official letter confirming the medium of instruction is English from the awarding institution, this may be considered as satisfying* the University’s English language requirements if the remainder of the application (such as the Personal Statement and academic reference) confirm a broad engagement through English and high level of competence in the language.
The award must have been completed no more than seven years prior to the start of the degree programme to which the applicant has applied. This is determined by year of award, for example, a degree awarded in June 2016 would satisfy this requirement for entry in September 2023. Applicants who have completed either their high school award or degree course outside of the seven-year timeframe may still be considered, provided suitable evidence to demonstrate ongoing engagement with English (such as work experience) is presented.*
*The University reserves the right to ask for additional evidence of English language if we have concerns about an applicant’s abilities.
Accepted Secure English Language Tests (SELT)
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): |
6.5 overall with 7.0 in reading and writing, with no score below 6.0 |
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level IV: |
pass in all skills |
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III: |
merit in reading and writing
|
LanguageCert SELT |
C1 Expert High Pass overall (including Speaking, and Reading, Writing and Listening tests, to be taken within two years of the course start date) |
Pearson PTE Academic UKVI |
67 overall with 67 in reading and writing, with no score below 60 |
Skills for English |
C1/C2 Pass |
English Language Proficiency Tests
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 (at a test centre or online): |
6.5 overall with 7.0 in reading and writing, with no score below 6.0 |
TOEFL iBT and TOEFL at Home: |
89 overall with R24, L20, S21, W24 |
Pearson PTE Academic (Test Centre): (Online valid for 2023 entry only) |
67 overall with 67 in reading and writing, with no score below 60 |
C2 Proficiency, formerly known as Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE): |
Grade C, or Level C1 with 184 in reading and writing 168 |
C1 Advanced, formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): |
Grade B, or Grade C with 184 in reading and writing |
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE): |
Level IV with pass in all skills |
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE): |
Level III with merit in reading and writing
|
NCUK EAP |
B overall with A in reading and writing, with no score below C |
University of Portsmouth Pre-Sessional English |
70 in reading and writing, no score below 60 |
English Language Proficiency Tests (continued)
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 |
NCUK English Test | 6.5 overall with 7.0 in reading and writing, no score below 6.0 |
Heriot-Watt Pre-Sessional English | C (55%) overall |
Strathclyde ELT (including British Council UK pre-sessional Strathclyde ELT) |
7.0 in Reading and Writing, no skill below 6.0 |
Kaplan EAP | 65% (High Credit) overall with 70% (Distinction) in reading and writing, with no score below 60% (High Credit) |
LanguageCert International ESOL | C1 Expert High Pass overall (including Speaking, and Reading, Writing and Listening tests, to be taken within two years of the course start date) |
Oxford International ELLT |
An OIDI score of 7 overall with 8 in reading and writing, 6 in all other skills |
UK and worldwide school qualifications
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 |
C or 4 |
GCSE English Literature |
B or 6 |
IGCSE English as a 1st Language |
B or 6 |
IGCSE English as a 1st language with speaking and listening endorsement |
B or 6 |
IGCSE English as a 2nd Language |
A or 7 |
IGCSE English as a 2nd Language with speaking endorsement |
A or 7 |
IGCSE English Literature |
B or 6 |
IGCSE English Language A / B |
C or 4 |
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 5 at HL |
International Baccalaureate English A: Literature and Language |
5 at SL or HL |
International Baccalaureate Language B: English |
7 at SL or 6 at HL |
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) Language Acquisition: English |
5 |
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) Language and Literature: English |
6 |
Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIE) O Level English specifications 1119, 1120, 1123, 1125, 1127, 1128 |
B
|
European school qualifications
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 |
Requirement |
Austria: Reifeprüfung/ Matura |
2 (gut) in both written and oral |
Belgium |
15/20 or 75% |
Croatia |
English A/ visa razina at 5 |
Denmark Studentereksamen Level A |
Grade 10 |
European Baccalaureate |
L1 English at 60%, L2 English at 70%, L2A at 75% |
Finland: Ylioppilastut-kintotodistus |
5 in English A |
France: Baccalaureat |
14 in English LV A |
France: Option Internationale du Baccalaureat – British English or American English |
12 in English Language and Literature |
Germany where English is taken as a Leistungskurs / Kernfächer / erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau |
12 |
Germany where English is not taken at higher level |
15 |
European school qualifications (continued)
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 |
Requirement |
Iceland: Studentsprof when taken as a compulsory language in final year |
9 in English (when taken as a compulsory language in final year) |
Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate |
H3, O3 or B3 (pre-2017) |
Luxembourg: Examen de Fin d'Études Secondaires |
45 (bien) in English |
Malta: Secondary Education Certificate |
Grade 3 |
Netherlands: VWO |
7 |
Norway: Vitnemal where English is taken as a common core subject |
5 |
Poland |
80th percentile in extended level English |
Scotland: National 5 |
B in English |
Sweden: Slutbetyg where English 7 has been taken |
C |
Switzerland: Maturity Certificate |
5 (on a scale of 6) or 8 (on a scale of 10)
|
International school qualifications
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 |
Requirement |
Cameroon O level |
B in English |
Canada Alberta |
68% in English Language Arts 30-1 or 60% in English Language Arts 30-2 |
Canada British Columbia |
60% in English Studies 12 or 60% in Literary Studies 12 |
Canada Manitoba |
68% in ELA 40S/C or 60% in ELA 40U |
Canada Ontario |
68% in ENG4C or 60% in ENG4U |
Canada Quebec |
Not accepted |
Caribbean CSEC |
CSEC English with Three (III) at general proficiency |
Gambia WAEC where scratch-card number supplied |
C4 |
Ghana WAEC where scratch-card number supplied |
C4 |
Hong Kong: HKDSE |
4 in English |
India (CISCE or CBSE) Standard XII/Senior School Certificate Examination |
75% in English |
India (Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal state boards) |
85% in English |
Kenya KCSE |
English at grade C or 7 |
Liberia WAEC where scratch-card number supplied |
C4 |
International school qualifications (continued)
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 |
Requirement |
Malawi MSCE |
English at 7 |
Malaysia SPM (pre-2022) |
B in English language |
Malaysia SPM |
CEFR band B2 |
Nigeria WAEC where scratch-card number supplied |
C4 |
Sierra Leone WAEC where scratch-card number supplied |
C4 |
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 B in English |
Singapore: Secondary 4 English Language/Language Arts |
Grade B |
Singapore: NUS Integrated Diploma where EL 6103 (Language in Society III) or EL5101 (Language in Society II) have been taken |
B |
South Africa NSC |
English Home Language with 4 or English First Additional Language with 6 |
Tanzania Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
Grade C in English |
Uganda Certificate of Education |
Grade 7 in English |
United States: AP Language and Composition or AP Literature and Composition |
4 |
United States: ACT |
23 in ACT English with 8 in Writing |
United States: SAT (taken after 2016) Reading and Writing scores |
R 34, W 34 |
Centre for Academic Language and Development at the University of Bristol
Qualification |
Undergraduate (Score Required) |
Postgraduate (Score Required) |
International Foundation Programme |
63% overall for language units, minimum 68% in Academic Writing Or 63% overall in Accelerated Academic Language and Literacy |
N/A |
Pre-sessional |
Pass in Problem Based Learning Pass in Portfolio 63% in presentation |
Pass in Problem Based Learning Pass in Portfolio 63% in presentation |