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Acceptable English Qualifications

Find out about recognised English tests, any acceptable country specific qualifications and relevant exemptions. 

General University English Language requirements

  • Undergraduate students will typically require GCSE English Language or a recognised equivalent*. 
  • Postgraduate students will typically require GCSE English Language, a recognised equivalent* or 2 or more years at degree or professional level study in English (undertaken from one of the English Speaking Countries  listed below)
  • Applicants who have taken qualifications from outside the UK, can find tests that we accept in lieu of the above.

Please note that acceptance of these qualifications is entirely at the discretion of the University’s admissions team and you may be asked for additional evidence of English language ability if your programme or your visa requires it.

*The following qualifications are acceptable as evidence of English language ability.

  • IELTS Academic
  • Trinity College Integrated Skills in English
  • LanguageCert International ESOL SELT
  • PSI Skills for English 
  • PTE Academic (test centre only)
  • TOEFL IBT (test centre only)
  • European Baccalaureate
  • International Baccalaureate Literature/Language and Literature 
  • Kaplan KIC/KEELT
  • QAHE English Language Test
  • Password
  • GCSE/International GCSE English
  • INTO English
  • Cambridge Advanced English

Acceptable online tests*:

  • IELTS indicator
  • Duolingo**

*Acceptance onto programmes is still however also subject to meeting any current UKVI immigration rules for your programme

**Entry onto Distance Learning programmes only

The tests below will be accepted as evidence of English language proficiency, where the English component of the qualification meets an appropriate level.

Successful completion of the whole qualification for tests marked * will be sufficient as evidence

Country

Qualification

Australia*

High School Diploma

Bachelor/Higher degree from accredited institution

Botswana

BGCSE

Cameroon

O Level

Canada*

High School Diploma

Bachelor/Higher degree from accredited institution

Caribbean

Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate*

Hong Kong

A level Use of English *

HKCEE-*

HKDSE*

Bachelor/Masters in English (from government universities)

India

All India Senior Secondary School Cert Standard 12th/ICSE in English (Central Board of Secondary Education)

 

Indian School Certificate Examinations 12th (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations new Delhi)

 

Senior Secondary School Certificate Standard 12th in English  (State Board Exams from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka,  Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal)

 

Senior Secondary School Certificate Standard 12th in English (State board - Punjab/Gujarat/Haryana) IELTS Mandatory

Kenya

Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education

Malaysia

SPM119

Malawi

School Certificate of Education

Namibia

Senior Secondary Certificate

New Zealand

High School Diploma

South Africa National Senior Certificate/Grade 12 

Tanzania

O Level

National Examinations Council of Tanzania Certificate of Secondary Education

Uganda

Certificate of Education

USA*

High School Diploma

Bachelor/Higher degree from accredited institution

West Africa

West African Senior School Certificate/WAEC

Zambia

General Certificate of Education/Grade 12

Zimbabwe

General Certificate of Education/Grade 12

Country

Qualification

Austria

Reifeprufungszeugnis/Maturazeugnis

Belgium

Diploma Van Secundair Onderwijs/ Cert d Eseign Sec/Superieur/Abschulusszeugnisu der oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts

Bulgaria

Diploma Za Sredno SpetsailnoObrazovanie - English

  • English State Award
Cyprus 

Aployterion English 

Czech Republic

Maturita

Denmark

Studentereksamen  

Finland

Ylioppilaustutkintotodistus/Studentexamensbetyg

France

French Baccalaureate (General/OIB)

Germany

Abitur

DAAD

Hungary 

Erettsegi / Matura English 

Iceland

Studentsprof

Lativia  

Atestāts par vispārējo vidējo izglītību (English) 

Lithuania

Brandos Atestatas

English National State Examinations

Luxembourg

Diploma de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires

Malta

Secondary Education Certificate

Netherlands

VWO

Norway

Vitnemal

Poland

Matura

Romania

Diploma de Bacalaureat

Slovakia Maturita

Sweden

Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskolan

Switzerland

Matura

Visa Nationals who have taken an academic qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelor Degree or higher taught in the following countries will be exempt from having to prove your English Language level.

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • the Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • New Zealand
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • UK
  • USA

Nationals of the following countries are exempt from taking an English test

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • the Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Canada
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Jamaica
  • New Zealand
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • UK
  • USA
  • Ireland

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