English language requirements

If English isn’t your first language, studying in the UK can be very challenging. That's why we make sure you have the language skills you need to succeed right from the start. On this page we’ve listed our English language entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. You’ll also find details of our online pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes (PEAP) courses.

IELTS

We accept a range of English language qualifications, including IELTS.

You’ll need to achieve the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS.

Please note there are different types of IELTS test available, and it is important that you take the correct one.

IELTS requirements for students who need a Student visa

We've listed IELTS academic test grade needed for all courses in the table below.

NTU School (or course)	Undergraduate (Bachelors) IELTS academic test grade	Postgraduate (Masters) IELTS academic test grade
School of Art & Design All undergraduate practice-based courses School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences	6.0 with minimum of 5.5 in each component This requirement is for Year One entry only. If you're starting in Year Two or final year you'll need a higher grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component	6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
School of Science and Technology	6.0 with minimum of 5.5 in each component This requirement is for Year One entry only. If you're starting in Year Two or final year you'll need a higher grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component.	6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
Nottingham Business School	6.5 with minimum of 5.5 in each component	For 1-year Masters you'll need a 6.5 grade overall with minimum of 5.5 in each component. For 2-year Masters you'll need a 6.5 grade overall with a minimum of 6.0 in speaking and listening, and 5.5 in reading and writing.
School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment School of Arts and Humanities (see below for Centre for Broadcasting & Journalism) Nottingham Institute of Education Nottingham Law School (see below for BTC) School of Social Sciences (see below for BA (Hons) and MA Social Work, and BSc (Hons) Nursing). School of Art & Design All postgraduate courses, and: BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing and Branding BA (Hons) Fashion Communication and Promotion BA (Hons) Fashion Management BA (Hons) International Fashion Business	6.5 with minimum of 5.5 in each component	6.5 with minimum of 5.5 in each component
Centre for Broadcasting & Journalism	7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in reading and writing, and 5.5 in speaking and listening
Barristers Training Courses For the BTC we accept the IELTS, Pearson Test of English (Academic), TOEFL iBT and KITE tests. We do not accept any other alternative English language test.		IELTS: 7.5 with a minimum of 7.5 in each component Pearson: 73 overall with 73 in each component. TOEFL iBT: 107 overall with at least 27 in Reading, 27 in Listening, 24 in Speaking and 29 in Writing KITE: 527 in Listening, Reading Writing and Speaking
BA (Hons) and MA Social Work	7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component
BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) and BSc (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health)	IELTS: 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 in Reading, Listening & Speaking, and 6.5 in Writing Occupational English Test (OET): at least a grade C+ in the writing section and at least a grade B in the reading, listening and speaking sections.
All postgraduate research degrees		6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).
Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes (PEAP)	There are entry requirements for PEAP courses so that we can decide how many weeks you need to complete. To comply with Tier 4 visa regulations you must have an IELTS academic test taken at an approved UKVI testing centre.

**Please note that the date of your IELTS academic test result must be within two years of your degree course start date.**

IELTS requirements for students who do not need a Student visa

We've listed IELTS academic test grade needed for all courses in the table below.

NTU School (or course)	Undergraduate (Bachelors) IELTS academic test grade	Postgraduate (Masters) IELTS academic test grade
School of Art & Design All undergraduate practice-based courses School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences	6.0 This requirement is for Year One entry only. If you're starting in Year Two or final year you'll need the higher grade of 6.5.	6.5
School of Science and Technology	6.0 This requirement is for Year One entry only. If you're starting in Year Two or final year you'll need the higher grade of 6.5.	6.5
Nottingham Business School	6.5	For 1-year Masters you'll need a 6.5 grade overall. For 2-year Masters you'll need a 6.5 grade overall with a minimum of 6.0 in speaking and listening.
School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment School of Arts and Humanities (see below for Centre for Broadcasting & Journalism) Nottingham Institute of Education Nottingham Law School (see below for BTC) School of Social Sciences (see below for BA (Hons) and MA Social Work, and BSc (Hons) Nursing) School of Art & Design All postgraduate courses, and also: BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing and Branding BA (Hons) Fashion Communication and Promotion BA (Hons) Fashion Management BA (Hons) International Fashion Business	6.5	6.5
Centre for Broadcasting & Journalism	7.0 with minimum 6.0 in reading and writing	7.0 with minimum of 6.0 in reading and writing
Barristers Training Courses For the BTC we accept the IELTS, Pearson Test of English (Academic), TOEFL iBT and KITE tests. We do not accept any other alternative English language test.		IELTS: 7.5 with a minimum of 7.5 in each component Pearson: 73 overall with 73 in each component. TOEFL iBT: 107 overall with at least 27 in Reading, 27 in Listening, 24 in Speaking and 29 in Writing KITE: 527 in Listening, Reading Writing and Speaking
Social Work – BA (Hons) and MA	7.0 with minimum of 6.5 in each component
BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) and BSc (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health)	IELTS: 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 in Reading, Listening & Speaking, and 6.5 in Writing Occupational English Test (OET): at least a grade C+ in the writing section and at least a grade B in the reading, listening and speaking sections.
All postgraduate research degrees	6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component

Please note that the date of your IELTS academic test result must be within two years of your degree start date.

Alternative English language tests accepted by the University

We accept any of the qualifications listed here as an alternative to IELTS.

In most cases the grades specified are acceptable for courses requiring an IELTS 6.5 unless otherwise stated.

If your course has a higher language requirement, or your qualification is not listed here please email us and we’ll be happy to advise you.

Pearson, Cambridge, Oxford, International/European Baccalaureate, A/O level, Trinity, TOEFL iBT, LanguageCert

Name of test	Grade equivalent to IELTS 6.0	Grade equivalent to IELTS 6.5
Pearson Test of English (Academic)	54 (with no less than 51 in any element)	62 (with no less than 51 in any element)
C2 Proficiency (formerly known as Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)	Scores of 180 and above	Scores of 180 and above
C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)	Scores of 169 and above	Scores of 176 and above Scores of 185 and above are equivalent to IELTS 7.0
Oxford Test of English (OTE)	120 overall with at least 111 in each component	130 overall with at least 111 in each component
European Baccalaureate (as a first or second language)		6
International Baccalaureate (English A or B syllabus or English Literature, Standard or Higher level)		4
AS or A-level English Language or English Literature		A-E
O-level English		C
Trinity College ISE		Level 3 and 4
TOEFL iBT (including ‘Special Home Edition')	Overall score of 62 with at least: Reading - 10 Listening - 9 Speaking – 17 Writing - 19	Overall score of 81 with at least: Reading - 10 Listening - 9 Speaking – 17 Writing - 19
LanguageCert SELT B2 or LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator acceptable for intakes up to and including September 2021	156 overall (scores for all 4 components added together) with at least 33 in each component	180 overall with at least 33 in each component. A score of 39 is required where IELTS 6.0 is required in any component

IGCSE and GCSE

The grades given for GCSE and IGCSE are considered equivalent to IELTS 6.5.

GCSE English Grade C (we do not accept English Literature)
IGCSE English as a first or second language (we do not accept English Literature) Requirements listed below are for international students requiring a Tier 4 visa:
IGCSE English: Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) English as a First Language (Syllabus 0500)	Grade C overall required, with at least grade 1 or 2 in Listening and Speaking when these components are reported separately.
IGCSE English: Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) English as a First Language (Syllabus 0522)	Grade C overall
IGCSE English: Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) English as a Second Language (Syllabus 0511)	Grade B overall
IGCSE English: Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) English as a Second Language (Syllabus 0510)	Grade B overall with at least grade 1 or 2 in Speaking when this component is reported separately.
IGCSE English Language qualifications offered by other Examination boards may also be acceptable	Please contact the International Development Office for details.
*Requirements for students who do not require a Tier 4 visa:* Cambridge International Examinations (CIE)/AQA IGCSE English Language (First Language) – C CIE IGCSE English Language (Second Language) – B Edexcel IGCSE English Language A or B syllabus – C Edexcel IGCSE English as a Second Language - B

UK qualifications

We consider the following qualifications studied in the UK:

An English language component of a foundation or a pre-Masters course.
Pre-sessional English language qualification from a UK university.
Undergraduate (Bachelors) degree-level study at other UK university.

If you're already studying in the UK and need advice on your English language qualification please email international@ntu.ac.uk.

Qualifications by country

Grades given below are considered equivalent to IELTS 6.5.

Country	Qualification	Minimum grade required in English element
Antigua and Barbuda	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see below) Academic* qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Austria	Matura or Reifeprufung	2 (gut) when both written and oral examinations have been taken
Australia	High School qualifications vary by state, please contact us for advice. Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Bahamas	Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Barbados	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see below) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Belize	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see below) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Bermuda	Bermuda School Certificate grade D Bermuda School Diploma grade D
Botswana	Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education Examination	C
Cameroon	GCE O Level	C
Various countries in the Caribbean	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (post-1998)	Three (III) at General Proficiency level
Canada	Grade 11 or Grade 12 of Secondary School Diploma (English-medium schools only)	C
Canada	Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree from an English-speaking institution
Cyprus	Cyprus/Cypriot Apolytirion 'Απολυτήριο Λυκείου (Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate) 16/20 = IELTS 6.0 17/20 = IELTS 6.5
Denmark	STX / HF	10
Dominica	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see above) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Gambia	West African Examinations Council Senior School Certificate (WASSCE / WAEC)		C6 or 6
Germany	Abitur	10+ (gut) when taken as a ‘leistungskurs' or ‘Kurse mit erhohtem Anforderungsniveau’ (credit/main/intensive course)
Ghana	West African Examinations Council Senior School Certificate (WASSCE / WAEC)		C6 or 6
Grenada	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see above) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Guyana	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see above) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination [HKCEE]	C or 4
	Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority [HKEAA] – AS Level Use of English	E
	Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)	4 = IELTS 6.0 or 6.5 5 = IELTS 7.0
Iceland	Studentsprof (from Gymnasium) (Matriculation Certificate)	9 (when taken as a compulsory modern language)
India	Higher Secondary Certificate (Standard XII) Awarded by CBSE, ISC and select State Boards (please contact us for further info)	70/100 (70%) or 160/200 (80%)
India	A degree from one of the following universities: The University of Mumbai (India) The University of Delhi (India) The University of Calcutta (India) The University of Bangalore (India) Savitribai Phule Pune University (formerly The University of Pune (India)) The University of Chennai/Madras (India) Anna University (India) Osmania University (India) The University of Goa (India)
Ireland	Leaving Certificate	C (Ordinary/Standard Level)
Ireland	Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree
Jamaica	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see above) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Kenya	Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)	C
Liberia	West African Examinations Council Senior School Certificate (WASSCE / WAEC)	C6 or 6
Malaysia	UCLES English 1119 Syllabus	C
Malawi	Malawi Certificate of School Education (MSCE)	6
Malta	Secondary Education Certificate	Grade 1-3
Mauritius	General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level	Grade C
Namibia	Namibian Senior Certificate	Standard Level C , Higher Level E
Namibia	Namibian Senior Secondary School Certificate (Ordinary level)	C
The Netherlands	Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) diploma	8 (goed)
New Zealand	National Certificate in Educational Achievement Level 2	Achieved (A)
New Zealand	Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree
Nigeria	Nigerian Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate	C6 or 6
Nigeria	West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Senior School Certificate	C6 or 6
Norway	Vitnemål fra den videregående skole (Leaving Certificate from Upper Secondary School)	4
Rwanda	Ordinary Level Certificate of Education	1-6/D1-C6
Sierra Leone	West African Examinations Council Senior School Certificate (WASSCE / WAEC)	C6 or 6
Singapore	Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-Level	Grades 1-6
South Africa	NSC (National Senior Certificate) post 2007	3 or above in either First Language, First Additional Language or Second Language
Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka GCE A-level	C
St Kitts and Nevis	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see above) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
St Lucia	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see above) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
St Vincent and the Grenadines	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see above) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Sweden	Avgångsbetyg / Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskola	VG (val godkant) or higher in English (A, B or C)
Tanzania	Secondary School Leaving Certificate or the National form IV Examination / Certificate of Secondary Education (CSEE)	Minimum grade C
Trinidad and Tobago	Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (see above) Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Uganda	Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) grades 1-6
USA	High School Graduation Diploma	C (where English has been studied to grade 12) Other qualifications may also be considered - please contact us for advice on these.
USA	Academic* qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree .
Zambia	School Certificate / General Certificate of Education	Grade 1-6
Zimbabwe	Zimbabwe Certificate of Secondary Education at Ordinary Level	C

*If you have this qualification and are not a national of this country, you will need to provide a UK NARIC English Language Assessment document in support of your visa application.

The following country qualifications are also accepted for those students who do not require a Tier 4 visa:

Country	Qualification	Minimum grade required in the english element
Belgium	Diploma van Hoger Secundair Onderwijs	8/10 or 80% or met grote onderscheiding
Belgium	Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Superieur	8/10 or 80% or avec grande distinction
Bulgaria	Diploma za sredno Obrazovani	Grade 5
Croatia	Matura	5/5 at lower level = IELTS 6.0 4/5 at higher level = IELTS 6.5
Estonia	General Secondary School (Gümnaasium Lõpueksamid)	Grade 4/5 English = IELTS 6.5
France	Baccalauréat Général/Technologique La langue vivante 1 (The living language 1)	14 (bien), where the co-efficient applied to the subject is greater than 1
France	Baccalauréat avec Option Internationale (OIB)	12/20
Finland	Ylioppilastutkinto / Studentexamenbetyg (matriculation examination)	5 (magna cum laude approbatur)
Latvia	Atestatas	Grade 8/10 in English = IELTS 6.5 7/10 = IELTS 6.0
Lithuania	National Level Matura (state) English examination	90% = IELTS 6.5 75% = IELTS 6.0
Luxembourg	Diplôme de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires	45 (bien)
Malta	Successful completion of a degree from the University of Malta
Poland	Polish Matura qualification Świadectwo Dojrzałości (Certificate of Maturity) Extended Level English language exam 70% overall in Extended Level English language = IELTS 6.0 75% overall Extended Level English language = IELTS 6.5
Portugal	Certificado de fim de Estudios Secundários 16/20 = IELTS 6.5 14/20 = IELTS 6.0
Slovakia	Maturita - English B2 Grade 1 (Výborný) = IELTS 6.5 Grade 2 (Chválitebný) = IELTS 6.0 Maturita - English C1 Grade 2 (Chválitebný) = IELTS 6.5
Switzerland	Maturitatzeugnis Certificat de Maturité Attestato de Maturità	5 (gut) 5 (bien) 5 (bene)

If your country is not listed here or if you have any questions about your qualification please contact the International Development Office for advice.