Minimum IELTS score requirements for UK universities

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Now that you have made up your mind to study in the UK, it is time to ensure you have all you need for a successful application to a university!

As an international student, you must demonstrate a satisfactory standard of spoken and written English to support your application. This can be done by taking the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic test.

University language requirements vary according to the university and programme. To study in the UK, you will need a Tier 4 Visa, which can only be obtained if you meet the English proficiency standard set by your institution.

To Study In The UK, The Minimum Requirements Are As Follows:

Level (Courses)	English Requirement
University Foundation	IELTS 4.5 (4.0+ in all skills)
Bachelor’s Degree	IELTS 6.5 (6.0+ in all skills)
Pre-Master’s	IELTS 5.0 (5.0+ in all skills)
Master’s Degree	IELTS 6.5 (6.0+ in all skills)

However, to study in the world’s top 200 universities in the UK score requirements are much more stringent.

Complete University Guide (CUG) Rankings in 2022

The CUG university rankings is an independent rankings provider for universities in the UK. It also provides course and expert advice for students who wish to find out more about studying in the country.

Rank	University	IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)	IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)
1	University of Oxford	7.0	7.5
2	University of Cambridge	7.5	7.0
3	London School of Economics and Political Science	7.0	7.0
4	University of St Andrews	6.5	6.5
5	Imperial College London	6.5	6.5
6	Durham University	6.5	6.5
7	Loughborough University	6.5	6.5
8	UCL (University College London)	6.5	6.5
9	University of Warwick	6..0	6.5
10	University of Bath	7.0	6.5
11	Lancaster University	6.5	6.5
12	University of Edinburgh	6.5	6.5
13	University of Manchester	6.0	6.0
14	University of Exeter	6.5	6.5
15	University of Southampton	Contact institution	Contact institution
16	University of Glasgow	6.5	6.5
17	University of Bristol	6.5	6.5
18	University of York	6.5	6.5
19	University of Birmingham	6.0	6.0
20	University of Leeds	6.0	6.0

Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2022

The Times Higher Education World Rankings is one of the world’s most established metrics. It judges universities based on 5 key performance indicators- teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income.

Rank	University	Global Rank	IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)	IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)
1	University of Oxford	1	7.0	7.5
2	University of Cambridge	5	7.5	7.0
3	Imperial College London	12	6.5	6.5
4	UCL	18	6.5	6.5
5	London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)	27	7.0	7.0
6	University of Edinburgh	30	6.5	6.5
7	King’s College London	35	7.5	7.5
8	University of Manchester	50	6.0	6.0
9	University of Warwick	78	6.0	6.5
10	University of Glasgow	86	6.5	6.5
11	University of Bristol	92	6.5	6.5
12	University of Birmingham	105	6.0	6.0
13	University of Sheffield	110	6.0	6.0
14	Queen Mary University of London	117	6.0	6.5
15	Lancaster University	122	6.5	6.5
16	University of Southampton	124	Contact institution	Contact institution
17	University of Leeds	127	6.0	6.0
18	University of Nottingham	141	6.0	6.0
19	University of Exeter	143	6.5	6.5
20	Newcastle University	146	6.5	6.5

QS World University Rankings in 2022

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World Rankings, another of the world’s premier ranking systems, rates the world’s universities by institution and subject through academic, student, employer and international indicators.

Rank	University	Global Rank	IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)	IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)
1	University of Oxford	2	7.0	7.5
2	University of Cambridge	3	7.5	7.0
3	Imperial College London	7	6.5	6.5
4	UCL	8	6.5	6.5
5	The University of Edinburgh	16	6.5	6.5
6	The University of Manchester	27	6.0	6.0
7	King’s College London	35	7.5	7.5
8	The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)	49	7.0	7.0
9	The University of Warwick	61	6.0	6.5
10	University of Bristol	62	6.5	6.5
11	University of Glasgow	73	6.5	6.5
12	University of Southampton	77	Contact institution	Contact institution
13	Durham University	82	6.5	6.5
14	University of Birmingham	90	6.0	6.0
15	University of St Andrews	91	6.5	6.5
16	University of Leeds	92	6.0	6.0
17	The University of Sheffield	95	6.0	6.0
18	University of Nottingham	103	6.0	6.0
19	Queen Mary University of London	117	6.0	6.5
20	Lancaster University	132	6.5	6.5

Do note that scores are subject to change. For the latest information, please refer to each institution’s website and/or contact the Admissions Office directly.

If you have not achieved these scores in your first university IELTS Academic test, fret not!

You can still apply to your preferred universities and receive a conditional offer contingent on meeting the language requirements. Then, you can confirm with your offer with the successful results of your second test.

The universities’ language requirements can also be met through other English tests such as TOEFL and A Level English.

IELTS and Equivalent Scores

Exam	IELTS 5.0	5.5	6.0	6.5	7.0	7.5
A Level English	D	D	C	C	B	B
GCSE English	D	D	C	C	B	B
IB**	grade 3& in A or B HL or SL	grade 4 in A or B HL or SL	IB B SL grade 6 IB B HL -grade 4 IB A1/A2 HL/ SL grade 4	IB B SL grade 6 IB B HL -grade 5 IB A1/A2 HL/ SL- grade 5	IB B SL grade 7 IB B HL -grade 5 IB A1/A2 HL/ SL grade 5	IB B HL -grade 6 IB A1/A2 HL/ SL grade 6
TOEFL ibt	60(10, 10, 13, 16)	70(13, 13, 13, 16)	80(17, 18, 17, 20)	90(17, 18, 17, 20)	100(20, 20, 20, 20)	110(22, 22, 22, 22

While understanding the IELTS requirements for your University of entry is key, it is much better to focus get fully prepared for the test itself to score your very best!

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