English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language you may be asked to undertake an English Language assessment to prove your level of English, unless otherwise stated on your country page. Normally, we would expect your English language qualification to be no more than two years old at the start date of your course. English language qualifications older than this can only be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

If you are required to apply for a Student Route visa to study in the UK you may be required to sit a Secure English Language Test (SELT) as part of the process of obtaining a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Some of our courses have different English Language requirements, so please check the boxes below to find out what scores you will need and which tests we can accept.

The Home Office (UKVI) defines certain countries as "Majority English Speaking Countries" and nationals from these countries are not normally required to obtain an English language qualification for entry to our courses.  

Applicants who are nationals of these countries or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in one of them will automatically meet the UKVI Student Route visa requirements for English language, but the University may still require some evidence of English language ability to meet the general entrance requirements. 

Visit the UKVI website for a list of majority English speaking countries.

Cambridge Assessment English B2 First (First Certificate in English) Minimum overall score of 169, no less than 162 in each component or C1 Advanced Certificate in Advanced English
GCSE/IGCSE English language C/4 or above
IELTS (Academic or UKVI), including IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR)  6.0 overall, and a minimum of 5.5 in each component, unless stated otherwise on the specific course page
Indian Standard XII:
CISCE, CBSE, Maharashtra  (01), Gujarat (Second Language - 013) & Tamil Nadu Boards 70% overall
Gujarat Board (First Language - 006) 60% overall
International Baccalaureate English B; English A Literature and Language; English A Literature at Standard Level 5 or Higher Level 4 
LanguageCert Academic 65 overall with no component lower than 60 
LanguageCert IESOL/SELT IESOL B2 Communicator or SELT B2 with a score of 33/50 across all skills
Oxford International English Language Level Test Level 6 with no component lower than 5 Use our link and code SUFF75 for £45 off your test
Oxford Test of English 126 overall, and a minimum of 111 per component
Password Skills Plus 6.0 overall, and a minimum of 5.5 in each component 
Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) 64 overall, and a minimum of 59 in each component
PSI Skills for English B2 Pass
TOEFL iBT (including TOEFL iBT Home Edition) Overall score of 75 (with a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing)
Trinity Integrated Skills in English ISE II Pass with Merit or above in each component
ZIMSEC GCE O Level at Grade B

 

Cambridge Assessment English C1 Advanced Minimum overall score of 180, no less than 162 in each component
IELTS (Academic or UKVI), including IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR)  6.5 overall, and a minimum of 5.5 in each component
LanguageCert Academic 70 overall with no component lower than 60  
LanguageCert IESOL/SELT IESOL B2 Communicator or SELT B2 with a score of 38/50 across all skills
Oxford International English Language Level Test Level 7 with no component lower than 5  Use our link and code SUFF75 for £45 off your test
Oxford Test of English 140 overall, with a minimum of 111 per component 
Password Skills Plus 6.5/7.0 overall, and a minimum of 5.5 in each component 
Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) 67 overall, and a minimum of 59 in each component
PSI Skills for English B2 Pass with Merit
TOEFL iBT (including TOEFL iBT Home Edition) Overall score of 82 (with a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing)
Trinity Integrated Skills in English ISE III with a Pass or above in all components
ZIMSEC GCE O Level at Grade A 

If you are applying to study a Professional Health Programme such as; Adult Nursing, Child Health Nursing, Diagnostic Radiography, Mental Health Nursing, Operating Department Practice, Paramedic Science, Radiotherapy and Oncology or Social Work you are required to achieve the following:

Cambridge Assessment English C1 Advanced Minimum overall score of 185, no less than 180 in each component
IELTS (Academic or UKVI), including IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR)  7.0 overall, and a minimum of 6.5 in each component, unless stated otherwise on the specific course page
Indian Standard XII - English (Undergraduate only):
CISCE & CBSE Boards 80% overall
Gujarat  (First Language - 006) & Tamil Nadu Boards 90% overall
Maharashtra Board (01) 92.5% overall
International Baccalaureate English B Higher Level 7; English A Literature and Language Standard Level 7 or Higher Level 6 and English A Literature at Standard Level 6 or Higher Level 6
LanguageCert Academic 75 overall with no component lower than 70 
LanguageCert IESOL/SELT IESOL C1 Expert or SELT C1 with a score of 33/50 across all skills
Oxford International English Language Level Test Level 7 with no component lower than 6 Use our link and code SUFF75 for £45 off your test
Oxford Test of English 155 overall with no a minimum of 141 per component
Password Skills Plus 7.0 overall, and a minimum of 6.5 in each component 
Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) 76 overall, and a minimum of 67 in each component
PSI Skills for English C1 Pass
TOEFL iBT (including TOEFL iBT Home Edition) Overall score of 95 (with a minimum of 22 in reading, 20 in listening, 23 in speaking and 22 in writing)
Trinity Integrated Skills in English ISE III with Merit or above in each component

If you have completed a degree-level qualification which meets, or exceeds, the recognised standard of a UK bachelor’s degree* and English was the medium of instruction, we may be able to waive our English language requirement if you provide us with your MoI letter. 

Our ability to waive the English language requirement based on your completion of a degree taught in English is in line with the UKVI’s English language requirements for a Student visa. Therefore, if you require a visa to study a degree in the UK, the UKVI does not require you to complete a Secure English Language Test (SELT) providing we are able to waive the English language requirement for your application following our assessment of your MOI letter.  

MoI letters must be issued by a Registrar, Deputy Registrar, the Registrar's Office or Controller of Examinations (or equivalent).

MOI letters cannot be used for entry to our Professional Health programmes. 

If your degree was awarded more than 10 years prior to your University of Suffolk course start date, we will not be able to accept your MoI letter. 

If you do not have a MoI letter and your degree was awarded in the last five years, you may be able to use our English Language Test Waiver instead. Please see below for more information. 

*we use the services of ECCTIS (UK ENIC) to determine comparability to UK degree awards. 

We can waive the need for a specific English language test where an applicant has one of the qualifications from an approved institution, taken within five years of your course start date.

See our full list of approved universities

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