English language requirements for international applicants

If you apply to Loughborough University, you must have a qualification in English Language before you can be admitted onto any course or programme, whether your first language is English or not. This information is important, so please take the time to read this carefully.

What are the English language requirements to study here?

  • The standard University IELTS English language requirement is 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each individual element (reading, writing, listening and speaking).
  • Some Schools/Departments may require higher levels of English language than those specified.
  • The requirements needed will be sent to you in your offer communication.

For Research Degrees, some Schools/Departments may ask for a higher standard of English language qualifications due to the nature of the research work involved. Details will be included in your offer letter if this applies.

For Undergraduate Degree courses, some Schools/Departments may require higher levels than those specified.  These higher levels are detailed, where relevant and more information can be found here.

English language tests must be no more than two years old at the start of the course. Where a school-based qualification is used to meet the English language requirement, this should have been taken within the past ten years. Evidence of continuing use of English, whether in the workplace or elsewhere, in the intervening period may be considered as supporting evidence of English language ability where a qualification was taken more than ten years ago.

What is an IELTS test?

International English Language Tests (IELTS) are one of the Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) which are accepted as evidence (of your proficiency for the English language) by the UK Visas and Immigration department (UKVI). The tests are taken at an approved IELTS testing centre.

Please note that students who are being admitted onto the following courses must have a UKVI IELTS SELT issued by an approved IELTS test centre:

  • Art and design Foundation Studies
  • English Language Pre-Sessional Programmes A, B, C and D

Don't meet our IELTS requirements? There's another way

For those students who do not meet our IELTS requirement, Loughborough University (at the discretion of the School/Department) offers a number of pre-sessional English language programmes as an alternative way to satisfy the requirements.

Pre-sessional English language programmes

What qualifications do we accept?

List of approved qualifications

Below you will find a list of the main English language qualifications which are acceptable to the University for admission purposes.

Please note that the "Global English Language Qualifications" gives guidance on the minimum entry levels for the University. Some Schools/Departments may ask for a higher standard of English qualifications.

Tests of English for speakers of a foreign language (taken within two years of the start of the academic year)

QualificationMinimum grade required

Bellerbys College Academic English Skills

(Undergraduate applicants only)

65% overall with 55% in each key skill area
Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) C/200
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) C/180
Cambridge English: First (CFE) A
IELTS Academic Test Overall score of 6.5 with not less than 6.0 in each test
LanguageCert (centre-based test) SELT C1:Pass overall (listening, reading, writing, speaking combined) with no sub-test lower than 33 out of 50
Pearson Test of Academic English (PTE) (centre-based test) Overall score of 67, with not less than 63 in each sub-test.
TOEFL iBT (DI Code = 0815) Overall score of 92, with not less than 22 in each test
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) III Pass overall, with passes in each component

University of Warwick International Foundation Programme

English for Academic Purposes

(Undergraduate Applicants only)

High Credit (60%) overall including minimum Credit (50%) in each component

 

The following online tests are acceptable for start dates up to and including October 2024:

QualificationMinimum grade required

TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition             
(DI Code – 0815) 

Overall score of 92 with not less than 22 in each test
LanguageCert: Online test C1: Pass overall (listening, reading, writing, speaking combined) with no sub-test lower than 33 out of 50
Duolingo English Test  Overall score of 120 with not less than 105 in each sub-test

UK and Transnational school-based qualifications

QualificationMinimum Grade Required
CSE English Language 1
European Baccalaureate - Language 1 6.0
European Baccalaureate - Language 2 7.0
European Baccalaureate - Language 3 or 4 8.0
GCSE or O Level English Language C / 4
IGCSE - AQA Level 2 Certificate in English Language C
IGCSE - Cambridge English First Language (syllabuses 0500/0522/0627/0990) C / 4
IGCSE - Pearson Edexcel English Language A (syllabuses 4EA0/4EA1) C / 4
IGCSE - Pearson Edexcel English Language B (syllabuses 4EB0/4EB1) C / 4
IGCSE - Cambridge English as a Second Language (syllabus 0510) B with grade 2 in Speaking Component
IGCSE - Cambridge English as a Second Language (syllabus 0993) 6 with Distinction in Speaking Component
IGCSE - Cambridge English as a Second Language (syllabuses 0511/0991) B / 6
IGCSE - Pearson Edexcel English as a Second Language (syllabus 4ES0/4ES1) B / 6 with grade 7 in Speaking Component
International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) – English A (Standard/Higher Level) 4
International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) – English B Higher Level 5
International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) – English B Standard level 6
Scottish Standard Grade English/Scottish National 5 English C
Scottish Intermediate Grade English C
Scottish Higher Grade English C

International school-based qualifications

Country

Qualification

Minimum Grade Required

Australia

 

 

ACT Year 12 / NTCE / SACE / VCE / WACE

C

HSC

2

TCE / QCE

SA

Austria

Reifeprüfung/Matura

2

Belgium

Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur (CESS) / Diploma van secundair onderwijs (DSO)

75%

Botswana

Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE)

C

Brunei

Brunei-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (B-C GCE O Level)

C

Cameroon

GCE O Level

C

Canada

 

(must have studied for at least 4 years at a High School in Canada)

 

High School Graduation Diploma (or equivalent) – Grade 10 English

60%

Denmark

Bevis for Studentereksamen

7

France

 

Baccalauréat Général; Baccalauréat Technologique

14

Option Internationale (Anglais/Americain) du Baccalauréat

12

Germany

Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife / Abitur

12 (gut)

Hong Kong

 

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination Use of English

C

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, Core English

4

Iceland

Stúdentspróf (from Gymnasium)

9

India 

 

 

 

CBSE – All India Senior School Certificate Examination

75%

ISCE – Indian School Certificate Examination (Class – XII)

75%

Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal State Boards – Standard XII

80%

The Senior School Certificate or Standard XII is not accepted from the following State Boards, in these cases students will be asked to provide an alternative English language qualification.

  • Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board
  • Haryana Board of School Education
  • Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education
  • Punjab School Education Board
  • Telangana State Board

Ireland (Eire)

Leaving Certificate – Ordinary Level

C3

Kenya

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)

C

Malawi

Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE)

C

Malaysia

Cambridge English Language syllabus 1119

C

Malta

Secondary Education Certificate Examinations (SEC)

4

Mauritius

Cambridge GCE O Level English Language

C

Netherlands

Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO)

7

New Zealand

National Certificate in Educational – Level 2 English

Achieved

Nigeria

Senior School Certificate (NECO)

C6

Norway

Vitnemål for Videregående Opplæring (ENG1002)

4

Singapore

 

 

 

Singapore O Level English

C

Singapore A Level H2 English Literature/English Language & Linguistics

D

Singapore A Level H1 English Literature/English Language & Linguistics

C

Integrated Programme – General Paper* (*only acceptable for applicants following Integrated Programme who have not previously taken O Level English, and are not studying an A Level H1/H2 English paper)

C

South Africa

National Senior Certificate

5

Sweden

Avgångsbetyg / Slutbetyg från Gymnasieskola

C / VG

Switzerland

Certificat de Maturité / Maturitätsausweis / Attestato di Maturità

4

Tanzania

Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE)

C

Uganda

Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE)

6

USA

(must have studied for at least 4 years at a USA High School)

 

SAT (Pre-2016): Critical Reading and Writing tests

550 in each test

SAT (2016 onwards): Evidence-Based Reading/Writing

 610

ACT

27 Composite Score, with minimum 26 in English and Reading

West Africa

West African Examination Council Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)

C6

West Indies/Caribbean

 

 

Caribbean Examinations Council Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC)

III

Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE)

C

Bermuda Secondary School Certificate (BSSC)

C

Zambia

Zambia School Certificate

6

Zimbabwe

Cambridge School Certificate / Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) / O Level

C

Previous university study in the English Language

QualificationMinimum Grade Required
Undergraduate degree from a University in the UK and studied in the UK (NB: Postgraduate Research applicants must have a minimum 2:2 degree classification)

At least one year of study completed in the UK (some programmes require a minimum of two years study completed in the UK).

For entry in October 2022, students studying a 3+1 programme at a UK university may have the one-year requirement waived if evidence is provided that a substantial part of the year is studied in the UK.
Postgraduate degree from a University in the UK Pass
Undergraduate or Postgraduate degree from one of the following countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada*, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Ireland, New Zealand, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, USA Pass  *Applicants who are not Canadian nationals, but have studied in Canada will need an additional English language test (unless they are nationals of another majority English language-speaking country)

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