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.
- 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 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 on our undergraduate English Language requirements page.
For postgraduate taught degree courses, all Schools/Departments require the University standard IELTS or equivalent English Language qualification.
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.
- 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.
- We do not accept Medium of Instruction (MOI) letters or English Language proficiency letters to meet our English Language requirements.
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 Art and Design Foundation Studies course must have a UKVI IELTS SELT issued by an approved IELTS test centre.
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.
What qualifications do we accept?
Below you will find a list of the main English language qualifications which are acceptable to the University for admission purposes.
List of approved qualifications
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)
| Qualification | Minimum grade required |
|---|---|
| Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) | C/200 |
| Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) | C/180 |
| Cambridge English: First (CFE) | A |
| IELTS Academic Test (including Online Test) and IELTS One Skill Retake | Overall score of 6.5 with not less than 6.0 in each test |
| LanguageCert ESOL SELT (centre-based test) |
SELT C1: Pass overall (listening, reading, writing, speaking combined) with no sub-test lower than 33 out of 50. Tests taken from 2025 onwards: Overall score of 70 with not less than 65 in each test. |
| LanguageCert Academic SELT (centre-based test) | Overall score of 70 with not less than 65 in each test |
| ONCAMPUS Test of English (OCTOE) | 65% overall with 60% in each sub-test (taken in the UK) |
| Pearson Test of Academic English (PTE) (centre-based test) | Overall score of 65, with not less than 61 in each sub-test. |
| TOEFL iBT |
Tests taken prior to 21 January 2026: Overall score of 88, with not less than 21 in each test Tests taken from 21 January 2026: Overall score of 4.5 with not less than 4.5 in Writing and Listening and not less than 4.0 in Speaking and Reading |
| Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) III | 96 overall with not less than 90 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 |
| TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition |
Tests taken prior to 21 January 2026: Overall score of 88 with not less than 21 in each test Tests taken from 21 January 2026: Overall score of 4.5 with not less than 4.5 in Writing and Listening and not less than 4.0 in Speaking and Reading |
| LanguageCert: Online test |
C1: Pass overall (listening, reading, writing, speaking combined) with no sub-test lower than 33 out of 50 Tests taken from 2025 onwards: Overall score of 70 with not less than 65 in each test. |
| Duolingo English Test |
Overall score of 120 with not less than the following in each integrated and individual sub-test:
|
UK and Transnational school-based qualifications (taken within ten years of the start of the academic year)
| Qualification | Minimum 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 - Cambridge English First Language (syllabuses 0500/0522/0627/0990) | C / 4 |
| IGCSE - Oxford AQA English Language (9270) | 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 (taken within ten years of the start of the academic year)
| 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.
|
||
| Ireland (Eire) | Leaving Certificate – Ordinary Level | C3 |
| Kenya | Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) | C |
| Malawi | Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) | 4 |
| 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 |
| 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* | 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 |
| Senior School Certificate (NECO) | 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 | Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) / O Level | C |
Previous university study in the English Language
| Qualification | Minimum 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). This includes students on a 3+1 programme at a UK university if they have completed a full year of study in the UK. |
| Postgraduate degree from a University in the UK and studied 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). |