UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS WHO REQUIRE A STUDENT VISA
(EXCLUDING NATIONALS OF MAJORITY ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES)
▪ Overview of English language requirements:
The English language requirements in this table apply to all students who require a Student visa to study in the UK, excluding nationals of majority English speaking countries
(as defined by the UK Home Office list). The table below shows the English language qualifications and tests that are acceptable for entry to the University of Essex and the
levels required. The levels are the minimum entry requirements for admission to the University
▪ Nationals of majority English speaking countries:
If you are a National of a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UK Home Office list) please see https://www1.essex.ac.uk/documents/admissions/englisheu.pdf
▪ English qualifications or tests taken over five years ago:
The conditions of your offer may include an English language requirement if your previous English language qualification was taken more than five years before the start of the
course you are applying for at Essex. If you are unsure why your offer specifies an additional English language test, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office and
we will be happy to clarify this for you.
▪ Test dates/shelf life
For all of the tests listed in this table except Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic and TOEFL, we can accept a test taken up to 5 years before the start of the course you
are applying for at Essex.
PTE Academic and TOEFL tests must be verifiable online by the University at the point that any offer is made. Verification is only available online within 3 years of the date of
the test for PTE Academic and within 2 years of the date of the test for TOEFL.
The conditions of your offer may include an English language requirement if your previous English language qualification was outside of the period specified above for the test
you have taken. If you are unsure why your offer specifies an additional English language test, please email [email protected] and we will be happy to clarify this for you.
▪ Combining scores from two tests
We can accept a combination of two tests of the same type (e.g., two IELTS tests) providing both the overall and all component scores are met across the two tests, and both
were taken within the accepted shelf life for that test.
▪ Approved test centres and dates:
All of the tests specified below are acceptable and, for study at degree-level, these tests can be taken at any test centre, not just approved UKVI test centres. For courses below
degree-level (currently Certificate of Higher Education in East 15 Acting School), please see additional requirements specified in the table below relating to approved test
centres and the date your test was taken, in line with changes to Home Office requirements published in April 2015. For more details of Home Office requirements, please see
the information here.
▪ Courses with different English language requirements than those listed in this table:
o BA Multimedia Journalism – IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
o Nursing, Social Work, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy - More information can be found in our English language
requirements for applicants to pre-registration courses: https://www1.essex.ac.uk/documents/admissions/hscIeltsAndEquivalents.pdf
▪ English qualifications or tests not listed in the table:
If you are taking an English language qualification that is not specified below, please email
[email protected] for advice on whether it is acceptable for entry.
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS WHO REQUIRE A STUDENT VISA
(EXCLUDING NATIONALS OF MAJORITY ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES)
English Language Minimum Level required
test/qualification See first page for information about your test date and the shelf life of your test
Degree-level courses (excluding courses with non-standard requirements, listed on page 1) Below degree-level
courses
First Year Entry Second and Final Year Essex Pathways degrees Certificate of Higher
Direct Entry including foundation year (EU Education in East 15
applicants only) Acting School
IELTS (Academic only)
IELTS (Academic) 6.0 overall with a 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 5.0 overall with a
minimum of 5.5 in each 5.5 in each component in each component minimum of 4.0 in each
IELTS Online (Academic) component component
IELTS Indicator Please note that IELTS
tests must be a UKVI
IELTS taken at an
approved IELTS test
centre on the UKVI’s
list, available here, in
order to be accepted
for entry to below
degree-level courses.
Test must be taken
within two years of the
start of your course.
TOEFL (iBT) 76 overall, with a 88 overall, with a minimum of 18 72 overall, with a minimum of 18 Not acceptable
minimum of 18 in reading, in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in
TOEFL iBT Online – Special 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing speaking and 17 in writing
Home Edition speaking and 17 in writing
TOEFL – My Best Scores
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS WHO REQUIRE A STUDENT VISA
(EXCLUDING NATIONALS OF MAJORITY ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES)
English Language Minimum Level required
test/qualification See first page for information about your test date and the shelf life of your test
Degree-level courses (excluding courses with non-standard requirements, listed on page 1) Below degree-level
courses
First Year Entry Second and Final Year Essex Pathways degrees Certificate of Higher
Direct Entry including foundation year (EU Education in East 15
applicants only) Acting School
Pearson Test of English 60 overall, with a 62 overall, with a minimum of 59 59 overall, with a minimum of 59 Not acceptable
Academic minimum of 59 in each in each component in each component
component
We do not accept PTE online
Cambridge English A score of 169 overall on A score of 176 overall on the A score of 162 overall on the Not acceptable
Qualifications the Cambridge English Cambridge English Scale, with a Cambridge English Scale, with a
Scale, with a minimum of minimum of 162 in each minimum of 162 in each
C1 Advanced (Certificate in 162 in each component component component
Advanced English)
Or
C2 Proficiency (Certificate of
Proficiency in English)
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS WHO REQUIRE A STUDENT VISA
(EXCLUDING NATIONALS OF MAJORITY ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES)
English Language Minimum Level required
test/qualification See first page for information about your test date and the shelf life of your test
Degree-level courses (excluding courses with non-standard requirements, listed on page 1) Below degree-level
courses
First Year Entry Second and Final Year Essex Pathways degrees Certificate of Higher
Direct Entry including foundation year (EU Education in East 15
applicants only) Acting School
Trinity College London Pass (overall and in each Pass (overall and in each Pass (overall and in each Pass (overall and in
Integrated Skills in English (ISE) component) component) component) each component)
Level III and IV
Please note that Trinity
tests must be taken at
an approved Trinity
test centre on the
UKVI’s list, available
here, in order to be
accepted for entry to
below degree-level
courses.
Test must be taken
within two years of the
start of your course.
Michigan English Test – Successful completion of Successful completion of the Successful completion of the Not acceptable
Examination for the Certificate the ECPE Certificate of ECPE Certificate of Proficiency ECPE Certificate of Proficiency
of Proficiency in English (ECPE) Proficiency with Pass with Pass overall to include 795 with Pass overall to include 700 in
overall to include 750 in in each component each component.
each component.
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS WHO REQUIRE A STUDENT VISA
(EXCLUDING NATIONALS OF MAJORITY ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES)
English Language Minimum Level required
test/qualification See first page for information about your test date and the shelf life of your test
Degree-level courses (excluding courses with non-standard requirements, listed on page 1) Below degree-level
courses
First Year Entry Second and Final Year Essex Pathways degrees Certificate of Higher
Direct Entry including foundation year (EU Education in East 15
applicants only) Acting School
Oxford International Digital
Institute Overall B2+ with B2 in Overall C1 with B2 in each Overall B2 with B2 in each Not acceptable
each component component component
Online Pre-sessional English
Course (OPSE) Or Or Or
and
Online English Language Level 6 overall with 5 in each 7 overall with 5 in each 5 overall with 5 in each
Test (ELLT) / ELLT Global component component component
Oxford Test of English – 126 overall including a 140 overall including a minimum 111 overall including a minimum Not acceptable
Certificate of Proficiency minimum of 111 in each of 111 in each component of 111 in each component
component
KTE (Kaplan Test of English) 426 with no less than 396 459 with no less than 396 in any 396 with no less than 396 in any Not acceptable
in any component component component
British Academic Centre 6.0 overall with a 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 Not acceptable
International English Test minimum of 5.5 in each 5.5 in each component in each component
(BACIET) component
B1 Pass (Test must be
Skills for English: SELT B2 Pass with Merit B2 Pass with Merit B2 Pass taken within two years
of the start of your
course.)
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS WHO REQUIRE A STUDENT VISA
(EXCLUDING NATIONALS OF MAJORITY ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES)
English Language Minimum Level required
test/qualification See first page for information about your test date and the shelf life of your test
Degree-level courses (excluding courses with non-standard requirements, listed on page 1) Below degree-level
courses
First Year Entry Second and Final Year Essex Pathways degrees Certificate of Higher
Direct Entry including foundation year (EU Education in East 15
applicants only) Acting School
International Baccalaureate Standard Level or Higher Standard Level or Higher Level Standard Level or Higher Level Not acceptable
Level grade 4 in any of grade 4 in any of the below grade 4 in any of the below
the below modules: modules: modules:
English A: Language and English A: Language and English A: Language and
Literature Literature Literature
English A: Literature English A: Literature English A: Literature
English B English B English B
English Literature and English Literature and English Literature and
Performance Performance Performance
GCSE/ IGCSE/Cambridge O- Grade C or 4 Grade C or 4 Grade C or 4 Not acceptable
Level English (as a first or
second language)
If you do not meet the IELTS requirements then you may be able to take a pre-sessional English
Pre-sessional English course at pathway that enables you to meet our English language requirements without retaking IELTS.
the University of Essex These courses are delivered by the University of Essex International College. Please see our
website for further information: https://www.essex.ac.uk/international/pre-sessional. Our pre-
sessional English courses are normally only valid for entry to a main course which starts
immediately after the pre-sessional course. If you take a pre-sessional English course but then are
not able to start your main course in October, the pre-sessional course will not normally remain
valid. If we can offer you a later start date for your main course, we may ask you for an alternative
proof of your English language proficiency.
Last updated 15 August 2024
