Applying as an international student

Around 41% of our students come from outside the UK and we expect our international applicants to have qualifications of a similar standard to our UK applicants.

Applying to UCL

International students should apply to UCL via UCAS, using the same process as UK students.

It is likely that the British Council office(s) in your country will also have information about UCAS.

International entry requirements

In addition to A levels and the International Baccalaureate we accept a range of international qualifications.

Equivalent international qualifications can be found on each degree page. Select your country from the drop down provided in the International qualifications section on degree pages.

Please be aware that you may also need to provide proof of your English language proficiency.

Providing evidence of your English ability

Any student who is not a national of a UK Home Office majority English-speaking country is required to provide recent evidence regarding their command of spoken and written English.

The required evidence should, if possible, by included with the complete application. If either unsatisfactory or no evidence of English language proficiency has been provided with the application, admission will be conditional upon the provision of such evidence. This condition will be clearly indicated on the offer letter and must be fulfilled before enrolment at UCL.

UCL reserves the right, in individual circumstances, to specify an additional language requirement for an applicant. 

The required evidence may be one of the following:

1. Completed a minimum of 12 months academic education leading to an awarded qualification, in a country that UCL considers to be "majority English-speaking", no more than the summer two years prior to the proposed date of enrolment: 

• Bostwana
• Cameroon (only if the qualification is taught in English)
• Canada
• Caribbean/West Indies (English-speaking Caribbean Commonwealth territories)
• Dominica
• Fiji
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Malawi
• Malta (where the degree is taught entirely in English)
• Mauritius
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Singapore
• South Africa
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Swaziland
• Tanzania
• The Bahamas
• Trinidad and Tobago
• The Netherlands (where the degree is taught entirely in English)
• Uganda
• United Kingdom
• United States of America
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe 

2. Completed a minimum of 18 months of work experience in a country that UCL considers to be "majority English-speaking", no more than two years prior to the proposed date of enrolment. 

3. Recently obtained acceptable English language qualification or test result. The qualification or test result must have been awarded no more than two years prior to the proposed start date of enrolment or the summer two year prior to the intended start date for qualifications taken as part of the school curriculum e.g. GCSE English. 

The required scores are different for each degree and can be found in the entry requirements section of each degree page. Please see below for the accepted English language qualifications, details of individual English language tests and the grade equivalencies for Standard, Good and Advanced levels at UCL. 

GCSE/IGCSE English language

Standard level Pass at 5 (or grade C)
Good level Pass at 5 (or grade C)
Advanced level Pass at 6 (or grade B)

GCSE qualifications are acceptable for meeting the English language proficiency requirement if all four skills are assessed or the spoken language component is separately endorsed on the certificate. Please check the specific IGCSE syllabus requirements below.

Test provider details

Cambridge Assessment International Education

Visit the Cambridge Assessments International Education website

Pearson Edexcel

Visit the Pearson Edexcel website

Oxford International AQA Examinations

Visit the Oxford International AQA Examinations website

British Council International Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Version)

Standard level: Overall grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the subtests.
Good level: Overall grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the subtests.
Advanced level: Overall grade of 7.5 with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the subtests.

• International English Language Testing System
• British Council

Applicants may take the IELTS Indicator test to meet the requirement for entry to the 2022/2023 academic year. 

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Standard level: Score of 92 overall with 24/30 in reading and writing and 20/30 in speaking and listening
Good level: Score of 100 overall with 24/30 in reading and writing and 20/30 in speaking and listening
Advanced level: Score of 109 overall 24/30 in reading and writing and 20/30 in speaking and listening

Applicants may take the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test to meet the requirement for entry to the 2022/2023 academic year.

Please note that TOEFL iBT MyBestScore is not acceptable for meeting the English language requirement

• TOEFL

Other accepted qualifications

Cambridge English: C2 Proficiency (CPE) [previously known as Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English]

Standard level: Overall score of 176 with 169 in all subtests
Good level: Overall score of 185 with 176 in all subtests
Advanced level: Overall score of 191 with 176 in all subtests

Test provider details

Web: Cambridge English Language Assessment

Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) [previously known as Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English]

Standard level: Overall score of 176 with 169 in all subtests
Good level: Overall score of 185 with 176 in all subtests
Advanced level: Overall score of 191 with 176 in all subtests

Test provider details

Web: Cambridge English Language Assessment

Cambridge Assessment International Examinations (CAIE) Ordinary Level in English Language

O Level qualifications are acceptable if all four skills are assessed or a separate Oral/Spoken component is passed and confirmed on the certificate.

Standard level: Pass at grade C
Good level: Pass at grade C
Advanced level: Pass at grade B

Test provider details

Web: Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIAE)

LanguageCert International ESOL

UCL will accept LanguageCert International ESOL test at the following levels and grades: 

Standard level: B2 Communicator test with High Pass with a minimum of 33 in reading, writing and listening and 38 in speaking. C1 Expert and C2 Mastery tests with Pass will also be considered. 

Good level: C1 Expert test with Pass (minimum of 25 in all four skills). C2 Mastery test with Pass will also be considered. 
Advanced level: C1 Expert test with High Pass with minimum of 33 in reading, writing and listening and 38 in speaking.  C2 Mastery test with Pass will also be considered. 

Applicants are required to take both written and spoken exams at the same level.  Online and in-centre exams are also accepted. 

Test Details: https://www.languagecert.org/en

UCL Pre-sessional English courses

Standard level: Overall mark of 65%, with at least 60% in each of the sub-tests.
Good level: Overall mark of 70%, with at least 65% in each of the sub-tests.
Advanced level: Overall mark of 75%, with at least 65% in each of the sub-tests.

Test provider details

UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE)

UCL Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate (UPCSE; UPCH)

Standard level: Completion of the Academic English module with a mark of 65%, with a minimum of 60% in each subtest.
Good level: Completion of the Academic English module with a mark of 70%, with a minimum of 65% in each subtest.
Advanced level: Completion of the Academic English module with a mark of 75%, with a minimum of 65% in each subtest.

For further information, please visit:

UCL Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

International Baccalaureate (IB)

For native or near-native speakers

IB English Language A: Literature or
IB English Language A: Language and Literature
IB English Language A: Literature and Performance

Standard Level grade 4 at either higher or standard level
Good Level grade 4 at either higher or standard level
Advanced Level grade 5 at either higher or standard level

For non-native speakers

IB English Language B 

Standard Level grade 4 at either higher level or grade 5 at standard level
Good Level grade 4 at either higher level or grade 5 at standard level
Advanced Level grade 5 at either higher level or grade 6 at standard level

Test provider details

Web: International Baccalaureate

European School Leaving/Matriculation Certificates

Austria

All levels: In the Matura/Reifeprufung, 2 (gut) in English when both written and oral examinations have been taken.

Belgium

All levels: In the Diploma van Secundair or the Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Superieur, the equivalent of 8/80%/grote onderscheiding/avec grande distinction in English.

Denmark

All levels: In the Studentereksamen, 10 in English.

European Baccalaureate

All levels: 7.5 in English as either an Obligatory Subject (Language I or II) or as a Full Option (Language III or IV).

Finland

All levels: In the Ylioppilastutkinto/Studentexamen matriculation examination, 5 (magna cum laude approbatur) in English at the Advanced Level.

France

All levels: In the Baccalaureat General or the Option International du Baccalaureat with 13 (assez bien) in English, where the co-efficient applied to the subject is greater than 1.

Germany

All levels: In the Abitur, 12 (gut) in English when taken as an achievement/main/intensive course.

Iceland

All levels: In the Studentsprof matriculation examination, 8 in English when taken as a compulsory modern language.

Luxembourg

All levels: In the Examen de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires, 45 (bien) in English.

The Netherlands

All levels: In the Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) diploma, 7 (ruim voldoende) in English.

Norway

All levels: In the Vitnemal - videregaende opplaering, 5 in English.

Sweden

All levels: In the Avgangsbetyg, C in English.

Switzerland

All levels: In the Maturitatzeugnis/Certificat de Maturite/Attestato de Maturita federal maturity certificate or the federally-recognised cantonal maturity certificate, 5 (gut/bien/bene) in English.

Pearson Test of English (Academic)

UCL will accept the Pearson Test of English (Academic), often referred to as PTE (Academic). 

Standard level: 62 overall, with a minimum of 59 in each component
Good level: 69 overall, with a minimum of 62 in each component
Advanced level: 75 overall, with a minimum of 62 in each component.

Applicants may take the PTE Academic Online test to meet the requirement for entry to the 2022/2023 academic year.

Test provider details

Web: Pearson Test of English

Trinity College London, Integrated Skills in English (ISE) III

Standard level: Successful completion of ISE III with a ‘pass’ in all components
Good level: Successful completion of ISE III with ‘merit’ in all components
Advanced level: Successful completion of ISE III with ‘distinction’ in all components

Contact details

Contact Trinity College