English Language requirements
The following information gives English Language Requirement guidance for Taught Graduate and Research applicants.
Any student who is not a national of a UK Home Office majority English-speaking country is required to provide recent evidence of English language proficiency.
In individual cases UCL reserves the right to:
- specify an additional language requirement for an applicant, or
- request additional confirmation of education or employment for your institution or employee.
Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English
You do not need to prove your level of English language if you are a national of one of the following countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- the Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- the British overseas territories
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Malta
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- UK
- USA
Who does need to prove their knowledge of English
If you are not from any of the countries above, you will need to prove evidence of one of the following before you become a student at UCL:
Education which leads to an academic qualification
This option means you must show us completion of at least 12 months academic education leading to an awarded qualification.
This must be in a country that UCL considers to be “majority English-speaking” and the medium of instruction must be English.
You must receive this qualification no more than two years before the proposed date of enrolment. This includes the summer two years before enrolment if starting in September.
Please note that if your studies were completed under transnational education (where the whole duration of the course was NOT completed in a majority English speaking country), you will be required to take a recognised English test from the list below.
An English language qualification or test result
For this option, you must receive the qualification or test result no more than two years before the proposed date of enrolment. For entry in September 2026, this means a test must have been sat on or after September 1st 2024.
Accepted English language qualifications
Listed below are all the English language qualifications and tests that are recognised by UCL.
There are five levels of English proficiency needed to meet UCL’s English language requirements for graduate study:
- Level 1 (previously referred to as “Standard level”)
- Level 2 (previously referred to as “Good level”)
- Level 3
- Level 4 (previously referred to as “Advanced level”), or
- Level 5
See each degree course page to confirm which UCL level of English proficiency you will need to meet.
Book a recognised test
We advise that you book a test as early as possible and do not wait until you receive a decision on your application.
Test centres are very busy throughout the year and during the summer it may be several weeks before you are able to take a test.
We encourage applicants to take a test centre exam if possible, however, we also accept the online exams mentioned in the list below. Please note that regardless of the form of the exam, UCL takes fraud very seriously. If evidence of malpractice is found in a submitted test result, it will result in the submitted application being withdrawn and not being considered further.
Level 1: Overall score of 65% and a minimum of 60% in each component
Level 2: Overall score of 70% and a minimum of 65% in each component
Level 3: Overall score of 70% and a minimum of 70% in each component
Level 4: Overall score of 75% and a minimum of 70% in each component
Level 5: Overall score of 80% and a minimum of 80% in each component
Find out more about UCL Pre-sessional English courses.
If you are an offer holder for an IOE degree, you should apply to the UCL Institute of Education Preparation for Academic Studies in Higher Education (PASHE)
Level 1: Overall score of 65% and a minimum of 60% in each component
Level 2: Overall score of 70% and a minimum of 65% in each component
Level 3: Overall score of 70% and a minimum of 70% in each component
Level 4: Overall score of 75% and a minimum of 70% in each component
Level 5: Overall score of 80% and a minimum of 80% in each component
Find out more about UCL International Pre-Master's
The PASHE courses are intended for applicants applying to the IOE for graduate and undergraduate courses who need to improve their English language skills. IOE applicants should apply for this course only and not the UCL Pre-sessional courses run by the Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE).
- Level 1: Overall score of 65% and a minimum of 60% in each component
- Level 2: Overall score of 70% and a minimum of 65% in each component
- Level 3: Overall score of 70% and a minimum of 70% in each component
- Level 4: Overall score of 75% and a minimum of 70% in each component
- Level 5: Overall score of 80% and a minimum of 80% in each component
Applicants can contact the IOE Academic Writing Centre at Preparation for Academic Studies in Higher Education.
Please note that these courses are not suitable for PGCE applicants.
This test is UCL's preferred English language qualification.
- Level 1: Overall score of 6.5 and a minimum of 6.0 in each component
- Level 2: Overall score of 7.0 and a minimum of 6.5 in each component
- Level 3: Overall score of 7.0 and a minimum of 7.0 in each component
- Level 4: Overall score of 7.5 and a minimum of 7.0 in each component
- Level 5: Overall score of 8.0 and a minimum of 8.0 in each component
Applicants may take the IELTS Academic Online test to meet the requirement.
We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake test to meet the requirement.
UCL will continue to accept the TOEFL iBT after 21 January 2026. Tests taken from this date onwards will need to meet the new score requirements in full. Tests taken before 21 January will be accepted according to the old requirement as long as they are taken within the two-year timeframe. For more information on the test update please refer to the test provider's website.
Tests taken from 21 January 2026:
- Level 1: Overall score of 4.5 and 4.0 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
- Level 2: Overall score of 4.5 and 4.5 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
- Level 3: Overall score of 5.0 and 5.0 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
- Level 4: Overall score of 5.5 and and 5.0 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
- Level 5: Overall score of 5.5 and and 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and 6.0 in speaking
Tests taken before 21 January 2026:
- Level 1: Overall score of 92 with 24/30 in reading and writing and 20/30 in speaking and listening
- Level 2: Overall score of 96 with 24/30 in reading and writing and 22/30 in speaking and listening
- Level 3: Overall score of 100 with 25/30 in reading and writing and 23/30 in speaking and listening.
- Level 4: Overall score of 109 with 27/30 in reading and writing and 23/30 in speaking and listening.
- Level 5: Overall score of 110 with 29/30 in reading and writing and 23/30 in speaking and listening.
Applicants may take the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test to meet the requirements.
Please note that TOEFL iBT MyBestScore is not acceptable for meeting the English language requirement.
UCL’s institution code for TOEFL is 9163.
Previously known as Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English
- Level 1: Overall score of 176 with 169 in all subtests
- Level 2: Overall score of 180 with 172 in all subtests
- Level 3: Overall score of 185 with 180 in all subtests
- Level 4: Overall score of 191 with 180 in all subtests
- Level 5: Overall score of 210 with 200 in all subtests
Previously known as Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English
- Level 1: Overall score of 176 with 169 in all subtests
- Level 2: Overall score of 180 with 172 in all subtests
- Level 3: Overall score of 185 with 180 in all subtests
- Level 4: Overall score of 191 with 180 in all subtests
- Level 5: Overall score of 210 with 200 in all subtests
UCL will accept the Pearson Test of English (Academic), often referred to as PTE (Academic), with the following grades:
- Level 1: Overall score of 75 with a minimum of 67 in each Communicative Skill
- Level 2: Overall score of 76 with a minimum of 75 in each Communicative Skill
- Level 3: Overall score of 76 with a minimum of 76 in each Communicative Skill
- Level 4: Overall score of 80 with a minimum of 76 in each Communicative Skill
- Level 5: Overall score of 88 with a minimum of 80 in each Communicative Skill
- Level 1: Successful completion of ISE II with a ‘merit’ in all components
- Level 2: Successful completion of ISE II with a ‘distinction’ in all components
- Level 3: Not accepted
- Level 4: Not accepted
- Level 5: Not accepted
- Level 1: Successful completion of ISE III with a ‘pass’ in all components
- Level 2: Successful completion of ISE III with a ‘pass’ in all components
- Level 3: Successful completion of ISE III with a ‘pass’ in all components
- Level 4: Successful completion of ISE III with a ‘distinction’ in all components
- Level 5: Not accepted
- Level 1: Successful completion of ISE IV with a ‘pass’ in all components
- Level 2: Successful completion of ISE IV with a ‘pass’ in all components
- Level 3: Successful completion of ISE IV with a ‘pass’ in all components
- Level 4: Successful completion of ISE IV with a ‘pass’ in all components
- Level 5: Successful completion of ISE IV with a ‘pass’ in all components
Healthcare professionals wanting to study at graduate level with UCL may offer the Occupational English Test (OET)
- Level 1: C+ with a minimum 300 numerical score overall, and a minimum of a C/250 in each component.
- Level 2: B with a minimum 350 numerical score overall, and a minimum of C+/300 in each component
- Level 3: B with a minimum 350 numerical score overall, and a minimum of B/350 in each component
- Level 4: B with a minimum 400 numerical score overall, and a minimum of B/350 in each component
- Level 5: A with a minimum 450 numerical score overall, and a minimum of A/450 in each component
UCL will accept LanguageCert (Academic) with the following results:
- Level 1: Overall score of 70 and a minimum of 65 in each component
- Level 2: Overall score of 75 and a minimum of 70 in each component
- Level 3: Overall score of 75 and a minimum of 75 in each component
- Level 4: Overall score of 80 and a minimum of 75 in each component
- Level 5: Overall score of 85 and a minimum of 85 in each component
Applicants need to share their scores with UCL on their LanguageCert Portal.
Applicants may take the LanguageCert Academic Online test to meet the requirements.
The test is developed by the Oxford University Press, certified by the University of Oxford.
Level 1: Overall score of 140 with 125 in Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing
Level 2: Overall score of 150 with 140 in Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing
Level 3: Overall score of 150 with 150 in Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing
Level 4: Overall score of 160 with 150 in Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing
Level 5: Overall score of 170 with 170 in Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing
Other versions, such as Oxford Test of English and Oxford Test of English for Schools are not acceptable.
Providing evidence of your English language test result or qualification
You should include evidence of your English ability within your application if possible. But, we will still consider your application if you do not provide the evidence within your application.
If you have taken a test which meets the requirements of your course please upload this with your application.
If you are unable to do this we will still consider your application, but we will ask you to provide test results if we make you an offer. We will state this condition on the offer letter which you must fulfil before enrolment at UCL.
You must either:
- provide your test results as part of your application form or,
- upload them to your application through the Applicant Portal platform, if you receive an offer.
You must provide the official document providing test report scores or an award letter from one of our recognised test providers.
UCL will not accept
- English language test results sent by email
- additional test scores whilst your application is being considered (you will be able to provide them to us if you receive an offer of a place)
- unofficial test reports or screenshots of your test scores.
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- 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
