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Required IELTS scores at UK universities

IELTS requirements of the world’s top 200 universities in the UK in 2019

The following rankings, organised by subject area, come from the 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings and QS World University Rankings. 

Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2019

Name of institution

World rank

IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)

IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)

University of Oxford

1

7.0

7.5

University of Cambridge

2

7.0

7.0

Imperial College London

9

7.0

7.0

University College London

14

6.5

6.5

London School of Economics and Political Science

26

7.0

7.5

University of Edinburgh

29

6.5

6.5

King's College London

38

7.0

7.0

University of Manchester

57

6.0

7.5

University of Bristol

78

6.0

6.0

University of Warwick

79

6.5

6.5

University of Glasgow

93

6.0

7.0

University of Sheffield

106

6.0

6.5

Durham University

114

6.5

6.5

University of Birmingham

116

6.0

6.5

University of Southampton

118

6.5

6.5

University of York

119

Contact institution

Contact institution

Queen Mary University of London

130

6.0

6.5

University of Exeter

141

6.5

7.0

Lancaster University

146

6.0

6.5

University of Nottingham

149

7.0

7.0

University of Leeds

153

6.0

6.5

University of Aberdeen

158

6.0

6.5

University of St Andrews

161

7.0

7.0

University of Leicester

165

6.0

6.5

University of Sussex

167

6.0

6.5

Newcastle University

171

6.5

6.5

University of Liverpool

181

6.0

6.5

Cardiff University

187

6.5

6.5

University of East Anglia

190

6.5

7.0

QS World University Rankings in 2019

Name of institution

World rank

IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)

IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)

University of Oxford

5

7.0

7.5

University of Cambridge

6

7.0

7.0

Imperial College London

8

7.0

7.0

University College London

10

6.5

6.5

The University of Edinburgh

18

6.5

6.5

The University of Manchester

29

6.0

7.5

King's College London

31

7.0

7.0

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

38

7.0

7.5

University of Bristol

51

6.0

6.0

The University of Warwick

54

6.5

6.5

University of Glasgow

69

6.0

7.0

Durham University

74

6.5

6.5

The University of Sheffield

75

6.0

6.5

University of Birmingham

79

6.0

6.5

The University of Nottingham

82

7.0

7.0

University of Leeds

93

6.0

6.5

University of Southampton

96

6.5

6.5

University of St Andrews

97

7.0

7.0

Queen Mary University of London

119

6.0

6.5

Lancaster University

131

6.0

6.5

University of York

134

Contact institution

Contact institution

Newcastle University

141

6.5

6.5

Cardiff University

145

6.5

6.5

The University of Exeter

154

6.5

7.0

University of Bath

158

6.5

6.5

University of Liverpool

164

6.0

6.5

University of Aberdeen

172

6.0

6.5

University of Reading

195

6.5

7.0

 

Study Visa for the UK

If you are applying for a Tier 4 Student Visa to a Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS) for the purpos-es of studying a bachelor or postgraduate degree, you are required to meet the English lan-guage level set by the institution. 

All British universities and colleges accept IELTS results. This means you can apply with your IELTS result from any of the 1,000 IELTS test locations worldwide, unless your institution has additional requirements. Please check with the official Register of Sponsors from the Home Office.

IELTS for UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) 

This test is for those who are wishing to study courses below degree-level in the UK, or others who are required to take a Secure English Language Test (SELT) as part of a direct application to UK Visas and Immigration. The test involves Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking com-ponents.

IELTS test type required (by institution and course/programme)

 
  • Foundation course
  • Pre-sessional course
  • Language course
  • Below degree-level course
  • Undergraduate programme
  • Postgraduate programme and above
  • Higher Education Institution in the UK /
  • Tier 4 Highly Trusted Sponsor
IELTS for UKVI IELTS Academic (except for institutions with special re-quirements)
  • Non-Higher Education Institution in UK /
  • Non-Tier 4 Highly Trusted Sponsor 
IELTS for UKVI IELTS for UKVI