It is essential that you can read and interpret academic journal articles, communicate effectively and write at a doctorate level, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
We welcome a range of internationally recognised formal English tests and in addition if you have already completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in an official English recognised speaking country, this may also meet the requirement.
Postgraduate Research courses (e.g, MRes, MPhil, PhD) normally require an IELTS (or acceptable equivalent test) with a score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.5 in all 4 components. SELT Test reports, such as IELTS as well as other standalone English tests, are valid for a period of 2 years only and can be used as proof of English for admission if valid on the start date of your course.
English test qualifications we accept
View landscape if on a mobile.
| Qualification | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Listening | Overall |
| All Indian State Boards - Senior Secondary and CISCE/CBSE (Year 12) – English or English Core | - | - | - | - | 65% or above |
| All UKVI Approved HEI's - PSP Final Award | C1/6.5 | C1/6.5 | C1/6.5 | C1/6.5 | C1/6.5 |
| BACIET – English Test | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Bellerby's Foundation Programme English | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% |
| Cambridge English: C2 Proficiency, C1 Advanced and B2 First | 176 | 176 | 176 | 176 | 176 |
| Cambridge - IGCSE - First language | B | B | B(2) | B | B |
| Cambridge - IGCSE - Second language - Oral Counted in | A | A | A | A | A |
| Cambridge - IGCSE - Second language - Oral separate endorsement | A | A | 1 | A | A(1) |
| Cambridge English – Brunei 1120 Syllabus | - | - | - | - | B |
| Cambridge English – Malaysia SPM 1119 Syllabus | - | - | - | - | B |
| Cambridge English – Mauritius 1125 Syllabus | - | - | - | - | B |
| Cambridge English – Singapore 1128 Syllabus | - | - | - | - | B |
| Cambridge English – All other countries with 1123 Syllabus | - | - | - | - | B |
| Heriot Watt Portfolio Pre Sessional Programme | B | B | B | B | B |
| HKDSE English Language | - | - | - | - | 4 or above |
| Hong Kong HKALE AS Level English | - | - | - | - | C or above |
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| IELTS Indicator | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Integrated Skills in English (ISE III) | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| INTO Foundation Programme English | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% |
| Kaplan Foundation Programme English | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% |
| Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - English | - | - | - | - | C or above |
| Language Cert ESOL B2 Communicator (Written and Spoken – which includes Listening and Reading) | 38/50 | 38/50 | 38/50 | 38/50 | - |
| Language Cert SELT B2 (Listening, Reading, Writing & Speaking) | 38/50 | 38/50 | 38/50 | 38/50 | - |
| Linguaskill General Test | 175 | 175 | 175 | 175 | 175 |
| MUET - Malaysian University Entrance Test | - | - | - | - | Band 5 |
| NCUK Masters Preparation | B | B | B | B | B |
| Nigerian Examinations Council (NECO) - English | - | - | - | - | C6 or above |
| OI Digital Institute (Oxford International) - OPSE | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| OI Digital Institute (Oxford International) - ELLT | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| ONCampus Foundation Programme English | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% |
| Password English | B2/6.5 | B2/6.5 | B2/6.5 | B2/6.5 | B2/6.5 |
| PTE Academic | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| TOEFL iBT & MyBest™ | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 88 |
| TOEFL iBT - Home Edition | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 88 |
| TOEFL iBT Paper Edition | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 88 |
| Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) with English | - | - | - | - | C6 or above |
| West African Senior School Certificate (WAEC) - English | - | - | - | - | C6 or above |
| Zimbabwe Certificate of Secondary Education (ZIMSEC)/ Cambridge Higher School Certificate O Level | - | - | - | - | C |
Need to improve your English language qualifications?
If you don't quite meet the requirements for our courses, we can help.
RGU English Language Test
RGU holds English language test in cities across the world. Find out more about the locations where these are taking place and how to book your test:
Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Refer to course details or contact admissions@rgu.ac.uk for further information.