​Postgraduate Taught Study - Accepted English Qualifications

English Requirements For Our Courses

​Postgraduate Taught Study - Accepted English Qualifications

To succeed in your postgraduate studies you will need to demonstrate that you have the language skills needed, if English is not your first language, regardless of your nationality or country of residence. To support this we accept a wide range of English exams and tests.

We welcome a range of Senior School qualifications and internationally recognised formal English tests for entry to the majority of our postgraduate taught programmes. Your chosen course may have specific English requirements and these are listed on each individual course pages:

Postgraduate taught courses normally require an IELTS (or acceptable equivalent test) with a score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in all 4 components. Some of our courses require a different level of English. Please check our course pages for specific details. 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

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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 India Secondary School Examination XII/12th Year - - - - 65% or above
BACIET – English Test 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 6.5
Bellerby's Foundation Programme English 55% 55% 55% 55% 65%
Cambridge English: B2 First 162 162 162 162 176
Cambridge English: C1 Advanced 162 162 162 162 176
Cambridge English: C2 Proficiency 162 162 162 162 180
Cambridge - IGCSE - First language C C C C C
Cambridge - IGCSE - Second language - Oral Counted in B B B B B
Cambridge - IGCSE - Second language - Oral separate endorsement B B 2 B B(2)
Cambridge English – Brunei 1120 Syllabus - - - - C
Cambridge English – Mauritius 1125 Syllabus - - - - C
Cambridge English – Singapore 1128 Syllabus - - - - C
Cambridge English – All other countries with 1123 Syllabus - - - - C
Canadian Secondary Schooling Certificate or Diploma - - - - C
Heriot Watt Portfolio Pre Sessional Programme - - - - C
HKDSE English Language - - - - 4 or above
Hong Kong HKALE AS Level English - - - - C or above
IELTS Academic 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 6.5
IELTS Academic  SELT Consortium - UKVI IELTS 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 6.5
IELTS One Skill Retake* (5.5) (5.5) (5.5) (5.5) (6.5)
Integrated Skills in English (ISE III) Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass
Integrated Skills in English (ISE II) Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction
International Baccalaureate - English A Literature/Literature & Language - - - - HL5
International Baccalaureate - English B - - - - HL6
INTO Foundation Programme English 55% 55% 55% 55% 65%
Kaplan Foundation Programme English 55% 55% 55% 55% 65%
Kaplan KTE - Kaplan Test for English  426 426 426 426 478
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - English - - - - C or above
LanguageCert Academic - SELT B2 33 33 33 33 38
LanguageCert Academic - SELT & Non-UKVI 60 60 60 60 70
Linguaskill General Test 165 165 165 165 175
Malaysian Secondary English CEFR standard B2 C1 B2 B2 B2 or above
MUET - Malaysian University Entrance Test - - - - Band 5
NCUK Masters Preparation C C C C C
NCUK International Foundation Year  C C C C C
NCUK International Year One  C C C C C
Nigerian Examinations Council (NECO) - English - - - - C6 or above
OI Digital Institute (Oxford International) - OPSE 5 5 5 5 7
OI Digital Institute (Oxford International) - ELLT 5 5 5 5 7
Password English B2/5.5 B2/5.5 B2/5.5 B2/5.5 B2/6.5
PTE Academic 51 51 51 51 61
Skills for English - PSI Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass with Merit
TOEFL iBT & MyBest™ 18 17 20 17 88 
TOEFL iBT - Home Edition 18 17 20 17 88 
TOEFL iBT Paper Edition 18 17 20 17 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

*The IELTS retake permits test takers to resit ONE section which may then also affect the final overall score. The retake can only be sat if you sat the full IELTS test in the last 60 days. All results remain valid for 2 years from the original test date.

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.

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