English language requirements

You will need to show that your English language skills are at a high enough level to succeed in your studies.

English language requirements for visas

If you need a Tier 4 student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Border Agency's (UKBA) minimum language requirements based on the Common European Framework of Reference level (CEFR).

Please note that these are the minimum levels required for visa purposes and you will also need to meet the university's English language entry requirements.

For undergraduate (including four year integrated foundations) and postgraduate degree courses you will need to be at least at B2 level, which is equivalent to IELTS 5.5 with 5.5 in all of the skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing).
For one year foundations and pre-sessional courses you will need to be at least at B1 level, equivalent to IELTS 4.0 with 4.0 in all the skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). You will need to be at the B2 level by the time you start your degree course.

What qualifications do you need?

To meet the university's and the UKBA English language requirements you will need to have one of the acceptable language qualifications listed below, unless you are from either of the following groups:

You are from an English speaking country

You will not need to prove your English language level if you are from one of the countries that the UKBA considers a majority English speaking country:

Antigua and Barbuda;
Australia;
the Bahamas;
Barbados;
Belize;
Canada;
Dominica;
Granada;
Guyana;
Jamaica;
New Zealand;
St Kitts and Nevis;
St Lucia;
St Vincent and the Grenadines;
Trinidad and Tobago;
UK;
USA.

No other country may be considered as being ‘majority English speaking’ for UKBA purposes.

You are not from a majority English speaking country, but you have been taught in English

If you are applying for an undergraduate degree (including four year degrees with integrated foundation) or postgraduate degree and you have been taught in English, your academic qualifications may show us that you meet the required English language level.

Note: These are not acceptable for visa purposes for our International Foundation Diploma and Foundation Diploma in Liberal Arts. For this you will need one of the UKBA approved qualifications.

These include:

O-Level/IGCSE English – Grade C or above;
IGCSE English as a second language – Grade B for undergraduate and postgraduate
International A levels
International Baccalaureate (IB) with English at Standard Level – Grade 4
a qualification equivalent to a UK degree which was taught in English in a majority-speaking country

Specific academic qualifications from the following countries may also show us that you meet the required English language level:

Botswana
Canada
Ghana
India eg Indian 12th standard in English at 60%
Israel eg Bagrut with 80% (8/10) in Unit 3 English
Kenya
Lebanon
Malawi
Malaysia eg SPM 1119 Grade 6 (or C6) or above, Grades 1-3 for Law & Psychology. Not acceptable for entry onto the final year of the degree
Nigeria eg WASSCE, West African Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (C6 in English)
Norway
Singapore
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
USA
Zimbabwe

If you have any questions about your specific qualifications please contact our Admissions Office on +44 (0)1865 483040 or admissions@brookes.ac.uk

UK Border Agency (UKBA) approved qualifications

UKBA approved English language qualifications can be used in applications for any level of study at Oxford Brookes.

The following table shows the requirements for the IELTS, Pearson (PTE) and TOEFL internet-based tests. The full list of qualifications is available on the UKBA website.

Qualification	Minimum result accepted
IELTS Website: www.ielts.org UKBA minimum requirements B1 = 4.0 overall with 4.0 in listening, speaking, reading and writing B2 = 5.5 overall with 5.5 in listening, speaking, reading and writing	Foundation level 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills for International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills for International Foundation Diploma. 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all skills for Foundation Diploma in Liberal Arts: Integrated foundation - four year degrees 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills for International Foundation Business & Technology and International Foundation Arts, Humanities & Law. 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking for Engineering Foundation; Foundation Technology and Foundation Computing. 6.0 overall with 5.5 in all skills for Built Environment Foundation Undergraduate level 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking for Law, Psychology, Architecture, English Language and Communication, English, Accounting and Finance 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking for courses in Health and Social Care (see individual course details) 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing; 5.5 in listening and speaking for all other undergraduate courses Postgraduate level 6.0-7.0 overall (with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking) depending on the subject Notes An IELTS certificate is only valid for 2 years You should choose the academic modules in the test
Pearson Test of English (PTE) - Academic Website: www.pearsonpte.com UKBA minimum requirements B1 = 36 overall with 36 in listening, speaking, reading and writing B2 = 51 overall with 51 in listening, speaking, reading and writing	Foundation level 36 overall with 36 in all skills for International Foundation Diploma. 58 overall with 51 in all skills for Foundation Diploma in Liberal Arts: Integrated foundation - four year degrees 42 overall with 42 in all skills for International Foundation Business & Technology and International Foundation Arts, Humanities & Law. 51 with 51 in reading and writing, 42 in listening and speaking for Engineering Foundation; Foundation Technology and Foundation Computing. 51 overall with 42 in all skills for Built Environment Foundation Undergraduate level 58 overall with 51 in reading and writing, 51 in listening and speaking for Law, Psychology, Architecture, English Language and Communication, English, Accounting and Finance 58 or 65 overall with 51 in all skills for courses in Health and Social Care (see individual course details) 51 overall with 51 in reading and writing; 51 in listening and speaking for all other undergraduate courses Postgraduate level 58-65 overall (with 51 in reading and writing, 51 in listening and speaking) depending on the subject Notes A PTE Academic score is only valid for 2 years
TOEFL internet-based test (ibt) Website: www.toefl.org UKBA minimum requirements B1 = 42 overall wlth 4 in reading,13 in writing, 9 in listening and 16 in speaking B2 = 72 overall with 18 in reading, 17 in writing, 17 in listening and 20 in speaking.	Foundation 50 overall with 8 in reading, 14 in writing, 11 in listening and 17 in speaking for the International Foundation Diploma Extended pathway 58 overall with 12 in reading, 15 in writing, 13 in listening and 18 in speaking for the International Foundation Diploma Integrated foundation - four year degrees 72 overall with 18 in reading, 17 in writing, 17 in listening and 20 in speaking for International Foundation Business & Technology; International Foundation Arts, Humanities & Law; and Extended Sciences. 78 overall with 20 in reading, 19 in writing, 18 in listening and 21 in speaking for Engineering Foundation; Foundation Technology,, Computing Foundation and Built Environment Foundation. Undergraduate 87 overall with 22 in reading, 22 in writing, 20 in listening and 23 in speaking for Law, Psychology, Architecture, English Language and Communication, English, Accounting and Finance 87-95 overall with 22 in reading, 22 in writing, 20 in listening and 23 in speaking for courses in Health and Social Care 78 overall with 20 in reading, 19 in writing, 18 in listening and 21 in speaking for all other undergraduate courses Postgraduate 78-95 overall with 20 in reading, 19 in writing, 18 in listening and 21 in speaking depending on the subject Notes TOEFL ibt is only valid for 2 years

Qualification

Minimum result accepted

IELTS

Website: www.ielts.org

UKBA minimum requirements

B1 = 4.0 overall with 4.0 in listening, speaking, reading and writing
B2 = 5.5 overall with 5.5 in listening, speaking, reading and writing

Foundation level

4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills for International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway)
5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills for International Foundation Diploma.
6.5 overall with 6.0 in all skills for Foundation Diploma in Liberal Arts:

Integrated foundation - four year degrees

5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills for International Foundation Business & Technology and International Foundation Arts, Humanities & Law.
6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking for Engineering Foundation; Foundation Technology and Foundation Computing.
6.0 overall with 5.5 in all skills for Built Environment Foundation

Undergraduate level

6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking for Law, Psychology, Architecture, English Language and Communication, English, Accounting and Finance
6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking for courses in Health and Social Care (see individual course details)
6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing; 5.5 in listening and speaking for all other undergraduate courses

Postgraduate level

6.0-7.0 overall (with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking) depending on the subject

Notes

An IELTS certificate is only valid for 2 years
You should choose the academic modules in the test

Pearson Test of English (PTE) - Academic

Website: www.pearsonpte.com

UKBA minimum requirements

B1 = 36 overall with 36 in listening, speaking, reading and writing
B2 = 51 overall with 51 in listening, speaking, reading and writing

Foundation level

36 overall with 36 in all skills for International Foundation Diploma.
58 overall with 51 in all skills for Foundation Diploma in Liberal Arts:

Integrated foundation - four year degrees

42 overall with 42 in all skills for International Foundation Business & Technology and International Foundation Arts, Humanities & Law.
51 with 51 in reading and writing, 42 in listening and speaking for Engineering Foundation; Foundation Technology and Foundation Computing.
51 overall with 42 in all skills for Built Environment Foundation

Undergraduate level

58 overall with 51 in reading and writing, 51 in listening and speaking for Law, Psychology, Architecture, English Language and Communication, English, Accounting and Finance
58 or 65 overall with 51 in all skills for courses in Health and Social Care (see individual course details)
51 overall with 51 in reading and writing; 51 in listening and speaking for all other undergraduate courses

Postgraduate level

58-65 overall (with 51 in reading and writing, 51 in listening and speaking) depending on the subject

Notes

A PTE Academic score is only valid for 2 years

TOEFL internet-based test (ibt)

Website: www.toefl.org

UKBA minimum requirements

B1 = 42 overall wlth 4 in reading,13 in writing, 9 in listening and 16 in speaking
B2 = 72 overall with 18 in reading, 17 in writing, 17 in listening and 20 in speaking.

Foundation

50 overall with 8 in reading, 14 in writing, 11 in listening and 17 in speaking for the International Foundation Diploma Extended pathway
58 overall with 12 in reading, 15 in writing, 13 in listening and 18 in speaking for the International Foundation Diploma

Integrated foundation - four year degrees

72 overall with 18 in reading, 17 in writing, 17 in listening and 20 in speaking for International Foundation Business & Technology; International Foundation Arts, Humanities & Law; and Extended Sciences.
78 overall with 20 in reading, 19 in writing, 18 in listening and 21 in speaking for Engineering Foundation; Foundation Technology,, Computing Foundation and Built Environment Foundation.

Undergraduate

87 overall with 22 in reading, 22 in writing, 20 in listening and 23 in speaking for Law, Psychology, Architecture, English Language and Communication, English, Accounting and Finance
87-95 overall with 22 in reading, 22 in writing, 20 in listening and 23 in speaking for courses in Health and Social Care
78 overall with 20 in reading, 19 in writing, 18 in listening and 21 in speaking for all other undergraduate courses

Postgraduate

78-95 overall with 20 in reading, 19 in writing, 18 in listening and 21 in speaking depending on the subject

Notes

TOEFL ibt is only valid for 2 years

Other English language qualifications

If you need a student visa these qualifications are suitable for applications for undergraduate (including four year degrees with integrated foundation) and postgraduate level study only.

If you will be taking a pre-sessional English language course before your main course you will need one of the UKBA approved courses listed above.

These qualifications may also be acceptable if you do not need a student visa to enter the UK.

Qualification	Minimum result accepted
International Foundation Diploma (IFD)	Pass the IFD with 55% overall (undergraduate only)
University English One semester course run by Oxford Brookes International ·	Undergraduate Level 2 with an average mark of 60%, plus 60% in reading and writing Level 3 with an average of 40% Level 4 with an average of 40% Postgraduate Level 3 with an average mark of 60% Level 4 with an average of 50% (some courses ask for an average of 60% at Level 4) Some subjects may require higher grades
A' level in a Social Science or Humanities subject	Grade C or above Note: This qualification has a ‘shelf life’ of 10 years
Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)	Grade B or above
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)	Grade B or above
Cambridge International Certificate in Financial English (ICFE)	Grade C1 Pass or above (for accounting and finance related courses only)
London tests of English	Level 3 (International Foundation Diploma only) Level 4+ (for most undergraduate & postgraduate courses) Level 5 (for Law & Psychology)
NEAB UETESOL (Northern Examinations & Assessments Board: University Entrance in English for speakers or other languages)	BBBCC
Test for English for Educational Purposes (TEEP) – Reading University	Band 6.0 (undergraduate) Band 6.5 (postgraduate)
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examination Board (LCCI)	English for Business Course – pass at level 3 English for Commerce – pass at level 3
Advanced Placement International English Language Examination (APIEL)	Score of 4 or 5

This page was last updated February 2012. Please visit the UKBA website for the latest information.

English language requirements