IELTS Score Needed for UK: Minimum Score for Visa & Universities

Overview

The United Kingdom is a top study-abroad destination for international students. It is well-known around the world for the high quality of its teaching and attracts approximately 5,000 international students each year. To ensure that international students from countries whose native language is not English have the language skills required to flourish in their studies, they must take English proficiency exams.

The IELTS exam is one of the most commonly utilised English language examinations at UK universities. Most UK colleges accept IELTS scores as evidence of a student's English language competency. However, the key question that students have is how much IELTS score is required for UK universities. So, in this blog, we'll look at the required IELTS band for UK universities.

Table of Contents

Overview
United Kingdom IELTS Requirements for Top Universities
Minimum IELTS Score for UK Universities
Minimum IELTS Score for UK Work Visa
Universities Accepting 6.0 IELTS Score for UK
Universities Accepting 5.5 IELTS Score for UK
Conclusion
FAQs

United Kingdom IELTS Requirements for Top Universities

Almost every international student who is planning to study in UK, aims to apply to top-notch universities. So, in the table below, let’s check the required IELTS score for UK universities which are globally ranked.

S. No.	QS World Ranking 2024	Name of University	IELTS score requirement
1	2	University of Cambridge	Undergraduate: 7.5 Postgraduate: 7.0
2	3	University of Oxford	Undergraduate: 7.0 Postgraduate: 7.5
3	6	Imperial College London	Undergraduate: 6.5 Postgraduate: 6.5
4	9	University College London	Undergraduate: 6.5 Postgraduate: 6.5
5	22	University of Edinburgh	Undergraduate: 6.5 Postgraduate: 6.5
6	32	The University of Manchester	Undergraduate: 6.0–7.0 Postgraduate: 6.0–7.0
7	40	King’s College London	Undergraduate: 7.0 Postgraduate: 7.0
8	45	The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)	Undergraduate: 7.0 (6.0 in speaking and writing and 6.5 in listening and reading) Postgraduate: 7.0 (6.0 in speaking and writing and 6.5 in listening and reading)
9	55	University of Bristol	Undergraduate: 6.0 Postgraduate: 6.0
10	67	The University of Warwick	Undergraduate: 6.5 Postgraduate: 7.0

NOTE: The score mentioned above is just an overall IELTS score requirement. The scores required in each of the test's four sections may vary from university to university.

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Minimum IELTS Score for UK Universities

Several factors determine the minimal IELTS score required by UK universities. Universities will require you to have an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher if you want to study a course in healthcare, for instance. On the other hand, if you are applying for any literature or language-related courses, then you might require an overall band score of 7.0 or above. Below, let’s know how much IELTS scores UK universities require for bachelor’s, master's, and PhD courses.

Bachelor’s Courses

In the UK, you can finish your bachelor's degree in 36 months. The required IELTS passing score to pursue a bachelor's degree in the UK is typically 6.0 or 6.5. However, a 7.0 IELTS score would be required if you want to apply for admission to prestigious UK universities.

Master’s Courses

In the UK, a master's degree takes between 12 and 24 months to complete. After completing your undergraduate or pre-master's degree, you can pursue a master's degree. The IELTS score UK universities need for a master's degree is somewhere between 6.0 to 7.0.

PhD Courses

In the UK, PhD courses generally last between 5 to 7 years. Since these are advanced-level courses, the IELTS requirements for these courses are generally high. The PhD courses are being pursued after completing the master’s degree. The minimum requirement for pursuing PhD courses in UK is 7.0.

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Minimum IELTS Score for UK Work Visa

These are the IELTS criteria for students seeking a UK student visa.

IELTS scores of 4.0 overall and higher in each of the four sections are required for Tier-4 (General) student visas, which are below degree level or pre-sessional courses, according to UKVI regulations.
An overall IELTS/IELTS for UKVI score of 5.5 (as well as for each of the four skills) and higher is required for Tier-4 (General) student visas for degree level and above.

Universities Accepting 6.0 IELTS Score for UK

Below are some of the popular universities in UK which accept IELTS scores of 6.0 bands.

University of Bristol
University of Sussex
University of Birmingham
University of Leeds
University of East Anglia
University of Aberdeen
University of Sheffield
University of Nottingham
University of Portsmouth
University of Surrey

Universities Accepting 5.5 IELTS Score for UK

Below are some of the popular universities in UK which accept IELTS scores of 5.5 bands.

University of Liverpool
University of Worcester
Birmingham City University
University of East Anglia
Newcastle University
Swansea University
Newcastle University
Queen Mary University of London
Staffordshire University
University of Gloucestershire

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Conclusion

In conclusion, it is well-known that IELTS is a popular English language proficiency exam for UK immigration, education, and work, and an overall IELTS score of 6.0 bands is the minimum needed for admission to most UK universities. Apart from this, you also have the option to appear for other English proficiency tests like TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo, etc.

We hope you now know how much IELTS score is required for UK. But, if you want to get further details or would like to prepare for IELTS, then you can contact the Prepare IELTS Exam (PI) expert counselors for more guidance. Our team of education experts is dedicated to providing you with the best test material and guidance to ace the IELTS exam. You can get a one-on-one counseling session and an IELTS online practice test via our platform. Contact us at info@prepareieltsexam.com or call us at +91 9773398388 for further queries.

FAQs

IELTS test results are usually valid for two years after the date of the test. This implies that the IELTS score you obtain from the test will be accepted for two years following the date of administration for purposes such as applying for a visa, admission to universities, and other uses.

IELTS results are required for the majority of UK universities, but other English proficiency tests like the TOEFL, PTE Academic, or Cambridge English Advanced may be accepted. It is advised to contact your university directly if you're unsure if they accept alternative qualifications for English competence.

The minimum IELTS score required for a UK student visa is 4.0 overall, as well as in each of the four sections.

Depending on the company and the nature of the position, different IELTS scores may be needed to be hired in the UK. A higher IELTS score of 6.5 or above may be desired for many professional occupations, though this can vary depending on the employment requirements and employer rules.

No, in terms of structure, content, scoring, and degree of difficulty, the IELTS and the IELTS for UKVI are quite similar. To demonstrate that you took the exam at an official IELTS for UKVI location approved by the UK Home Office, the exam Report Form containing the results is slightly different.