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International students

QMUL Programmes: English language entry requirements

The Academic IELTS requirements for each programme or degree level are given in the table below.

For Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes, you may produce alternative qualifications instead of IELTS. 

Applicants who require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK must meet the minimum English language requirements to meet the UKVI regulations. For applicants to UG or PG courses, the minimum requirement is 5.5 in all four skills of IELTS, or equivalent in other qualifications.

Pre-sessional English course requirements for each programme or degree level are also published below, where applicable. 

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

International Foundation programmes

Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing
Programme IELTS*
Foundation Certificate in Humanities and Social Sciences 6.0 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.5)
Foundation Certificate in Business Management 6.0 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.5)
Foundation Pre-Sessional 5.5 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.0)
  • *Please take Academic IELTS

Pre-Masters programmes

Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing
Programme IELTS*
Pre-Masters Graduate Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences 6.0 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.5)
Pre-Masters Graduate Diploma in Finance and Economics 6.0 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.5)
Pre-Masters (Foundation) Pre-Sessional 5.5 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.0)
  • *Please take Academic IELTS

School of Business and Management: undergraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required
7.0 (5.5 W)
Five-week Pre-Sessional 6.5 (5.5 W)
Nine-week Pre-Sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.0 W)

School of Business and Management: postgraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required
7.0 (6.0 W)
Five-week Pre-Sessional 6.5 (6.0 W)
Nine-week Pre-Sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)

School of Law: undergraduate programmes 

Programme IELTS
IELTS 7.0 (6.5 W)

English entry requirement 

No Pre-sessional required 

7.0 (6.5 W)
Five week Pre-sessional + In-sessional Programme required 6.5 (6.5 W) or 7.0 (6.0 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional + In-sessional
Programme required 
6.0 (6.0 W) or 7.0 (5.5 W) 
Thirteen week Pre-sessional + In-sessional
Programme required 
6.0 (5.5 W) 

Any student who scores 6.5 or below on the IELTS writing element (W) (or equivalent) is required to attend the Queen Mary In-sessional programme : Critical Thinking and Writing in Law. This programme is free to Queen Mary registered students and runs in Semesters 1, 2, and 3. Students with higher English language scores may join the programme for free if they wish. Please see www.languageandlearning.qmul.ac.uk for more information.

Discretion will be used if a student’s English score falls between any of the above levels.

School of Law: Postgraduate taught programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
7.0 (7.0 W)
In-sessional programme required 
(Five week Pre-sessional recommended)
7.0 (6.5 W)
Five week Pre-sessional + In-sessional
Programme required
6.5 (6.5 W) or 7.0 (6.0 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional + In-sessional
Programme required
6.0 (6.0 W) or 7.0 (5.5 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional + In-sessional
Programme required
6.0 (5.5 W)

Any student who scores 6.5 or below on the IELTS writing element (W) (or equivalent) is required to attend the Queen Mary In-sessional programme : Critical Thinking and Writing in Law. This programme is free to Queen Mary registered students and runs in Semesters 1, 2, and 3. Students with higher English language scores may join the programme for free if they wish. Please see www.languageandlearning.qmul.ac.uk for more information.

Discretion will be used if a student’s English score falls between any of the above levels.

School of Law: Postgraduate research programme

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
7.5 (7.5 W)
Five week Pre-sessional  7.0 (7.0 W)
Five week Pre-sessional
In-sessional programme required
6.5 (6.5 W) OR 7.0 (6.0 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.5 (6.5 W) 
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)

School of Economics and Finance: undergraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required

6.5 (6.0 W)

Economics and Politics (LL12): 7.0 (6.0 W)

Five week Pre-sessional

6.0 (5.5 W)

Economics and Politics (LL12): 6.5 (5.5 W)

Nine week Pre-sessional

6.0 (5.5 W) Pre-sessional recommended but at student's option

Economics and Politics (LL12): 6.0 (5.5 W)

Thirteen week Pre-sessional

5.5 (5.5 W)

Economics and Politics (LL12): 5.5 (5.5 W)

Students who score below 6.0 in the IELTS sub-test in writing are required to attend  Queen Mary's Insessional English Programme. This programme is free to Queen Mary students and runs in terms 1, 2. Students with higher English language scores may join this programme if they wish.

School of Economics and Finance: postgraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
6.5 (6.0 W)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W) Pre-sessional recommended but at student's option
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 5.5 (5.5 W)

School of English and Drama: undergraduate programme

Key: Writing = W; Reading = R; Listening = L; Speaking = S

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
7.0 (7.0 W, R, L, S)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.5 (6.5 W, R, L, S)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.5 (6.5 W, R, L, S) 
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W, R, L, S) 

School of English and Drama: postgraduate programmes

Key: Writing = W; Reading = R; Listening = L; Speaking = S
Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
7.0 (7.0 W, R, L, S)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.5 (6.5 W, R, L, S)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (6.0 W, R, L, S)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W, R, L, S)

School of Geography: Undergraduate programmes

Key: Writing = W; Reading = R; Listening = L; Speaking = S

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
7.0 (6.5 W)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.5 (6.0 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)

School of Geography: postgraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required

7.0 (6.5 W)

MSc Environmental Science: 6.5 (W6.0)

MSc Integrated Management of Freshwater Environments: 6.5 (W6.0) 

Five week Pre-sessional

6.5 (6.0 W)

MSc Environmental Science: 6.0 (W 5.0) 

MSc Integrated Management of Freshwater Environments

Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (6.0 W) 
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)
For MSc, PGDip and PGCert Integrated Management of Freshwater Environments AND MSc Environmental Science by Research: 5.5 (5.0 W)

School of History: undergraduate programmes 

Key: Writing = W; Reading = R; Listening = L; Speaking = S

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required
7.0 (6.5 W)
Five-week Pre-Sessional 6.5 (6.0 W)
Nine-week Pre-Sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-Sessional  6.0 (5.5 W)

School of History: postgraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
7.0 (6.5 W)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.5 (6.5 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)

School of Languages, Linguistics and Film: undergraduate programmes

Key: Writing = W; Reading = R; Listening = L; Speaking = S
Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required
7.0 (7.0 W)
Five-week Pre-Sessional 6.5 (6.5 W)
Nine-week Pre-Sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)

School of Languages, Linguistics and Film: postgraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
7.0 (7.0 W)
MA Applied Linguistics for English Language Teaching only
Five week Pre-sessional recommended
In-sessional programme required
7.0 (6.5 W)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.5 (6.5 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)

School of Politics and International Relations: undergraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required
7.0 (6.5 W)
Five-week Pre-Sessional 6.5 (6.0 W)
Nine-week Pre-Sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)

School of Politics and International Relations: postgraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required
7.0 (6.5 W)
Five-week Pre-Sessional 6.5 (6.0 W)
Nine-week Pre-Sessional 6.0 (6.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Foundation programmes

Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing
Programme IELTS*
International Science and Engineering Foundation Programme
(One-year Foundation Programme)
5.0
(minimum W, R, L, S: 5.0)
International Science and Engineering Foundation Programme
(Four-year degree programme: Foundation plus three-year degree)
6.0
(minimum W, R, L, S: 5.5)
Pre-Sessional: Applicants may not take the Pre-Sessional programme.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS

School of Biological and Chemical Sciences: undergraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
6.5 (6.0 W)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 5.5 (5.0 W)

School of Biological and Chemical Sciences: postgraduate programmes

Key: Writing = W; Reading = R; Listening = L; Speaking = S

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required
6.5 (6.0 W)
Five-week Pre-Sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)
Nine-week Pre-Sessional 6.0 (5.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 5.5 (5.0 W)

Undergraduate programmes: general

Degrees in the Schools of: Engineering and Materials Science; Electronic Engineering and Computer Science; Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy
 Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
6.0 (5.5 W)
Five week Pre-sessional 5.5 (5.5 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 5.5 (5.0 W)

School of Biological and Chemical Sciences: undergraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
6.5 (6.0 W)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 5.5 (5.0 W)

Postgraduate programmes

Degrees in the Schools of: Biological and Chemical Sciences; Engineering and Materials Science; Electronic Engineering and Computer Science; Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy
Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
6.5 (6.0 W)
Five week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.5 W)
Nine week Pre-sessional 6.0 (5.0 W)
Thirteen week Pre-sessional 5.5 (5.0 W)

School of Medicine and Dentistry

Undergraduate programmes

Programme IELTS
English entry requirements
No Pre-sessional required
7.0 (6.5 W)
Five week Pre-sessional If any skill is -0.5 below
Nine week Pre-sessional If any skill is -1.0 below
Thirteen week Pre-sessional If any skill is -1.5 below

Postgraduate programmes - Medicine

Programme IELTS*

Postgraduate medical taught programmes in:

  • Clinical Drug Development
  • Healthcare Research Methods
  • Gastroenterology
  • Sport and Exercise Medicine
  • Surgical Skills and Sciences
  • MSc Regenerative Medicine

English entry requirements

No Pre-Sessional course needed

IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in writing)

5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below

9 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.0 below

13 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.5 below

Postgraduate medical taught programmes in:

  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Global Public Health and Policy
  • Health Systems and Global Policy
  • International Primary Health Care
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecological Science
  • Transcultural Mental Healthcare
  • Cancer & Therapeutics
  • Cancer & Molecular Pathology and Genomics
  • Cancer & Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • Cancer & Clinical Oncology

English entry requirements

No Pre-Sessional course needed

IELTS 7.0 (6.5 in writing)

5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below

9 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.0 below

13 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.5 below

Research students undertaking non-clinical project

English entry requirements

No Pre-Sessional course needed

IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in writing)

5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below

9 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.0 below

13 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.5 below

Research students undertaking clinical project

English entry requirements

No Pre-Sessional course needed

IELTS 7.0 (6.5 in writing)

5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below

9 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.0 below

13 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.5 below

  • *Please take Academic IELTS

Postgraduate programmes - Dental

IELTS requirements for postgraduate programmes in the Institute of Dentistry

*Please take Academic IELTS

Programme

IELTS

MSc Oral Biology

 

MSc Experimental Oral Pathology (Oral Sciences)

 

MSc Dental Technology

 

IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in writing)

 

5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below.

9 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.0 below.

13 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.5 below.

 

MSc Dental Public Health

 

IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in writing and speaking)

 

5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below.

9 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.0 below.

13 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.5 below.

 

MSc DL Craniofacial Trauma Reconstruction

IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in writing and speaking)

 

As this programme is delivered via Distance Learning, no Pre-Sessional course is offered.

 

DClin Dent Paediatric Dentistry

 

IELTS 7.0 (6.5 in writing)

 

A minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5 is required at the point of application submission.

 

No Pre-Sessional is offered for this course.

 

MSc Dental Science for Clinical Practice

IELTS 7.0 (6.5 in writing)

 

A minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5 is required at the point of application submission

 

5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below.

9 week Pre-Sessional: is not offered for this course.

13 week Pre-Sessional: is not offered for this course.

 

MSc Endodontic Practice

 

IELTS 7.0 (6.5 in writing)

 

DClin Dent Periodontology

 

DClin Dent Orthodontics

 

DClin Dent Prosthodontics

IELTS 7.0 (6.5 in writing)

 

A minimum overall IELTS score of 7.0 is required at the point of application submission

 

No Pre-Sessional is offered for this course.

 

Postgraduate research programmes – Dental

Programme IELTS
Research students undertaking non-clinical project English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional course needed IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in writing)
5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below
9 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.0 below
13 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.5 below
Research students undertaking clinical project English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional course needed IELTS 7.0 (6.5 in writing)
5 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 0.5 below
9 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.0 below
13 week Pre-Sessional: if any element or overall is 1.5 below

Alternative qualifications

The following English language tests are also accepted to meet the English language entry requirements for an undergraduate or postgraduate taught programme of study at the relevant level. Please refer to the English language requirements above by subject area to find out what IELTS equivalent is required for your chosen course.


English language test
Equivalent to IELTS 6.0 Equivalent to IELTS 6.5 Equivalent to IELTS 7.0
TOEFL (internet based) 79 overall (L18; S21; R19; W21) 92 (L21; S23; R22; W24) 100 (L22; S25; R24; W27)
PTE Academic 57 (L,S,R, W 57) 62 (L,S,R,W 62) 68 (L,S,R,W 68)
Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE) ISE II (pass with merit) ISE III (pass) ISE IV (pass)
Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English 169
Not accepted from old marking system
176
60- grade C (old marking system)
185
70- grade C (old marking system)
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English pass Pass
Grade C (old marking system)
185
Grade C (old marking system)

QMUL also accepts the following qualifications at the relevant level to meet the English language requirements of a course. Qualifications used to satisfy the English language requirements should have been achieved no more than 5 years from the start date of the course of study.

Qualification Equivalent to IELTS 6.0 Equivalent to IELTS 6.5 Equivalent to IELTS 7.0
GCSE  (English language or English Literature) C or 4 C or 4 B or 6
Edexcel iGCSE – English as first language (including speaking and listening) C C B
Edexcel iGCSE – English as a second language B B A
CIE iGCSE – English as first language (syllabus 0500 & 0522)* C C B
CIE iGCSE – English as a second language (syllabus 0510 & 0511)* B B A
O level C C B
Singapore O level C C B
Singapore Integrated Programme (IP) Language Arts grade C or CAP 2.0 Language Arts grade C or CAP 2.5 Language Arts grade B or CAP 3.0
NUS National University of Singapore High School (English language component) Grade B (grade point 3.5) Grade B (grade point 3.5) Grade A (grade point 4.5)
Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher level) (For qualifications awarded up until 2016) C2 C2 B2
Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher level) (For qualifications awarded from 2017 onwards) H4 H4 H3
International Baccalaureate (English component) English A (HL/SL): Grade 4
English B (HL): Grade 4
English B (SL): Grade 5
English A (HL/SL): Grade 4
English B (HL): Grade 4
English B (SL): Grade 5
English A (HL/SL): Grade 5
English B (HL): Grade 5
English B (SL): Grade 6
Indian Year 12 (English component - CBSE and ISC boards only) 60% overall 70% overall 80% overall
European Baccalaureate (English as L1-L3) 6 6.5 7
HKDSE (English core component) Level 4 Level 4 Level 5
US high school diploma CGPA 3.0 CGPA 3.3 CGPA 3.8
French Baccalaureat (General- English writing and speaking combined) 13 (bien) where the co-efficient applied to the subject is greater than 1 14 (bien) where the co-efficient applied to the subject is greater than 1 14 (bien) where the co-efficient applied to the subject is greater than 1
French Baccalaureat (OIB English/American - overall) 11 12 12
Norwegian Vitnemal (English component) 4 4 4
German Abitur (English component) 12 (gut) 12 (gut) 13 (sehr gut)
Dutch VWO (English component) 7 (goed) 7 (goed) 8 (goed)
Finnish Ylioppilastutkinto (English component) 4 (magna cum laude approbatur) 5 (magna cum laude approbatur) 5 (magna cum laude approbatur) – Advance course
Swedish Avgångsbetyg / Slutbetyg (English component) VG or C (must include at least 300 credits combined)  VG or B (must include at least 300 credits combined)  VG or B (must include at least 300 credits combined) 
Danish STX/HF/HHX or HTX (English component) Writing 7, Oral 7 Writing 7, Oral 7 Writing 10, Oral 10
WAEC (WASSCE) C6 C6 C5
Malaysian SPM 1119 C C B

* If you require immigration permission to study in the UK, you will need to send us copies of your final Certificate of Results and either a component score sheet from your college or a Supplementary Certifying Statement. You should keep the originals for your visa application and enrolment. 

Your can request the Supplementary Certifying Statement from CIE - details are on their website.

PG guidelines

If you hold a degree from a majority English speaking country plus Canada you may use this degree to satisfy the English language requirements for entry, provided the degree was completed no more than 5 years before the start date of the course to which you are applying.

If a first degree is taught for at least 2 years fully in English, and no more than 5 years have passed since the student was taught in English, the Admissions office can consider the degree for English language acceptability. These degrees will be considered on a case by case basis. Students will need to supply academic transcript and confirmation letter from central university administration confirming the course is taught and examined in English for at least 2 years.

Degree programmes which are taught for 2 years in one country and two years in another country are acceptable only where degree is conferred by an UK institution.

Other qualifications not listed may be taken into consideration for meeting the English language requirements and will be assessed on an individual basis. For further queries regarding acceptable English language qualifications, please contact the Admissions team.

 

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