English Language Requirements

Typical IELTS Indicators†

• Undergraduate (BA, BAcc, BEng, BSc) – IELTS overall score 6.0 with no sub-test score below 5.5 in any of the four sub-test elements (listening, speaking, reading and writing)
• Postgraduate Taught (MA, MBA, MSc) – IELTS overall score 6.0 with no sub-test score below 5.5 in any of the four sub-test elements (listening, speaking, reading and writing)
• Postgraduate Research (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf)– IELTS overall score 6.5 with no sub-test score below 6.0 in any of the four sub-test elements (listening, speaking, reading and writing)

These are minimum requirements and some courses may require a higher standard for admission†.

† see IELTS Score Exceptions section below for more information.

IELTS Score Exceptions (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf, Certificate of Higher Education and professionally-recognised degrees in Health, Biomedical and Paramedic Science and Social Work etc.)

Research degrees

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 6.5
• no sub-test score of less than 6.0

Health, Nursing & Midwifery degrees

For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (BSc Adult Nursing, MSc Adult Nursing, BSc Mental Health Nursing, MSc Mental Health Nursing, BSc Midwifery and MSc Midwifery), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 7.0
• no sub-test score of less than 7.0 in Reading, Listening and Speaking
• no sub-test score of less than 6.5 in Writing

BIOMEDICAL DEGREES

For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science degrees, which may lead to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 7.0
• no sub-test score of less than 6.5

Paramedic Science

Our BSc Paramedic Science degree leads to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC); it has different IELTS requirements than other Health-related courses. Although it is not possible to apply for this degree directly as an international student, for applicants who meet SAAS residency requirements and for whom English is not their first language, then the following IELTS scores are required:

• overall score of 7.0
• no sub-test score of less than 6.5

SOCIAL WORK DEGREES

Our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work degrees are professionally-recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council, and applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 7.0
• no sub-test less than 7.0

CertificateS of Higher Education

For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 5.0
• no sub-test score of less than 4.5

In additional to IELTS, all of the following stated English language tests are acceptable for admission for both home/EU and international students at bachelor's degree study at Year 3 (SCQF Level 9), and above:

• Cambridge AS and A levels: Grade C, or above
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE): Grade C
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C
• Cambridge English Level 2 Certificate in EOSL International: overall score 170 with no element below 163
• LanguageCert International ESOL: for all applications to pre-registration Nursing courses (BSc / MSc Adult Nursing, Mental Health Nursing and Midwifery applicants), C1 Expert Pass is required. For all applicants to all other undergraduate courses, B2 Communicator Pass is required. For applicants to all other postgraduate courses, B2 Communicator Pass or B2 Communicator High Pass is required.
• Occupational English Language Test for Healthcare Professionals (OET): the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) accepts this test for Tier 2 applicants but not for Tier 4 applicants. This noted, the university would consider applicants for entry to year 3 undergraduate (SCQF Level 9) studies and beyond by making our own assessment.
• Oxford International English Language Level Test (ELLT): For courses requiring an IIELTS overall score of 6.0 (with a minimum score of 5.5 in all sub-test), then must be at a minimum of B2 and equivalent to IELTs of 6.0. For courses requiring an IELTS overall score of 7.0 (with a minimum score of 6.5 in all sub-tests), must be at a minimum of B2 and equivalent to IELTS of 7.0.
• Password English Language Test: Grades equivalent to CEFR B2 for entry to Year 3 (SCQF Level 9) undergraduate study and above - Password scores of 6.0 or higher. At home test not accepted – must be sat at test centre.
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) (PTE): An overall score of 59 with no element below 59 (for degrees that require an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no sub-test below 5.5). An overall score 66 with no element below 66 (for degrees that require an overall IELTS score of 6.5 with no sub-test score below 6.0). At-home test not accepted – the test must be undertaken at a test centre.
• Skills for English (SELT): For courses requiring an overall IELTS score of 6.0 (with no sub-test score below 5.5), must be at a minimum of B2 and equivalent to an IELTs score of 6.0.
• TOEFL iBT: For all taught degree applications (bachelor's and taught master's degrees), TOEFL iBT: 78; no sub-test less than 17 (Reading: 17, Listening: 17, Speaking: 17, Writing: 17)

  For all research degree applications (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf), TOEFL iBT: 93; with no sub-test less than 19 (Reading: 21, Listening: 19, Speaking: 20, Writing: 21)

• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English: ISEII with the minimum of a Pass in Reading and Listening
• UWS English Language Entry Test (UKVI approved): Comparable IELTS scores. Email englishlanguage@uws.ac.uk for more information and to book a test. 

• Botswana: GCSE / O-level English Language: Grade C
• Cambridge AS and A Levels: Grade C, or above
• Cambridge O-levels: Grade C, or above
• Cameroon: GCE / O-level English Language: Grade C
• GCE A or AS level English: Grade C, or above
• GCSE English: Grade C, or above
• Ghana: WASSCE English or WAEC (West African Education Certificate): Grade C6, or higher; certificate should not be older than 10 years at the time of making your application
• HKEAA Use of English: Grade C, or above
• Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination in English Syllabus B (HKCEE): Grade 3 in all test elements
• IGCSE English as a First Language: Grade C, or above, with a minimum level of B2 in each component
• IGCSE English as a Second Language: Grade C, or above, with a minimum level of B2 in each component
• India: XII Examination: 70% or higher in English in the Indian HSC Intermediate (10+2) (XII Standard) exam, in lieu of IELTS*. The XII certificate should not be older than 8 years at the time of making the application. (i.e.Indian Class XII dated 2016 will be accepted for AY2024-25)

  Students will require an IELTS or equivalent, if applying from the following School Education Boards: Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh

  The XII certificate should not be older than 8 years at the time of making the application.
• International Baccalaureate Diploma - English: Higher Level, Grade 4, or above
• Kenya (KCSE) English Language: Grade C,
• Malaysia (SPM 1119): Grade C
• Nigeria, The Gambia and Liberia – WAEC (West African Education Certificate) in English Language: C / 6. Certificate should not be older than 10 years at the time of making the application
• Nigeria: National Examinations Council (NECO) in English Language: C6. Certificate should not be older than 10 years at the time of making the application
• Occupational English Language Test for healthcare professionals (OET) - for Year 3 undergraduate (SCQF level 9), or above only: Pass
• Ontario Secondary School Certificate: English Grade C (70%), or above
• Scottish SQA National 5 in English: Grade B, or above
• Scottish SQA Higher in English: Grade C, or above
• Scottish SQA Higher in ESOL: Grade C, or above
• Singapore A-level English Language/Literature: Grade D
• South African National Senior Certificate: Grade 5 (60%), or above, in English
• Sri Lanka GCE Ordinary Level: Grade A-C
• Tanzania Certificate of Secondary Education: Grade C
• Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE): 3-6 / Grade C in General Paper
• USA High School Graduation Diploma: 3.0 GPA in English
• West African Senior School Certificate including acceptance of WAEC Scratchcard: C6, or above, in English. Certificate should not be older than 10 years at the time of making the application
• Zambia General Cert of Education/School Certificate: Grade C

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

The Admissions team also review each application on ECCTIS as per country information is provided on which regions students are taught in English. For instance, for all regions in Canada (other than Quebec) UWS will not look for a Secure English Language Test (SELT) unless you were taught at one of the following institutions:

Manitoba

• Université de Saint-Boniface (USB)

New Brunswick

Université de Moncton

Nova Scotia

• Université Sainte-Anne

Ontario

• La Cité Collégiale d'Arts Appliqués et de Technologie
• Université de Hearst (Laurentian University)

For the following institutions, we will look for a letter confirming medium of instruction as these institutions are Bilingual:

Alberta

• University of Alberta

Ontario

• Dominican University College
• Laurentian University
• Royal Military College of Canada, Ontario
• University of Guelph
• University of Sudbury (Laurentian University)

Quebec

If an applicant is from Quebec, we will ask for a SELT unless the student studied at one of the following institutions:

• McGill University in Montreal
• Concordia University in Montreal
• Bishop’s University in Lennoxville