English Language Requirements

English language requirements: undergraduate and postgraduate

Please note: all courses at Abertay University are taught in English.

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to show that you meet our English language requirements. This means you need a valid and recent English language qualification.

Accepted English language qualifications include:

IELTS - overall score of 6.0 with no band lower than 5.5
TOEFL - overall score of 78 (individual elements: L-17, R-18, S-20, W-17)
Cambridge FCE/CAE/CPE - overall score of 169 on Cambridge Grading Scale
Skills for English (SQA/PSI) - B2 with Pass with Merit
International Baccalaureate - English B at S5 or H4, English A no specific grade required
European Baccalaureate - English Language 1 at grade 6 or English Language 2 at grade 7

For the full range of accepted English language qualifications, please check the dropdown menu below. Some of these tests can be taken online if necessary.

If you need a student visa and don't fall under one of the following criteria, you'll need one of the qualifications listed in the dropdown menu:

You’ve completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in or are a resident and passport holder of one of the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, USA.
You’re a national of Canada.
You have studied in the UK before as a Tier 4 (child) student or you hold a degree or HND from the UK.
You’re applying to come to the UK for a study abroad programme as part of a US university degree course.

Applicants who don't need a student visa to study in the UK, but whose native language is not English, will still need an appropriate English language qualification.

If you have a different English language qualification to those listed below, please contact the International Office with the details of your qualification.

Accepted English language qualifications:

For BSc Mental Health Nursing and MSc Counselling, the English language requirements are higher with an overall score of 7.0 for IELTS, or an equivalent qualification.

English Language Requirements – Research

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

For candidates whose first language is not English or your undergraduate/Master’s degree was not awarded from a University from a UKVI designated English Speaking country, you are required to show evidence of one of the following qualifications:

IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL “My Best Score” to meet our English language requirements.
CAE and CPE: total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
PTE Academic: 62 overall with at least 59 in each component.
NECO English at B (4)
WAEC English at B (4)

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

To identify whether or not you need to apply for a student visa, please see here or visit the UKVI website.

SELT Providers

Here are some of the approved SELT providers, and the UK government website for the full list of approved tests/providers.

Please note these are third-party websites and we are not responsible for the content.

If you need more help, please contact us for more information.

If you don't require a Student visa to study in the UK, and you have a different English language qualification to those listed above, please contact the International Office.