English language requirements
English language requirements for admission at Ulster University.
All applicants to the University (from the UK and overseas) are required to show evidence of a minimum English language level in order to be accepted on to our courses.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student from outside the UK and the EU must show evidence of a minimum level of English language in order to be granted a UK Student Visa to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level. This level is often referred to as the ‘B2 level’.
- Most of our courses require a minimum English level of IELTS 6.0 or equivalent, with no band score under 5.5.
- Trinity ISE: Pass at level III (with a pass in each component) also meets this requirement.
- For September 2022 intake, we are accepting IELTS Indicator.
- Some of our courses ask for a higher score. It is therefore important to look at individual course requirements.
- If you meet the English language level for entry to your chosen course, you will also meet the minimum English language level required by UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) for a Student Visa.
- If you do not meet the English language requirement we may give you a conditional offer subject to you meeting the requirement before the commencement of the course.
- We accept a wide range of alternative English language examinations and tests so please check the list of other accepted tests.
Pre-sessional courses
If you do not quite meet our English language requirements then you should consider taking one of our online Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes courses.
Accepted English Language Qualifications
Unless indicated, your qualification should have been awarded no more than 3 years prior to the start of semester.
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Cameroon GCE O Level
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C NA NA -
Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) - Use of English
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade D or higher with Grade D or better in at least 3 of the 4 sub-skill areas. NA NA -
Hong Kong Advanced Supplementary Level Examination (HKASLE) - Use of English
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade D or higher with Grade D or better in at least 3 of the 4 sub-skill areas. NA NA -
Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) - English Language
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade 4 overall with no less than 3 in any of the 4 sub skills NA NA -
Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) - English Language Syllabus B (before 2007)
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C or higher including only one Grade D in any of the four sub-skills, with Grade C or better in the at least the other three sub-skills. NA NA -
Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) - English Language Syllabus B (after 2007)
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade 3 in all test elements NA NA -
Indian Standard XII English
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA A mark of over 70% in English in the Standard Xll examinations in the Central Boards (CBSE/ICSE or the State Boards of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka). No time limit.
NA NA -
International Baccalaureate (IB)
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Higher or Subsidiary level in English Language (grade 4 or above) NA NA -
International GCSE: English as a first language
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C in IGSCE English as a First Language (Syllabus 0522) Grade C in IGCSE English as a First Language (Syllabus 0500) with Grade 2 in Speaking + Listening components Grade C in IGSCE English as a First Language (0522)
Grade C in IGCSE English as a First Language (0500) with Grade 2 in Speaking + Listening components
Grade C in IGSCE English as a First Language (0522) Grade C in IGCSE English as a First Language (0500) with Grade 2 in Speaking + Listening components
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International GCSE: English as a second language
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C in IGCSE English as a Second Language (Syllabus 0510) with Grade 2 Oral endorsement Grade C in IGCSE English as a Second Language (Syllabus 0511) with Grade C in oral assessment Grade C in IGCSE English as a Second Language (0510) with Grade 2 Oral endorsement
Grade C in IGCSE English as a Second Language (0511) with Grade C in oral assessment
Grade C in IGCSE English as a Second Language (0510) with Grade 2 Oral endorsement Grade C in IGCSE English as a Second Language (0511) with Grade C in oral assessment
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INTO International English Language Assessment (IELA)
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA - IELA 169 overall
minimum 162 in sub-skills
NA NA - IELA 169 overall
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Kenyan Certificate in Secondary Education (KCSE)
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C Grade C Grade B -
Malaysia (Bahasa Inggeris) English Language Syllabus 1119
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C Grade B Grade A -
Singapore Syllabus 1127 / 1128
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C Grade C Grade B -
Tanzania O Level
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C NA NA -
Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE)
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade 6 NA NA -
WAEC / NECO
No time limit
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C6 Grade C5 Grade C4 -
Zambia General Certificate of Education
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade 6 NA NA -
Zimbabwe Zimsec at ordinary level
No time limit
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C NA NA
Accepted English Language Tests
You must have been awarded or certified within the last two years with the exception of QA, which must have been awarded to you within the last year.
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Cambridge Advanced English
IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 C1 Advanced 162 overall with not less than 162 in 3 elements and a minimum 154 in the 4th element.
Any offers made will be conditional on successful completion of Standard Pre-Sessional
169 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test (taken from January 2015)
176 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test (taken from January 2015)
185 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test (taken from January 2015)
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Cambridge English Business Higher
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA Grade C with all parts ‘weak’ or higher Grade C with all parts ‘weak’ or higher Grade C with all parts ‘weak’ or higher -
Cambridge English B2 First
IELTS 5.5 (only one 5.0) IELTS 6 (with minimum 5.5) IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 B2 First 162 overall with not less than 162 in 3 elements and a minimum 154 in the 4th element.
Any offers made will be conditional on successful completion of Standard Pre-Sessional.
169 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test (taken from January 2015)
Not applicable Not applicable -
Cambridge IGCSE (English as a second language)
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA Reading - D Writing - D Speaking - C Listening - A NB: Any offers made will be conditional on successful completion of Standard Pre-Sessional Reading - C Writing - C Speaking - C Listening - A NA NA -
Cambridge Proficiency in English
IELTS 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5) IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 5.5) IELTS 7.0 (with a minimum of 5.5) C2 Proficiency 169 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test (taken from January 2015)
176 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test (taken from January 2015)
185 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test (taken from January 2015)
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LanguageCert
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 B1 Achiever (all skills) High Pass, with a minimum of 33 in each band score. B2 Communicator (all skills) Pass, with a minimum of 33 in each band score B2 Communicator (all skills) High Pass, with a minimum of 33 in each band score. B2 Communicator (all skills) High Pass, with a minimum of 33 in each band score. NA -
PTE Academic
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 46 (with min. of 41 in each part) NB: Any offers made will be conditional on successful completion of Pre-Sessional PLUS 51 (with min. of 46 in each part) NB: Any offers made will be conditional on successful completion of Standard Pre-Sessional 55 (with min. of 51 in each part) 61 (with min. of 56 in each part) 66 (with min. of 61 in each part) -
QA Higher Education English Language Test
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA This is mapped to IELTS scores NA NA You must have successfully completed your QA test within the last year.
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TOEFL iBT/TOEFL iBT Home
IELTS 5.0 IELTS 5.5 IELTS 6.0 IELTS 6.5 IELTS 7.0 NA NA 80 with a minimum:
L – 17
R – 18
S - 20
W– 1790 with a minimum:
L – 20
R – 20
S - 20
W– 20100 with a minimum:
L – 22
R – 24
S - 25
W– 24