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Profile F

Unless specifically stated, the information below details the English language skill level required for both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. We refer to these skill levels as ‘profiles’. For this profile, you need to achieve the listed level.

National of an English-speaking country?

Applicants who are nationals of one of the following countries and have completed high school or three years of education (whichever is longer) in their home country, will generally be exempt* from providing additional evidence of their English language ability:

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

* The University reserves the right to ask for additional evidence of English language if we have concerns about an applicant’s abilities.

Studying or studied in an English-speaking country or institution?

Applicants who have completed high school in an English-speaking country listed below, will be exempt* from providing additional evidence of their English language ability.

Applicants who have completed a degree in an English-speaking country listed below, will be exempt* from providing additional evidence of their English language ability. Degree courses can be defined as a full Bachelor degree or Masters of at least one year.

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • the Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Malawi
  • Malta
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda
  • UK (including British Overseas Territories and Crown dependencies)
  • USA
  • Zambia

Applicants who have completed a 2+2 degree will be required to meet their programme’s English language requirements through an additional English language test or other acceptable qualification, unless two full years were delivered in one of the above countries.

Applicants who have completed a degree in a country not listed in this section. If the degree is fully taught, examined and delivered in English (excluding study-abroad years) in a non-majority English-speaking country, and this can be evidenced by means of an official letter confirming the medium of instruction is English from the awarding institution, this may be considered as satisfying* the University of Bristol’s English language requirements provided the remainder of the application (such as the Personal Statement and academic reference) confirm a broad engagement through English and high level of competence in the language. 

The award must have been completed no more than 7 years prior to the start of the University of Bristol degree programme to which the applicant has applied. Applicants who have completed either their high school award or degree course outside of the 7 year timeframe may still be considered, provided suitable evidence to demonstrate ongoing engagement with English (such as work experience) is presented.* 

*The University reserves the right to ask for additional evidence of English language if we have concerns about an applicant’s abilities.

Accepted Secure English Language Tests (SELT)

The tests listed below are valid where they are taken no more than two years before the start date of your chosen programme of study. Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.

Qualification

Grade required

IELTS Academic for UKVI from authorised test centres only (otherwise see English language proficiency tests):

6.0 overall with either listening or speaking at 6.5, with no skill below 6.0

Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level IV:

pass in all skills

Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III:

pass in all skills

LanguageCert SELT

B2 Communicator High Pass

Pearson PTE Academic UKVI

64 average with either listening or speaking at 64, and no skill below 60

Skills for English

C1/C2 Pass/B2 Pass with Merit

English Language Proficiency Tests

The tests listed below are valid where they are taken no more than two years before the start date of your chosen programme of study. Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.

Qualification

Grade required

IELTS Academic:

6.0 overall with either listening or speaking at 6.5, with no score below 6.0

TOEFL iBT:

83 overall with either R20, L21, S21 and W20, or R20, L20, S23 and W20

Pearson PTE Academic (Online or Test Centre):

64 average with either listening or speaking at 64, and no skill below 60

C2 Proficiency, formerly known as Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE):

Grade C, or Level C1

C1 Advanced, formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE):

Grade C, or Level B2 with either listening or speaking at 176 and no skill below 168

Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level IV:

with pass in all skills

Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III:

with pass in all skills

NCUK EAP

C overall with either listening or speaking at B, no score below C

Pearson Versant

Versant: 62 average with no skill below 58

University of Portsmouth Pre-Sessional English

Either listening or speaking at 65, no score below 60

Kaplan EAP

60% (High Credit) overall with either listening or speaking at 65% (High Credit), with no score below 60% (High Credit)

English Language Proficiency Tests (continued)

The tests listed below are valid where they are taken no more than two years before the start date of your chosen programme of study. Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.

Qualification Grade required
NCUK English Test 6.0 overall with either listening or speaking at 6.5, with no score below 6.0
IELTS Indicator 6.0 overall with either listening or speaking at 6.5, with no score below 6.0
Heriot-Watt Pre-Sessional English Grade C overall, Grade B in Academic Engagement
TOEFL at Home 83 overall with either R20, L21, S21 and W20, or R20, L20, S23 and W20

 

UK and worldwide school qualifications

The qualifications listed below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Grade required

GCSE English Language

C or 4

GCSE English Literature

C or 4

IGCSE English as a 1st Language

C

IGCSE English as a 1st language with speaking and listening endorsement

C with Grade 2

IGCSE English as a 2nd Language

C

IGCSE English as a 2nd Language with speaking endorsement

C with Grade 2

IGCSE English Literature

C

IGCSE English Language (Specification A or B)

C

AS Level or A Level English Language or English Language and Literature

C

AS Level or A Level English Literature

C

International Baccalaureate English A: Literature

5 at SL or 4 at HL

International Baccalaureate English A: Literature and Language

5 at SL or 4 at HL

International Baccalaureate Language B: English

5 at SL or 4 at HL

Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIE) O Level English specifications 1119, 1120, 1123, 1125, 1127, 1128

C

European school qualifications

The qualifications listed below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Requirement

Austria: Reifeprüfung/ Matura

2 (gut) in both written and oral

Belgium

14/20 or 70%

Croatia

English A/ visa razina at 4

Denmark Studentereksamen Level A

Grade 7

European Baccalaureate

L1 English at 55%, L2 English at 65%, L2A at 70%

Finland: Ylioppilastut-kintotodistus

4 in English A

France: Baccalaureat

11 in English LV1

France: Option Internationale du Baccalaureat – British English or American English

10 in English

Germany where English is taken as a Leistungskurs / Kernfächer / erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau

11

Germany where English is not taken at higher level

13

 

European school qualifications (continued)

The qualifications listed below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Requirement

Iceland: Studentsprof when taken as a compulsory language in final year

6 in English

Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate

O6 or C4 (pre-2017)

Luxembourg

40 (bien) in English

Malta: Secondary Education Certificate

Grade 4

Netherlands

6

Norway: Vitnemal where English is taken as a common core subject

4

Poland

60th percentile in extended level English

Scotland: National 5

C in English

Sweden: Slutbetyg where English 7 has been taken

C

Switzerland: Maturity Certificate

5 (on a scale of 6) or 7 (on a scale of 10)

International school qualifications

The qualifications listed below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Requirement

Cameroon O level

C in English

Canada Alberta

60% in English Language Arts 30-1 or 50% in English Language Arts 30-2

Canada British Columbia

50% in English 12 or 50% in English Literature 12

Canada Manitoba

60% in ELA 40S/C or 50% in ELA 40U

Canada Ontario

60% in ENG4C or 50% in ENG4U

Canada Quebec

Not accepted

Caribbean CSEC

CSEC English with Three (III) at general proficiency

Gambia WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

C6

Ghana WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

C6

Hong Kong: HKDSE

3 in English

India (CISCE and CBSE) Standard XII:

68% in English

India (Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal state boards)

75% in English

Kenya KCSE

English at grade C or 8

Liberia WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

C6

 

International school qualifications (continued)

The qualifications listed below are valid where they are taken no more than seven years before the start date of your chosen programme of study.

Qualification

Requirement

Malawi MSCE

English at 7

Malaysia SPM

C in English language

Nigeria WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

C6

Sierra Leone WAEC where scratch-card number supplied

C6

Singapore: Integrated Programme Literature in English H2 or English Language and Linguistics H2:

C

Singapore Integrated Programme General Paper

C in General Paper

Singapore Ordinary Level

Grade C in English

Singapore: Secondary 4 English Language/Language Arts

Grade C

Singapore: NUS Integrated Diploma where EL 6103 (Language in Society III) or EL5101 (Language in Society II) have been taken

C

South Africa NSC

English Home Language with 3 or English First Additional Language with 5

Tanzania Secondary School Leaving Certificate

Grade C in English

Uganda Certificate of Education

Grade 7 in English

United States: AP Language and Composition or AP Literature and Composition

3

United States: ACT plus education at an English-medium school

23 with 6 in Writing

United States: SAT (taken after 2016) Reading and Writing scores plus education at an English-medium school

R 32, W 32

Centre for Academic Language and Development at the University of Bristol

Qualification

Undergraduate (Score Required)

Postgraduate (Score Required)

International Foundation Programme

58% overall for language units, minimum 63% in Text Response, minimum 58% in Academic Writing

Or

58% overall in Accelerated Academic Language and Literacy

N/A

Pre-sessional

Pass in Problem Based Learning Pass in Portfolio 63% in presentation

Pass in Problem Based Learning Pass in Portfolio 63% in presentation

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