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.

Applicants who have completed the final 4 years of high school education in a majority English-speaking country listed below up to year 12 (or equivalent final year) and have been awarded the standard high school leaving qualification 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 2+2 UK TNE degree in China will satisfy our English Language requirements.

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 seven years prior to the start of the University of Bristol degree programme to which the applicant has applied. This is determined by year of award, for example, a degree awarded in June 2015 would satisfy this requirement for entry in September 2022. Applicants who have completed either their high school award or degree course outside of the seven-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.

The tests listed below are valid when they are taken no more than two years before the start date of your chosen programme of study. For UG and PGT courses starting in September, the test date must be no earlier than 1 September two years prior to entry (for example, 1 September 2021 for entry in September 2023). For UG and PGT courses starting in January, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than 1 December two years prior to entry (for example, 1 December 2020 for entry in January 2023). For PGR students, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than the first day of the month two years prior to the month in which the programme starts (for example, 1 January 2021 for entry in January 2023).

Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.

The tests listed below are valid when they are taken no more than two years before the start date of your chosen programme of study. For UG and PGT courses starting in September, the test date must be no earlier than 1 September two years prior to entry (for example, 1 September 2021 for entry in September 2023). For UG and PGT courses starting in January, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than 1 December two years prior to entry (for example, 1 December 2020 for entry in January 2023). For PGR students, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than the first day of the month two years prior to the month in which the programme starts (for example, 1 January 2021 for entry in January 2023).

Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.

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. For UG and PGT courses starting in September, the test date must be no earlier than 1 September two years prior to entry (for example, 1 September 2021 for entry in September 2023). For UG and PGT courses starting in January, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than 1 December two years prior to entry (for example, 1 December 2020 for entry in January 2023). For PGR students, we can accept tests where the test date is no earlier than the first day of the month two years prior to the month in which the programme starts (for example, 1 January 2021 for entry in January 2023).

Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.