Profile H- Inbound Study Abroad
The information below details the English language skill level required for the Study Abroad (General pathway) and Study Abroad (Subject pathway) programmes for 2025-26 entry. To meet the English language requirements for these programmes, you need to be able to evidence one of the categories listed below as part of your application. Students wishing to join us for September 2026 entry and onwards should be aware that requirements may change.
For students studying abroad at Bristol for the full academic year on a Student visa, we can only accept proof of English language qualifications in English. If a qualification isn’t in English, and therefore needs translating, you must provide a professional or certified translation, including the contact details for the translator or translation company.
If you hold a qualification not listed on these pages, please contact cfsa-inbound@bristol.ac.uk for further information.
Applicants who are nationals of one of the following countries will generally be exempt* from providing additional evidence of their English language ability:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- British overseas territories:
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Islands
- Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands.
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Malta
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
- United States of America.
This is in line with UKVI guidance.
* The University reserves the right to ask for additional evidence of English language if we have concerns about an applicant’s abilities.
Studied in an English-speaking country
Applicants who have studied one of the following in an English-speaking country may meet the University’s English language requirements for study abroad:
- Final four years of high school education
- One year of a full-time Bachelor’s degree
- One year of a Master’s degree.
In all cases, the period of English language study evidenced must be no more than seven years prior to the start of the degree programme and must have been completed in an English-speaking country per the list in the ‘National of an English-speaking country’ section above.
We also accept qualifications completed in the following countries to meet this requirement:
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Malawi
- Nigeria
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Uganda
- Zambia.
Applicants who have completed or are studying towards a degree in a country not listed in this section
If your degree is fully taught, examined and delivered in English in a non-majority English-speaking country, and this can be evidenced through an official letter confirming the medium of instruction is English from the awarding institution, this may be considered as satisfying* our English language requirements. If you believe this to be the case, please contact cfsa-inbound@bristol.ac.uk for further information.
High school qualifications must have been completed no more than seven years prior to the start of the Study Abroad programme to which the applicant has applied. This is determined by the year of award, for example, completing high school in July 2017 would be acceptable for commencing your Bristol course in September 2024. Applicants who have completed their high school award outside of the seven-year timeframe may still be considered, provided suitable evidence to demonstrate ongoing engagement with English is presented.*
*The University reserves the right to ask for additional evidence of English language if we have concerns about an applicant’s abilities.
Students studying at one of our European exchange partner institutions and applying to study at Bristol for one semester can submit a completed copy of Bristol’s Letter of attestation template attesting to their English language level. The letter of attestation must confirm that the student's current English proficiency is equivalent to a B2 level overall and a B2 level in all four components (writing, listening, speaking and reading) based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The letter must be signed and stamped by their home university (electronic signatures are accepted). We cannot accept letters written by a student’s home institution confirming their English level.
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 courses starting in September, the test date must be no earlier than 1 September two years prior to entry (for example, 1 September 2022 for entry in September 2024). For 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 2021 for entry in January 2024).
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): Results including the One Skill Retake (OSR) are acceptable. All scores will be taken from one Test Report Form (TRF). |
6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills |
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 Academic SELT |
B2 level with 70 overall with minimum 60 in all skills |
Pearson PTE Academic UKVI |
67 overall with no lower than 60 in all skills |
Skills for English PSE SELT |
C1/C2 Pass/B2 Pass with Merit |
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 courses starting in September, the test date must be no earlier than 1 September two years prior to entry (for example, 1 September 2022 for entry in September 2024). For 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 2021 for entry in January 2024).
Component scores must be met fully through one sitting of the test; we cannot combine scores from multiple certificates.
Qualification | Grade required |
IELTS Academic (at a test centre or online): Results including the One Skill Retake (OSR) are acceptable. All scores will be taken from one Test Report Form (TRF). |
6.5 overall with no score below 5.5 |
TOEFL iBT and TOEFL at Home: | 88 overall with R18 L17 S20 W17 |
C2 Proficiency, formerly known as Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE): | Grade C, or Level C1 |
C1 Advanced, formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): | Grade B, or Grade C with no skill below 162 |
NCUK EAP | B overall with D in all skills |
NCUK English Test | 6.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills |
Heriot-Watt Pre-Sessional English | Grade B with no score below 50% |
Strathclyde ELT (including British Council UK pre-sessional Strathclyde ELT) |
6.5 in two skills, no skill below 5.5 |
DAAD Sprachtest | B2 overall with B2 in all skills |
LanguageCert Academic | 70 overall with minimum 60 in all skills |
Oxford International ELLT |
An OIDI score of 7 overall, with no skill below 5 |
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 or 4 |
IGCSE English as a 1st language with speaking and listening endorsement |
C or 4 |
IGCSE English as a 2nd Language |
B or 6 |
IGCSE English as a 2nd Language with speaking endorsement |
C or 4 |
IGCSE English Literature |
B or 6 |
IGCSE English Language A / B |
C or 4 |
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 HL |
International Baccalaureate Language B: English |
6 at SL or 5 at HL |
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) Language Acquisition: English |
5 |
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) Language and Literature: English |
6 |
Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIE) O Level English specifications 1119, 1120, 1123, 1125, 1127 |
C |
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 |
Austria: Reifeprüfung/ Matura |
2 (gut) in both written and oral |
Belgium |
14/20 or 70% |
Croatia: Matura |
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 |
12 in English LV A |
France: Baccalauréat Français International/ Option Internationale du Baccalaureat – British English, American English or Australian English |
10 in English Language and Literature |
Germany where English is taken as a Leistungskurs / Kernfächer / erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau |
11 |
Germany where English is not taken at higher level |
14 |
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 |
Iceland: Studentsprof when taken as a compulsory language in final year |
9 in English |
Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate |
H3, O4 or C2 (pre-2017) |
Luxembourg: Examen de Fin d'Études Secondaires |
40 (bien) in English |
Malta: Secondary Education Certificate |
Grade 4 |
Netherlands: VWO |
8 |
Norway: Vitnemal where English is taken as a common core subject |
4 |
Poland |
70th percentile in extended level English |
Scotland: National 5 |
C in English |
Sweden: Slutbetyg where English 7 has been taken |
VG or C |
Switzerland: Maturity Certificate |
4 (on a scale of 6) or 7 (on a scale of 10) |
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 |
Cameroon O Level | C in English |
Canada Alberta | 65% in English Language Arts 30-1 or 55% in English Language Arts 30-2 |
Canada British Columbia |
55% in English Studies 12 or 55% in Literary Studies 12 |
Canada Manitoba | 65% in ELA 40S/C |
Canada Ontario | 65% in ENG4C or 55% in ENG4U |
Caribbean CSEC | CSEC English with Three (III) at general proficiency |
Gambia WAEC where scratch-card number supplied | C4 |
Ghana WAEC where scratch-card number supplied | C4 |
Hong Kong: HKDSE |
3 in English |
India (CISCE or CBSE) Standard XII/Senior School Certificate Examination |
70% in English |
India (Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal state boards) |
80% in English |
Kenya KCSE |
English at grade C or 7 |
Liberia WAEC where scratch-card number supplied |
C4 |
Malawi MSCE |
English at 7 |
Malaysia SPM (pre-2022) |
C+ in English language |
Malaysia SPM |
CEFR band B2 |
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 |
New Zealand: National Certificate of Educational Achievement |
English Level 2/3, 8 credit points with 'achievement' |
Nigeria WAEC where scratch-card number supplied |
C4 |
Sierra Leone WAEC where scratch-card number supplied |
C4 |
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 5 in English |
United States: AP Language and Composition or AP Literature and Composition |
3 |
United States: ACT |
23 in ACT English with 7 in Writing |
United States: Paper-based SAT (taken after 2016) Reading and Writing scores |
R 33, W 33 |