English language requirements

Imperial Electrical Engineering students in lab

Explore our English language requirements for entry to undergraduate or postgraduate study.

Our English language requirements

To study with us, all home, EU and overseas applicants must demonstrate they meet the required English language competency level for their chosen course.

We have two English language attainment levels:

  • Standard
  • Higher

See our course pages to find out whether you will need to meet the standard or higher level for your chosen course.

Find your course

The requirements for meeting the standard or higher level are explained below – see 'Tests we accept' and 'English language qualifications we accept'.

How to meet our English language requirement

There are a number of different ways to demonstrate that you meet the relevant English language proficiency for your course.

You only need to do one of the following:

*Applicable for postgraduate students only

The Business School no longer offers its own pre-sessional courses, or recognises other pre-sessional courses, as a means of meeting the English language requirement. If you have any questions about this, please contact the Business School directly.

The Department of Mathematics and Centre of Environmental Policy do not accept award of a joint degree with exempted countries as a means of meeting the College’s English language requirement.

Upgrade your academic language skills

If you have already met the English language requirement, but want to improve your academic language skills, find out more about the Imperial College London 3-week Pre-sessional and Orientation course. 

Imperial College London Doctoral Academic Communication Requirement

After meeting the relevant English language requirement for entry to a doctoral programme at Imperial, all doctoral students must also fulfil the Imperial College London Doctoral Academic Communication Requirement (DACR).

Find out more about Imperial College London Doctoral Academic Communication Requirement (DACR).

Student visa – proving your English language proficiency

 If you need a student visa to study with us, you will need to prove your English language proficiency.

You can prove your knowledge of English by demonstrating to us that you have:

  • completed one of our accepted English language tests (see below); and
  • achieved the relevant standard for your course.

We will confirm this in your Confirmation for Acceptance of Studies (CAS) – this is an electronic document that generates a reference number you need to be able to apply for your student visa. This number confirms to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) that we wish to sponsor your study in the UK.

Accepted English language tests and qualifications

Here are all of the English language tests and qualifications that we accept for entry to undergraduate and postgraduate study.

You only need to meet the relevant standard in one of the following.

Tests we accept

Duolingo English Test

Standard LevelHigher Level
 115 overall with no less than 105 in any band score  125 overall with no less than 115 in any band score

*Test scores are only considered valid if taken within 2 years of the intended course start date.

Find out more on the Duolingo website.

IELTS – Academic (Test-Centre/UKVI SELT/Online)

StandardHigher
6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in all elements)  7.0 overall (minimum 6.5 in all elements)
Summary of the table's contents

*IELTS single score re-takes are not accepted. Candidates must meet the IELTS requirements on a single test sitting.

Imperial College London considers IELTS scores to be valid for 2 years.

Scores must be valid at the beginning of your studies at Imperial if your application is successful.

Find out more on the IELTS website.

LanguageCert International ESOL

Standard levelHigher level
ESOL B2 Test (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) with grade High Pass ESOL C1 (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) with grade pass in all components

*Test scores are only considered valid if taken within two years of the intended course start date.

Find out more on the LanguageCert website.

Occupational English Test

Standard LevelHigher Level
 Grade C+/300 in all elements  Grade B/350 in all elements

*Test results must be within 12 months of programme start date in order to be treated as valid and subject to online verification.

*OET Paper/Computer at test centre and OET@Home accepted.

Find out more on the Cambridge website.

PTE – Academic (Test-Centre/UKVI SELT)

StandardHigher
62 overall (minimum 56 in all elements)  69 overall (minimum 62 in all elements)
Summary of the table's contents

Imperial College London considers Pearson (PTE) scores to be valid for 2 years.

Scores must be valid at the beginning of your studies at Imperial if your application is successful. 

For more information regarding Pearson, please visit the Pearson website

PTE Academic online test results are only accepted (where valid) for entry for those starting courses up to 31 December 2023.

TOEFL (iBT) and (iBT Paper)

StandardHigher
92 overall (minimum 20 in all elements) 100 overall (minimum 22 in all elements)
Summary of the table's contents

*ETS at Home accepted for admission

Imperial College London considers TOEFL scores to be valid for 2 years.

Scores must be valid at the beginning of your studies at Imperial if your application is successful. 

You must meet the entry requirement in one test from your scaled scores ('My Best Scores' reported by TOEFL will not be considered).

For more information relating regarding TOEFL please visit the ETS website

You must email your TOEFL scores to the relevant admissions teams.

Score reports sent via post will not be processed.

Trinity College London: Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III

StandardHigher
Pass in all skills Merit in all skills

*Test scores are only considered valid if taken within two years of the intended course start date.

Trinity College London: Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level IV

StandardHigher
Pass in all skills Pass in all skills

*Test scores are only considered valid if taken within two years of the intended course start date.

English language qualifications we accept

AS Level/A-level

StandardHigher
Grade C in English Language* Grade C in English Language*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Australia Territory High School Certificate (HSC)

 
Territory High School Certificate (HSC)
TerritoryStandard Grade*Higher Grade*
 Australian Capital Territory  C  C
 New South Wales  4  4
 Northern Territory  C  C
 Queensland  SA / C  SA / C
 South Australia  C  C
 Tasmania  CA  CA
 Victoria  C in all units  C in all units
 Western Australia  C  C
 

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Cambridge C1 Advanced Certificate in English (CAE)

 StandardHigher
Tests taken before January 2015

Grade C

Grade B

Tests taken from January 2015

176 overall (minimum 169 in all elements)

185 overall (minimum 176 in all elements)

Canadian High School Diploma

StandardHigher
Grade 12 English at 65%* Grade 12 English at 65%*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. Must be studied in Canada and excludes Quebec High School Diploma.

Caribbean Examination Council – Secondary Education Certificate

StandardHigher
Grade 2 Grade 2

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

 StandardHigher
Tests taken before January 2015

Any pass grade with a pass in each element OR Level C1 certificate*

Any pass grade with a pass in each element OR Level C1 certificate*

Tests taken from January 2015

Any pass grade with a pass in each element

185 overall (minimum 176 in all elements)

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

European Baccalaureate

 StandardHigher
English as a First Language Grade 6  Grade 7 
English as a Second Language Grade 7* Grade 7*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

GCSE or GCE 'O' Level

  Standard Higher
GCSE Post 2017:

Grade 5 in English Language**

Grade 5 in English Language**

GCSE Pre 2017: Grade B in English Language* Grade B in English Language*
GCE O Level: Grade B in English Language* Grade B in English Language*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

**For Home students we require a Grade 5 in English Language. This includes all courses except MBBS Medicine which requires a Grade 6 in English Language.

Hong Kong AS Level

StandardHigher
Grade C in English* Grade C in English*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examinations Syllabus B

StandardHigher
Level 4 in English in Syllabus B* Grade 4 in English in Syllabus B*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education

StandardHigher
Level 3 in English* Level 3 in English*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

IGCSE

StandardHigher
Grade B or 6 in English as a First Language*  Grade B or 6 in English as a First Language*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Indian 12th Standard *CBSE & CISCE boards only

StandardHigher
70% 70%

International Baccalaureate

For qualifications taken after 2013

 StandardHigher
English A: Language & Literature Grade 4 (if taken at either Standard or Higher Level)* Grade 4 (if taken at either Standard or Higher Level)*
English A: Literature Grade 4 (if taken at either Standard or Higher Level)* Grade 4 (if taken at either Standard or Higher Level)*
English B  Grade 6 (if taken at Standard Level) or Grade 5 (if taken at Higher Level)* Grade 6 (if taken at Standard Level) or Grade 5 (if taken at Higher Level)*

For qualifications taken before 2013

 StandardHigher
English A1 Syllabus                        Grade 4 (if taken at either Standard or Higher Level)* Grade 4 (if taken at either Standard or Higher Level)*
English A2 Syllabus Grade 5 (if taken at Standard Level) or Grade 4 (if taken at Higher Level)* Grade 5 (if taken at Standard Level) or Grade 4 (if taken at Higher Level)*
English B Syllabus Grade 6 (if taken at Standard Level) or Grade 5 (if taken at Higher Level)* Grade 6 (if taken at Standard Level) or Grade 5 (if taken at Higher Level)*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

International Baccalaureate MYP English e-assessed

StandardHigher
Grade 5 Grade 5

International Option of the French Baccalaureat (OIB)

StandardHigher
Grade 12 in English in the final examinations* Grade 12 in English in the final examinations*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Irish Leaving Certificate

StandardHigher

Post 2017: Grade H5 in English*

Pre 2017: Grade B2 in English at Standard/Ordinary Level*

Post 2017: Grade H5 in English*

Pre 2017: Grade B2 in English at Standard/Ordinary Level*

Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Malaysian Certificate of Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia)

StandardHigher
Grade A in English Language (1119)* Grade A in English Language (1119)*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Malta Matriculation Certificate

StandardHigher
 Grade C at Higher or Intermediate Level*   Grade C at Higher or Intermediate Level*
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Malta Secondary Education Certificate

 
StandardHigher
 Grade 2  Grade 2
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

National Certificate in Educational Achievement Level 2 or Level 3

StandardHigher

NCEA Level 2 English Grade: Merit*

NCEA Level 3 English Grade: Achieved*

NCEA Level 2 English Grade: Merit*

NCEA Level 3 English Grade: Achieved*

Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Scottish Standard (SS) & National 5 (N5)

StandardHigher

Standard Grade 2 in English

National 5 Grade B

Standard Grade 2 in English

National 5 Grade B

Summary of the table's contents

Singapore Cambridge A-Levels

StandardHigher
Grade C in English* Grade C in English*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Singapore Cambridge O-Levels

StandardHigher
Grade B in English* Grade B in English*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Singapore Integrated Programme - NUS High School Diploma

StandardHigher
CAP 4.5 out of 5 in English Language* CAP 4.5 out of 5 in English Language*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

Singapore Integrated Programme Cambridge A Levels (SIPCAL)

StandardHigher
Grade C in the General Paper* Grade C in the General Paper*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

UCL – Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate in Science and Engineering (UPCSE) – English Language Module

StandardHigher
65% overall with 60% in each subset 70% with 65% in each subset

USA Advanced Placement Examination

StandardHigher
Grade 4 in English* Grade 4 in English*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. 

USA High School Diploma

StandardHigher
Year 12 English at Grade B* Year 12 English at Grade B*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. Must be studied in a majority English speaking country.

West African Examinations Council (WAEC)

StandardHigher
Level 4 in English* Level 4 in English*
Summary of the table's contents

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.