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English language requirements

All students must meet Queen Mary's English language requirements. For students from outside the United Kingdom, you must give evidence of your English language ability by producing an English language test score. The score depends on the degree programme you are applying for.

If you do not achieve the required English score, you may join our Pre-Sessional English Language Programme.

Students who need a Tier 4 Visa

  • Students who need a Tier 4 visa must ensure they meet the UKBA minimum requirements in all components of their English language test.
  • We strongly recommend that you take a UKBA specified Secure English Language Test (www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/adult-students/evidence/cas) and meet the minimum component scores, as well as meeting the specific Queen Mary requirements. We recommend Academic IELTS, Pearson Test of English (Academic), TOEFLiBT. Please note: these tests are valid for two years only.
  • If you are a national of a Majority English Speaking Country (MESCs) the UKBA will confirm your Tier 4 (General) nationality using your passport and you will not be required to take a Secure English Language Test.
  • If you have a degree taught in a majority English speaking country you will not be required to take a Secure English Language Test.

UKBA minimum component scores for programmes at degree level and above
Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing

IELTS (academic)TOEFLiBTPearson PTE (academic)
W, R, L, S: 5.5W: 17, R: 18, L: 17, S: 20W, R, L, S: 51

English language entry guidelines

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Foundation / Pre-Masters programmes

Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
International Foundation Programme: Humanities and Social Sciences:
  • Business Studies module
  • Economics module
  • Mathematics for Economics module
  • Geography module
  • History module
  • Spanish module
  • Japanese module
5.5 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.0)		72 overall
(W: 16; R: 13; L: 14; S: 19)		51 overall
(W, R, L, S: 46)
Politics and International Relations module6.0 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.0)		79 overall
(W: 16; R: 13; L: 14; S: 19)		53 overall
(W, R, L, S: 46)
Literature, Art and Film module6.5 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.0)		92 overall
(W: 16; R: 13; L: 14; S: 19)		62 overall
(W, R, L, S: 46)
Pre-Masters Graduate Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences5.5 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.5)		72 overall
(W: 17; R: 18; L: 17; S: 20)		51 overall
(W, R, L, S: 51)
Pre-Masters Graduate Diploma in EAP and Economics and Finance5.5 overall
(W, R, L, S: 5.5)		72 overall
(W: 17; R: 18; L: 17; S: 20)		51 overall
(W, R, L, S: 51)
Pre-Sessional: Applicants for the Pre-Masters Graduate Diploma Programme may take the nine-week Pre-Sessional if they have at least IELTS 5.0 (minimum W, R, L, S: 4.5); TOEFLiBT 62 (minimum W: 14; R: 9; L: 12; S: 17); PTE 46 (W, R, L, S: 41).
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Undergraduate programmes: general

Humanities and Social Sciences Undergraduate degrees in the Schools of: English and Drama; History; Politics; Geography; Business and Management; Law.
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		7.010068
Five-week Pre-Sessional6.59262
Nine-week Pre-SessionalAt student's option
Note: Students who achieve below IELTS 6.0 or equivalent are not normally admitted onto the presessional.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Postgraduate programmes: general

Humanities and Social Sciences Postgraduate degrees in the Schools of: English and Drama; History; Politics; Geography.
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		7.010068
Five-week Pre-Sessional6.59262
Nine-week Pre-SessionalAt student's option
Students with IELTS 6.0 or below (or equivalent) are not normally admitted onto the Pre-Sessional Programme.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

School of Economics and Finance: undergraduate programmes

Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		6.5
(minimum Writing: 6.0 and R, L, S: 5.5)		92
(minimum Writing: 22 and R:18; L:17; S: 20)		62
(minimum Writing: 53 and R, L, S: 51)
Five-week Pre-Sessional6.0
(minimum W, R, L, S: 5.5)		79
(minimum Writing: 17 and R:18; L:17; S: 20)		53
(minimum W, R, L, S: 51)
Nine-week Pre-SessionalAt student's option
Note: Undergraduate Economics and Politics (LL12) requires:
IELTS 7.0 (minimum Writing: 6.0 and R, L, S: 5.5); TOEFLiBT 100 (minimum W: 22, R:18; L:17; S: 20);
PTE 68 (minimum Writing: 53 and R, L, S: 51)

Students who score below 6.0 in the IELTS sub-test in writing, below 22 in the TOEFL iBT sub-test in writing, and below 53 in the PTE Academic sub-test in writing, are required to attend Queen Mary's Insessional English Programme. This programme is free to Queen Mary students and runs in terms 1, 2. Students with higher English language scores may join this programme if they wish.

Students with IELTS 5.5 or below (or equivalent) are not normally admitted onto the Pre-Sessional Programme
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

School of Economics and Finance: postgraduate programmes

ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		6.59262
Five-week Pre-Sessional6.07953
Nine-week Pre-SessionalAt student's option
Note: Students with IELTS 5.5 or below (or equivalent) are not normally admitted onto the Pre-Sessional Programme
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

School of Languages, Linguistics and Film: undergraduate and postgraduate programmes

ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		7.0
(minimum Writing: 7.0)		100
(minimum Writing: 27)		68
(minimum Writing: 68)
Five-week Pre-Sessional6.5
(minimum Writing: 6.5)		92
(minimum Writing: 24)		68
(minimum Writing: 62)
Nine-week Pre-SessionalAt student's option
Students with IELTS 6.0 or below (or equivalent) are not normally admitted onto the Pre-Sessional Programme.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Centre for Commercial Law Studies: Postgraduate Law taught programmes

Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*ILEC
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		7.0
(minimum Writing: 7.0 and R, L, S: 5.5)		100
(minimum Writing: 27 and R:18; L:17; S: 20)		68
(minimum Writing: 68 and R, L, S: 51)		C1
Five-week Pre-Sessional recommended
In-sessional programme required		7.0
(minimum Writing: 6.5 and R, L, S: 5.5)		100
(minimum Writing: 24 and R: 18; L 17; S: 20)		68
(minimum Writing: 62 and R, L, S: 51)		 
Five-week Pre-Sessional
In-sessional programme required		6.5
(minimum Writing:6.5 and R, L, S: 5.5)		92
(minimum Writing: 24 and R:18; L:17; S: 20)		62
(minimum Writing: 62 and R, L, S: 51)		 
Nine-week Pre-Sessional
In-sessional programme required		6.5
(minimum Writing: 6.0 and R, L, S: 5.5)		92
(minimum Writing: 22 and R: 18; L: 17; S: 20)		62
(minimum Writing: 53 and R, L, S: 51)		B2
Thirteen-week Pre-Sessional
In-sessional programme required		6.0
(minimum W, R, L, S: 5.5)		79
(minimum W: 19; R: 18; L: 17; S: 20)		53
(minimum W, R, L, S: 51)		 
Any student who scores 6.5 or below in the IELTS Writing component (or equivalent) is required to attend the Queen Mary in-sessional Critical Thinking and Writing in Law Programme; this programme is free to QM students and runs in terms 1, 2, and 3. Students with higher English language scores may join this programme is they wish. See http://www.languageandlearning.qmul.ac.uk/ for more information.
Discretion will be used if a student’s English score falls between any of the above levels.
Students who achieve IELTS 5.5 or below (or equivalent) are not normally admitted onto the Pre-Sessional Programme.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Centre for Commercial Law Studies: Postgraduate Law research programmes

Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*CPE
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		7.5
(minimum Writing: 7.5)		109
(minimum Writing: 28)		73
(minimum Writing:73)		A
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

School of Business and Management: postgraduate programmes

ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		7.0
(minimum Writing: 6.0)		100
(minimum Writing: 22)		68
(minimum Writing: 53)
Five-week Pre-Sessional6.5
(minimum Writing: 6.0)		92
(minimum Writing: 22)		62
(minimum Writing: 53)
Nine-week Pre-Sessional6.0
(minimum Writing: 6.0)		79
(minimum Writing: 22)		53
(minimum Writing: 53)
Students with IELTS 5.5 (Writing: 5.5) or below (or equivalent) are not normally admitted onto the Pre-Sessional Programme.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Foundation programmes

Key: R = Reading, L = Listening, S = Speaking, W = Writing
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
International Science and Engineering Foundation Programme
(One-year Foundation Programme)		5.0
(minimum W, R, L, S: 5.0)		62
(minimum W: 16; R: 13; L: 14; S: 19)		46
(W, R, L, S: 46)
International Science and Engineering Foundation Programme
(Four-year degree programme: Foundation plus three-year degree)		6.0
(minimum W, R, L, S: 5.5)		79
(minimum W: 17; R: 18; L: 17; S: 20)		53
(minimum W, R, L, S: 51)
Pre-Sessional: Applicants may not take the Pre-Sessional programme.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Undergraduate programmes: general

Degrees in the Schools of: Engineering and Materials Science; Electronic Engineering and Computer Science; Mathematical Sciences and Physics and Astronomy
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		6.07953
Five-week Pre-Sessional5.57251
Students who score below IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) are not normally accepted onto the Pre-Sessional.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

School of Biological and Chemical Sciences: undergraduate programmes

ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		6.59262
Five-week Pre-Sessional6.07953
Nine-week Pre-Sessional5.57251
Students who score below IELTS 5.0 (or equivalent) are not normally accepted onto the Pre-Sessional.
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Postgraduate programmes

Degrees in the Schools of: Biological and Chemical Sciences;Engineering and Materials Science; Electronic Engineering and Computer Science; Mathematical Sciences and Physics and Astronomy
ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
English entry requirements
No Pre-Sessional required		6.59262
Five-week Pre-Sessional6.07953
Nine-week Pre-Sessional5.57251

Students who score IELTS 5.0 or below (or equivalent) are not normally admitted onto the Pre-Sessional programme.

Students joining the Postgraduate degree programmes in the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science will not be admitted onto the Pre-Sessional programme, unless they have a minimum IELTS of 6.0 or equivalent.

  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

School of Medicine and Dentistry

Undergraduate programmes

ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
Medicine MBBS five years (A100)7.010073
BDS: Bachelor of Dentistry (A200)7.010073
Pre-Sessional: Students may take the 5 week Pre-Sessional if any part of their English score is IELTS 0.5 below the requirement (or equivalent)
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Postgraduate programmes - Medicine

ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
Postgraduate medical taught programmes in:
  • Clinical Drug Development
  • Healthcare Research Methods
  • Gastroenterology
  • Sport and Exercise Medicine
  • Surgical Skills and Sciences
6.59262
Postgraduate medical taught programmes in:
  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Global Public Health and Policy
  • Health Systems and Global Policy
  • International Primary Health Care
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecological Science
  • Transcultural Mental Healthcare
  • Cancer Therapeutics
  • Molecular Pathology and Genomics
7.010068
Research students undertaking non-clinical project6.59262
Research students undertaking clinical project7.010068
Pre-Sessional: Students may take the five-week Pre-Sessional if any part of their English score is IELTS 0.5 below the requirement (or equivalent)
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Postgraduate programmes - Dental

ProgrammeIELTS*TOEFLiBT**PTE Academic*
Postgraduate medical taught programmes in:
  • Dental Clinical Sciences
  • Dental Public Health
  • Experimental Oral Sciences
6.59262
Postgraduate medical taught programmes in:
  • Paediatric Dentistry
  • Periodontology
  • Prosthodontics
  • Oral Surgery
  • Implant Dentistry
7.010068
Postgraduate medical taught programmes in:
  • Orthodontics
7.510973
Research students undertaking non-clinical project6.59262
Research students undertaking clinical project7.010068
Pre-Sessional: Students may take the five-week Pre-Sessional if any part of their English score is IELTS 0.5 below the requirement (or equivalent)
  • *Please take Academic IELTS and Academic PTE
  • **Please add Queen Mary's Institution code (9161) to your TOELFiBT registration record and refer your PTE results to Queen Mary so that we can verify your score.

Other tests and qualifications

In addition to Academic IELTS, TOEFL iBT and PTEA, some schools also accept the following tests*:

QualificationScore
Cambridge Certificate in Advanced EnglishPass at Grade B (IELTS 6.5); A (IELTS 7.0)
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in EnglishPass at Grade C (IELTS 6.5); A/B (IELTS 7.0)
IGCSE English as a Second LanguagePass at Grade C (IELTS 6.5); B (IELTS 7.0)
Cambridge GCE O level (English)Pass at Grade C (IELTS 6.5); B (IELTS 7.0)
Cambridge GCE A level (English)Pass at Grade C (IELTS 6.5); B (IELTS 7.0)
International Baccalaureat (standard/higher)Grade 4 (IELTS 6.5); Grade 5 (IELTS 7.0)

*In very exceptional circumstances we may consider an alternative test of English language proficiency as long as we are confident that this assesses you in all four components of language learning (reading, writing, speaking, listening).  If you have further questions about this you should check with your Admissions team.

Majority English Speaking Countries (MESCs) – for nationals

If you are a national from one of these countries, then you are exempt from our English language requirements:

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

Recognised Majority English Speaking Countries (MESCs) – for academic qualifications

If you have completed an academic qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelor's degree which was taught in one of the majority English-speaking countries listed below, you are exempt from our English language requirements:

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

Useful links