English language requirements
The English language levels listed below represent standards required to enter Queen Mary, University of London. Students applying from countries which require a tier 4 visa should also take care to meet UKBA minimum component scores.
- Important information for applicants applying for Tier 4 immigration permission (UPDATED)
- Presessional English programmes
English language entry level guidelines
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Humanities and Social Sciences General
| IELTS | IBTOEFL | PTE Academic | |
| No presessional required | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| 5 weeks presessional | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| 9 weeks presessional | At student's option | ||
| Note: Students who achieve below IELTS 6.5 or equivalent are not normally admitted onto the presessional | |||
Undergraduate and Postgraduate School of Economics
| IELTS | IBTOEFL | PTE Academic | |
| No presessional required | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| 5 weeks presessional | 6.0 | 70 | 53 |
| 9 weeks presessional | At student's option | ||
| Note: Students who achieve below IELTS 6.0 or equivalent are not normally admitted onto the presessional | |||
Postgraduate Business and Management
| IELTS | IBTOEFL | PTE Academic | |
| No presessional required | 7.0 (writing 6) | 100 (writing 22) | 68 (writing and written discourse 53) |
| 5 weeks presessional (minimum) | 6.5 (writing 6) | 92 (writing 20) | 62 (writing and written discourse 53) |
| 9 weeks presessional (minimum) | 6.0 (writing 6) | 79 (writing 18) | 53 (writing and written discourse 53) |
| 13 weeks presessional | Optional for students with at least IELTS 6.0 (writing 6) or equivalent. | ||
| Notes: 1. Students who achieve below IELTS 6.0 (writing 6) or equivalent are not normally admitted onto the presessional. | |||
Postgraduate programmes in Languages, Linguistics and Film
| IELTS | IBTOEFL | PTE Academic | |
| No presessional required | 7.0 (writing 7.0) | 100 (writing 27) | 68 (writing and written discourse 68) |
| 5 weeks presessional | 6.5 (writing 6.5) | 92 (writing 24) | 62 (writing and written discourse 62) |
| 9 weeks presessional | At student's option | ||
| Note: Students who achieve below IELTS 6.5 or equivalent are not normally admitted onto the presessional | |||
Postgraduate Law Taught Courses
| IELTS | IBTOEFL | PTE Academic | ILEC | |
| No presessional or insessional required | 7.0 (writing 7.0) | 100 (writing 27/30) | 68 (Writing and written discourse 68 | C1 |
| Insessional programme attendance will be required - see note 2. 5 Week presessional is recommended but not required. | 7.0 (writing 6.5) | 100 (writing 24/30) | 68 (writing and written discourse 62) | - |
| 5 weeks presessional plus insessional programme | 6.5 (writing 6.5) | 92 (writing 24/30) | 62 (writing and written discourse 62) | - |
| 9 weeks presessional plus insessional programme | 6.5 (writing 6.0) | 92 (writing below 24/30) | 62 (Writing & written discourse 53) | B2 (2 months compulsory) |
| 13 weeks plus insessional programme | 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each component) | 79 (with minimum 18/30 in each component) | 53 overall with 48 in each discipline | - |
| Note 1: Students who submit a test score which does not fully meet the minimum English language requirement for unconditional entry of IELTS 7.0 overall with 7.0 in writing (or equivalent) will automatically be offered the appropriate presessional programme as a condition of entry if and where possible. However, a student may still retake and submit a higher language score before enrolment - any presessional condition set can then be cancelled or amended depending on the new score achieved and the date the new scores are submitted. | ||||
| Note 2 : Any student who scores 6.5 or below in the IELTS sub-test in writing (or equivalent sub-scores in other tests) is required to attend Queen Mary's insessional Critical Thinking and Writing in Law Programme, regardless of overall score. This programme is free to QM students and runs in terms 1, 2 and 3. (Students with higher English scores than detailed above are also able to join this valuable programme). See http://www.languageandlearning.qmul.ac.uk/ for more information. | ||||
| Note 3 : Discretion and judgement will be used when a student's score profile falls between any of the above levels. | ||||
| Other notes : (i) Other qualifications may be considered on an individual basis (Cambridge Proficiency -Grade A). (ii) The scores detailed above are the minimum requirements for each level of the Presessional Programme. Both the overall minimum and listed writing score must be achieved. (iii) Students who achieve below IELTS 6.0 or equivalent are not normally admitted onto the presessional or PG Law courses. | ||||
Postgraduate Law Research Courses
Applicants whose first language is not English are required to provide proof of proficiency in English as part of the application process. The minimum scores for admission to the research programme are:
- TOEFL: 630 (with TWE 6)
- IELTS: 7.5 (with writing 7.5)
- IBTOEFL: 109 (with writing 28/30)
- Cambridge Proficiency: A
- Pearson Test of English: 73 (73 in writing)
Please see further information on our English Language requirements.
Applicants who have completed another degree (example: LLB, BA, BSc, LLM, MA, MSc) requiring two or three years of study at university level in a country where English is the mother tongue (not necessarily where the course was taught in English);
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Science and Engineering
| IELTS | IBTOEFL | PTE Academic | |
| No presessional required | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| 5 weeks presessional | 6.0 | 79 | 53 |
| 9 weeks presessional (see note) | 5.5 | 71 | 48 |
| Note: Students who achieve below IELTS 5.5 are not normally admitted onto the presessional. Students joining the Postgraduate degree programmes in the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science will not be admitted onto the presessional English Language course, unless they have a minimum IELTS of 6.0 or equivalent. | |||
Postgraduate Medical Taught Courses
| IELTS | IBTOEFL | PTE Academic | |
| Clinical Drug Development (MSc & PG Dip) | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| Healthcare Research Methods (MSc & PG Dip) | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| Clinical Microbiology (MSc & PG Dip) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Gastroenterology (MSc) | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| Obstetrics & Gynaecological Science (MSc) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Primary Care (MSc & PG Dip) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Public Health (MSc & Dip) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Sport & Exercise Medicine (MSc/Dip & Cert) | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| Transcultural Mental Healthcare (MSc/Dip) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Surgical Skills and Sciences (MSc) | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| Cancer Therapeutics (MSc) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Molecular Pathology and Genomics (MSc) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
Postgraduate Dental Taught Courses
| IELTS | IBTOEFL | PTE Academic | |
| Diploma in Dental Clinical Sciences (Dip) | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| Dental Public Health (MSc & PG Dip) | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| Experimental Oral Sciences (MSc) | 6.5 | 92 | 62 |
| Orthodontics (MSc) | 7.5 | 109 | 73 |
| Paediatric Dentistry (MClin Dent) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Periodontology (MClin Dent) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Prosthodontics (MClin Dent) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Oral Surgery (MSc) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
| Implant Dentistry (MSc) | 7.0 | 100 | 68 |
Research students undertaking a non clinical project will be required to have a minimum IELTS score of 6.5.
Research students undertaking a clinical project will be required to have a minimum IELTS score of 7.0.
Students who miss the IELTS score by 0.5 may usually do a one month presessional course. For example, students who wish to study MSc in Dental Public Health who achieve an IELTS Score of 6.0 can meet the requirement by attending a one month presessional course.
**Important information for applicants applying for Tier 4 immigration permission**
If you are applying from a Tier 4 visa country we recommend that you take a Secure English Language Test as specified by the UK Border Agency, taking care to meet minimum component scores. If you are coming to study either an undergraduate degree (NQF Level 6) or a higher qualification (Masters, PhD) and have previously studied one of Queen Mary's Approved English Language Qualifications, achieving the appropriate grade, this will be acceptable for entry to the College and will meet UKBA guidelines.
Exemptions to UKBA’s English language requirements:
You will not be required to take an English Language test:
If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country
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
The UKBA will confirm the Tier 4 (General) student’s nationality using his/her passport.
Full details can be found on the UKBA website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/can-you-apply/english-language/
If you have a degree taught in English from a majority English-speaking country. Please see UKBA's definition of majority English-speaking country
Antigua and Barbuda;
Australia
The Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
New Zealand
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
The UK
United States of America
Where the Tier 4 (General) student’s sponsor has used such a qualification to check that he/she is competent in English language, they must include information about this qualification in the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. The Tier 4 (General) student must include his/her course certificate with his/her application. We will check that the qualification is at least equivalent to a UK degree using UK NARIC.
Full details can be found on the UKBA website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/can-you-apply/english-language/
- If you are studying on QMUL-BUPT Joint degree programme
Presessional English programmes
If your QM offer is conditional upon achieving a score in IELTS, IBTOEFL or another English language test, and you have not quite reached the required standard, (e.g. your offer letter says 7.0 and you only have 6.5) you can attend the presessional course for a specified period of time (see below) instead of taking IELTS or TOEFL again. You must have at least IELTS 5.0 or equivalent in each section to be accepted on to the presessional course. Successful completion of the presessional course means you can enter your undergraduate or postgraduate degree course directly. You will also be able to attend the free Insessional English Programme while you follow your main course.
If you are planning to take the Pre-Masters Programme, you will need to reach IELTS 5.5 or equivalent in all sections of the exam. If you have not quite reached the required standard, you can join a nine week presessional programme provided you have at least IELTS 5.0 or equivalent, with no lower than 4.5 in each section.