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.
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:
- Achieve the minimum score in one of the tests or qualifications we accept – see below
- Show that you are exempt from our English language requirements – see English language exemption for details
- Pass the Imperial College London Pre-Sessional English Programme*
*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 university’s English language requirement.
Upgrade your academic language and communication skills
If you have already met the English language requirement, but want to boost your academic language so that you can communicate more confidently and effectively, we offer the Imperial College London 3-week Pre-sessional and Orientation course. The course empowers participants to speak and write about their science in a compelling, impactful way as part of a vibrant learning community.
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
- IELTS – Academic (Test-Centre/UKVI SELT/Online)
- LanguageCert International ESOL
- Occupational English Test
- PTE – Academic (Test-Centre/UKVI SELT)
- TOEFL (iBT) and (iBT Paper)
- Trinity College London: Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III
- Trinity College London: Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level IV
Standard Level | Higher 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. |
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in all elements) | 7.0 overall (minimum 6.5 in all elements) |
*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.
Standard level | Higher 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.
Standard Level | Higher 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. |
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
62 overall (minimum 56 in all elements) | 69 overall (minimum 62 in all elements) |
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.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
92 overall (minimum 20 in all elements) | 100 overall (minimum 22 in all elements) |
*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.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
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.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
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
- Australia Territory High School Certificate (HSC)
- Cambridge C1 Advanced Certificate in English (CAE)
- Canadian High School Diploma
- Caribbean Examination Council – Secondary Education Certificate
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
- European Baccalaureate
- GCSE or GCE 'O' Level
- Hong Kong AS Level
- Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examinations Syllabus B
- Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
- IGCSE
- Indian 12th Standard *CBSE & CISCE boards only
- International Baccalaureate
- International Baccalaureate MYP English e-assessed
- International Option of the French Baccalaureat (OIB)
- Irish Leaving Certificate
- Malaysian Certificate of Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia)
- Malta Matriculation Certificate
- Malta Secondary Education Certificate
- National Certificate in Educational Achievement Level 2 or Level 3
- Scottish Standard (SS) & National 5 (N5)
- Singapore Cambridge A-Levels
- Singapore Cambridge O-Levels
- Singapore Integrated Programme - NUS High School Diploma
- Singapore Integrated Programme Cambridge A Levels (SIPCAL)
- UCL – Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate in Science and Engineering (UPCSE) – English Language Module
- USA Advanced Placement Examination
- USA High School Diploma
- West African Examinations Council (WAEC)
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade C in English Language* | Grade C in English Language* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Territory | Standard 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.
Standard | Higher | |
---|---|---|
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) |
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade 12 English at 65%* | Grade 12 English at 65%* |
*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.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade 2 | Grade 2 |
Standard | Higher | |
---|---|---|
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.
Standard | Higher | |
---|---|---|
English as a First Language | Grade 6 | Grade 7 |
English as a Second Language | Grade 7* | Grade 7* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher | |
---|---|---|
GCSE Post 2017 | Grade 6 in English Language | Grade 6 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 |
For this qualification our standard and higher English Language requirements are set at the same level for 2025 entry.
If you are a Home student and you are applying for a course for 2025 entry, we require a Grade 5 in English Language for all courses except MBBS Medicine, which requires a Grade 6 in English Language GCSE.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade C in English* | Grade C in English* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Level 4 in English in Syllabus B* | Grade 4 in English in Syllabus B* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Level 3 in English* | Level 3 in English* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade B or 6 in English as a First Language* | Grade B or 6 in English as a First Language* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
70% | 70% |
For qualifications taken after 2013
Standard | Higher | |
---|---|---|
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
Standard | Higher | |
---|---|---|
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)* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade 5 | Grade 5 |
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade 12 in English in the final examinations* | Grade 12 in English in the final examinations* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
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* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade A in English Language (1119)* | Grade A in English Language (1119)* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
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. |
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade 2 | Grade 2 |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. |
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
NCEA Level 2 English Grade: Merit* NCEA Level 3 English Grade: Achieved* |
NCEA Level 2 English Grade: Merit* NCEA Level 3 English Grade: Achieved* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Standard Grade 2 in English National 5 Grade B |
Standard Grade 2 in English National 5 Grade B |
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade C in English* | Grade C in English* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade B in English* | Grade B in English* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
CAP 4.5 out of 5 in English Language* | CAP 4.5 out of 5 in English Language* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade C in the General Paper* | Grade C in the General Paper* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
65% overall with 60% in each subset | 70% with 65% in each subset |
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Grade 4 in English Language and Composition* | Grade 4 in English Language and Composition* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English Language and Composition requirements are set at the same level.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Year 12 English at Grade B* | Year 12 English at Grade B* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level. Must be studied in a majority English speaking country.
Standard | Higher |
---|---|
Level 4 in English* | Level 4 in English* |
*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same level.