Entrance Exams Required To Study In The UK

To gain admission into universities in the United Kingdom, international students are usually mandated to sit for one or more verbal and written tests like the TOEFL, GMAT, or PTE. The minimum score requirements for the examinations may differ depending on the university, course, or program level.

A minimum B2 level English language proficiency is required if you are from Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world and wish to obtain a degree in the UK. Most exams have a minimum validity of 2 years, which means if you want to apply to another university three years after taking the first exam, you will have to sit for a fresh one.

To help you in your journey to getting into a higher institution that you desire, Booklab24 has compiled the major examinations that are accepted in the UK.

IELTS

Many UK universities and colleges prefer the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as part of the ELP, UK immigration, and visa requirements. A minimum score of 4.0-5.5 is required for a UK student visa.

However, any university’s minimum IELTS score requirement may be higher than the visa requirement. Top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge require a minimum IELTS score of 7.0-7.5, with an average score of 6.0.

PTE

The Pearson English Test is accepted by almost 98 percent of UK universities. The minimum PTE score required for a UK visa is 43-59. However, various institutions may require a higher score.

TOEFL

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is generally used as an alternative to IELTS results. Although IELTS is strongly preferred in the UK, students who fail the test may consider taking the TOEFL test. Submitting a TOEFL test can help international students obtain a Tier 4 visa.

Below are the TOEFL iBT requirements the UK Home Office set for visa and immigration purposes.

• Total score: 72
• Reading: 18
• Listening: 17
• Writing: 17
• Speaking: 20

Cambridge English Language Assessment

Cambridge English Language Assessment is one of the few tests that generally has no expiry date. However, some research institutes in the UK consider these results invalid after two years.

Unlike other ELP exams, Cambridge English follows a grading system with a minimum cut-off grade of A, B, or C. Most universities in the UK accept Cambridge test scores, but some require either CAE or CPE, depending on the course.

GMAT

Students applying to study in UK business schools can consider taking the graduate management admission test (GMAT). Currently, about 200 universities in the UK accept GMAT scores.

GRE

UK universities widely accept the GRE, but it is not mandatory for applicants. GRE scores are mainly submitted by students applying to UK MBA or JD programs. It can also be taken if you apply for science, mathematics, and literature courses. A minimum score of 150 in verbal and quantitative parts is considered sufficient.

MAT

The Mathematics Test (MAT) is the general entrance exam required for any bachelor’s or master’s degree program in mathematics. It is conducted jointly by the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and is mostly preferred for undergraduate mathematics courses.

Some of the prominent institutions that require mathematics scores are:

• Cardiff University
• Durham University
• University of Bath
• University of Cambridge
• Lancaster University
• University of Southampton
• University of Warwick
• University of Nottingham
• University of Sheffield
• London School of Economics and Political Science.

LNAT

The Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) is an entrance exam for undergraduate law courses. This is just an aptitude test that assesses general skills, and candidates are not required to have any prior legal knowledge.

The best-known institutions that require LNAT scores are:

• Durham University
• King’s College London
• University of Bristol
• University of Oxford
• SOAS, University of London
• University of Glasgow
• London School of Economics and Political Science
• University of Nottingham
• University College London

BMAT

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is an entrance exam for medicine, biomedical sciences, and dentistry courses. UK universities that require BMAT are:

• University of Leeds
• University of Oxford
• Imperial College London
• Lancaster University
• University College London
• University of Cambridge
• University of Manchester Medical School
• Keele University
• Brighton and Sussex Medical School