English language requirements

For Student Route visa purposes, the UKVI has a prescribed list of Majority English-speaking countries (this list is not defined by The University of Manchester).

If you are a national of one of the following countries (or have a bachelor’s degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• UK
• USA

You also do not need to prove your knowledge of English if one of the following applies:

• you’re a national of Canada;
• you’re applying to come to the UK for a study abroad programme as part of a university degree course in the USA.

For courses below degree-level

A UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) is required if you are joining a course below degree-level, including:

• separate/non-integrated foundation courses;
• separate/non-integrated Pre-Sessional English courses;
• separate/non-integrated English for Academic Purposes courses. 

These are taken in person in a UKVI-approved secure English language testing centre.

The UKVI-recognised SELTs are: 

• IELTS Academic (UKVI);
• Pearson PTE Academic (UKVI). We do not accept Pearson PTE Academic Online or Pearson PTE Academic Home;
• LanguageCert International ESOL (UKVI) – 4-skill (tests ceased in December 2024);
• LanguageCert Academic SELT. We accept test centre invigilated only, not the online test;
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills ISE – ISE II, ISE III or ISE IV (when taken at a UK SELT-approved centre).

Please note that IELTS, Pearson and Trinity ISE are only valid for two years after the test date. 

For entry to degree-level study or higher

We accept a wide range of tests if you are joining a degree-level course or above, including: 

• an undergraduate degree;
• a postgraduate degree;
• an integrated course with a joint CAS (where a foundation year or pre-sessional English course are part of the full bachelor’s degree). Please note: a UKVI-approved test or Secure English Language Test (SELT), as defined above, is required for a joint CAS, for example IELTS UKVI version.

Some of the most common tests include: 

• IELTS Academic and IELTS UKVI, which we accept.  We accept IELTS One Skill Retake of these two tests only;
  • We accept in-person IELTS tests taken in official IELTS test centres only;
  • We do not accept IELTS General, IELTS Home, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Life Skills, IELTS Online or any other IELTS test;
  • Candidates should be careful to note that IELTS Academic, which is acceptable, is a different type of assessment to “IELTS Online”, which we do not accept.  To avoid confusion, even though IELTS online is aligned to IELTS Academic, kindly note that it is not accepted by The University of Manchester. Please be careful when selecting the appropriate IELTS test.
• Pearson PTE Academic (UKVI and non-UKVI versions). We do not accept Pearson PTE Academic Online or Pearson PTE Academic Home;
• Test-centre invigilated LanguageCert Academic SELT or test-centre invigilated LanguageCert Academic non-SELT;
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills ISE – ISE II, ISE III or ISE IV – paper or digital, taken at a test centre in the UK or internationally. We do not accept online / home-based tests;
• Cambridge Advanced (CAE/C1 Advanced) and Cambridge Proficiency (CPE/C2 Proficiency);
• TOEFL iBT. We do not accept TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition. TOEFL iBT scores from tests taken before January 21, 2026 must meet current 0-120 requirements; scores from after this date will be reviewed case-by-case using ETS equivalency tables.

Please note that IELTS, Pearson, TOEFL and ISE are only valid for two years after the test date.

Each course and programme we offer has its own requirements in terms of English test scores. Please refer to the course profiles for details of specific English language scores that are acceptable for entry.

Although score requirements vary by course, typical scores for entry to Manchester are summarised below (sub-skill scores may also apply):

IGCSE

IGCSE English as a First Language is accepted and the grade requirements are as stated on each course’s webpage.  
 
For September 2027 entry, candidates offering IGCSE English as a Second Language should note that the University will accept those qualifications offered by the following exam boards only: Cambridge AIE, Oxford AQA, and Pearson Edexcel.   

Candidates will need to attain Grade 8 to meet courses with an IELTS 6.5 standard requirement or Grade 7 to satisfy those with an IELTS 6 requirement.   

Candidates applying for programmes with an IELTS 7 (or higher) requirement will need to offer an alternative acceptable qualification or test.  

Please note: the University does not accept the IGCSE English as a Second Language when awarded by the Learning Resource Network (LRN). 

Note, too, the University does not accept IGCSE English as an Additional Language.  

We also accept some English language qualifications from other countries, depending on the University’s assessment of its academic suitability. You can check if your qualification is accepted by contacting the International Office team. 

Although requirements vary by course, typical scores for common overseas English language qualifications include the following.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Please note: The University will accept Middle Years Programme (eAssessment only) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma’s Higher or Standard Level courses and scores as indicated in the table above as equivalent to the GCSE/IGCSE grades indicated. 

If you have a qualification that is not listed above, you can ask the Admissions Office of the School to which you are applying whether your qualification is acceptable.

When enquiring, please inform the School of:

• the name, level and date of the qualification;
• the country in which it was taken; and
• the scores you obtained.

If possible, please send a scanned copy of the certificate and transcripts, showing as much of the above information as possible.

You can find the relevant admissions contact details on your course profile page, or contact the International Office.