English language requirements

To study at Kent, you must be able to demonstrate an excellent level of spoken and written English. This page gives guidance on the qualifications we accept as an entry requirement onto our undergraduate courses.

If British Sign Language (BSL) is your first language and you don't meet the English Language requirements, please get in contact to discuss your specific circumstances.  

If you are not a national of one of the UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries, you must show evidence of a minimum level of English language proficiency. You may be able to prove this in the following ways:

Approved English language qualifications > For students with one of our approved English language proficiency qualifications.

A level, GCSE and IB students > For students studying recognised qualifications in English at an international school and who do not require a Student visa to study in the UK.

Students with other qualifications > For students with at least a Bachelor's degree level qualification in a majority English speaking country.

The qualifications and grades we accept are listed below. If you have taken an in-country qualification or A level, GCSE or IB English, this may not be required. This is assessed on an individual basis for applicants requiring a Student visa. 

We accept some online tests as well as those sat in official test centres. If you require further advice on what online tests are accepted, get in touch and we would be happy to advise you.

Please note, your test results must be dated within the two years immediately preceding the start date of your course.  

Oxford English Language Level Test (ELLT) discount for Kent applicants

Oxford ELLT is a fully online English Language Level Test, approved by the University of Kent that can be used as evidence of a candidate’s English language proficiency for international admissions.  

Register to take the Oxford ELLT through this link.

You can also benefit from using our discount code at check out to purchase the test for only £90.00 : KEN25

For the grades we accept, please refer to the below table. For more information about the Oxford ELLT and to access sample tests, visit the website.

Key: R = reading; W = writing; S = speaking; L = listening  

• Students requiring a Student visa must ensure the IELTS Test is taken at a UKVI approved test centre and the certificate must bear the UKVI number.
• You must give the University permission to view your Pearson test results.
• You cannot combine scores from more than one TOEFL test and you must arrange for TOEFL to forward a copy of your results direct to the University. The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Kent is 0826. 

For more information:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)
• Cambridge English: Advanced & Proficiency (CAE/CPE)
• Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)

If you do not yet meet the English language requirements, pre-sessional courses are available to prepare international students for study at Kent. These develop your skills in academic reading, writing and critical thinking, listening to lectures, speaking in seminars and delivering presentations.

At the end of the course, you take the Kent International Test of English. You must meet the required exit level to progress directly onto your main programme.

If you are studying recognised qualifications in English at an international school, we will consider the following qualifications:  

Normally, these qualifications should have been taken within the 3 years immediately preceding the start date of your course at Kent. Any qualifications taken more than 3 years ago will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.  

UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries

If you are a national of one of the countries below, you do not need to prove your English language ability for Student visa purposes. You may also be exempt if you have an academic qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelor's degree from one of these countries. However, you must still meet our English language requirements.

In-country qualifications

You may use one of the following English language qualifications in your visa application as proof of meeting the Level B2 requirement. This does not guarantee you will be exempt from taking a SELT. The University will conduct an assessment of your application and determine if an offer can be made.

Please note that the levels indicated above are not applicable to the MPharm (B230) programme. Visit the Medway School of Pharmacy website for further details.    

Please note that these qualifications are not accepted for MPharm (B230) or MPharm with a Foundation Year (B231).

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK, you must also meet the English language requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). For degree-level entry, you must achieve at least Level B2 of CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) in all four language components. Full details are available on the UKVI website.

If you do not hold one of our listed English language qualifications, then a secure English language test (SELT) may be required. A SELT is a language qualification approved by UKVI for visa purposes.

As a Student visa Sponsor of overseas students, if you have taken an in-country qualification, or A Level, GCSE or IB English, we can assess your language proficiency for degree-level entry or above. We use our own entry requirements as above, which in most cases are higher than the B2 Level set by UKVI.

For pre-sessional and foundation programmes (below National Qualification Framework Level 6), Level B1 (CEFR) is acceptable. Full details are available on the UKVI website. A UKVI-approved SELT is mandatory for programmes at this level. Alternative qualifications will not be accepted. Please note that our own entry requirements for our pre-sessional courses depend on which course you have applied for, so please refer to the International Programmes website for details.

Do I need a UK visa?

Find a UKVI-approved test and test centre

All students need an appropriate score in an approved English language examination. For UK students, this is usually a grade C/4 or above in GCSE English language or equivalent.

For non-visa students, we accept the following qualifications:

Key: R = reading; W = writing; S = speaking; L = listening 

These requirements are for guidance only. All applications are assessed individually and entry requirements can vary.

Please note that the levels indicated above are not applicable to the MPharm (B230) programme. Visit the Medway School of Pharmacy website for further details.

Further information

If you have a query about our English language entry requirements, please make an enquiry here.