English Language Requirements

The University of Suffolk welcomes students from all over the world, and for many of our students English is studied as a second language. The Home Office (UKVI) defines certain countries as "majority English Speaking countries" and nationals from these countries are not normally required to obtain an English language qualification for entry onto our courses. Please check the box below to see the UKVI list of majority English speaking countries.

If English is not your first language you may be asked to undertake an English Language assessment to prove your level of English, unless otherwise stated on your country page. Normally, we would expect admitting English language qualification to be no more than two years old at time of entry onto your course. English language qualifications older than this can only be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

If you are required to apply for a Student Route visa to study in the UK you may be required to sit a Secure English Language Test (SELT) as part of the process of obtaining a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Some of our courses have different English Language requirements, so please check the boxes below to find out what scores you will need and which tests we can accept. 

If you are unsure whether we can accept English which has been completed in your country, please contact the International Office for advice: international@uos.ac.uk

The following countries are on the UKVI's list of majority English Speaking countries

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand,  St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America.

Applicants who are nationals from the above countries will automatically meet the UKVI Student Route visa requirements for English language, but the University may still require some evidence of English language ability to meet the general entrance requirements.

IELTS (Academic or UKVI)

6.0 overall, and a minimum of 5.5 in each component, unless stated otherwise on the specific course page
Cambridge Assessment English B2 First (First Certificate in English) Minimum overall score of 169, no less than 162 in each component or C1 Advanced Certificate in Advanced English
TOEFL iBT (including TOEFL iBT Home Edition)

Overall score of 75 (with a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing)

Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) 64 overall, and a minimum of 59 in each component
Oxford Test of English 126 overall, and a minimum of 111 per component
PSI Skills for English B2 Pass
Password Skills Plus 6.0 overall, and a minimum of 5.5 in each component 
Oxford International English Language Level Test

Level 6 with no component lower than 5

Use our link and code SUFF75 for £45 off your test

Trinity Integrated Skills in English ISE II Pass with Merit or above in each component
LanguageCert IESOL/SELT IESOL B2 Communicator or SELT B2 with a score of 33/50 across all skills
International Baccalaureate English B; English A Literature and Language; English A Literature at Standard Level 5 or Higher Level 4 
GCSE/IGCSE English language C/4 or above
Indian Standard XII (CISCE and CBSE Boards only) 70% overall (without study gap)

 

IELTS (Academic or UKVI) 6.5 overall, and a minimum of 5.5 in each component
Cambridge Assessment English C1 Advanced Minimum overall score of 180, no less than 162 in each component
Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) 67 overall, and a minimum of 59 in each component
Oxford Test of English 140 overall, with a minimum of 111 per component 
PSI Skills for English B2 Pass with Merit
Password Skills Plus 6.5/7.0 overall, and a minimum of 5.5 in each component 
Oxford International English Language Level Test

Level 7 with no component lower than 5

Use our link and code SUFF75 for £45 off your test

TOEFL iBT (including TOEFL iBT Home Edition) Overall score of 82 (with a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing)
Trinity Integrated Skills in English ISE III with a Pass or above in all components
LanguageCert IESOL/SELT IESOL B2 Communicator or SELT B2 with a score of 38/50 across all skills

If you are applying to study a Professional Health Programme such as; Adult Nursing, Child Health Nursing, Diagnostic Radiography, Mental Health Nursing, Operating Department Practice, Paramedic Science, Radiotherapy and Oncology or Social Work you are required to achieve the following:

IELTS (Academic or UKVI) 7.0 overall, and a minimum of 6.5 in each component, unless stated otherwise on the specific course page
Cambridge Assessment English C1 Advanced Minimum overall score of 185, no less than 180 in each component
TOEFL iBT (including TOEFL iBT Home Edition) Overall score of 95 (with a minimum of 22 in reading, 20 in listening, 23 in speaking and 22 in writing)
Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) 76 overall, and a minimum of 67 in each component
PSI Skills for English C1 Pass
Password Skills Plus 7.0 overall, and a minimum of 6.5 in each component 
Oxford Test of English 155 overall with no a minimum of 141 per component
Oxford International English Language Level Test

Level 7 with no component lower than 6

Use our link and code SUFF75 for £45 off your test

Trinity Integrated Skills in English ISE III with Merit or above in each component
LanguageCert IESOL/SELT IESOL C1 Expert or SELT C1 with a score of 33/50 across all skills
International Baccalaureate English B Higher Level 7; English A Literature and Language Standard Level 7 or Higher Level 6 and English A Literature at Standard Level 6 or Higher Level 6
Indian Standard XII (CISCE and CBSE Boards only) 80% overall (without study gap)

If you have completed a degree-level qualification taught in a university or college in a majority-English-speaking country listed above (except Canada), or Ireland, you will automatically meet the UKVI Student Route visa requirements for English language, but the University may still require some evidence of English language ability to meet the general entrance requirements.

If you have completed a degree-level qualification which meets, or exceeds, the recognised standard of a UK bachelor’s degree and was taught in English, we may be able to waive our English language requirement through the use of our English Language Test Waiver form. The form must be completed and physically stamped by the university that awarded your degree.

Once complete, return the form to admissions@uos.ac.uk and we will be able to assess whether we can waive the English language requirement for your application. Before contacting your previous institution, please see below for a list of universities we have already approved waivers for.

Our ability to waive the English language requirement based on your completion of a degree taught in English is in line with the UKVI’s English language requirements for a Student visa. Therefore, if you require a visa to study a degree in the UK, you will not be required by the UKVI to complete a Secure English Language Test (SELT), providing we are able to waive the English language requirement for your application following our assessment of a completed waiver from your previous university. The waiver cannot be used for entry to our Professional Health programmes.

Please note that if your previous university are unable to complete the form, or they are unable to confirm that your degree was taught in English to the standard that we require, you will be required to meet our English language requirements using one of the other methods stated above. Fraudulent documents will not be considered. Evidence of fraudulent submissions may lead to your application being withdrawn.

 

Universities With Approved Waivers

Below is a list of universities we have received approved waivers from already. If you have completed a UK-standard Bachelor degree, or higher, you will be exempt from taking an English language test a part of your admission to University of Suffolk unless your previous degree programme is shown in the list of excluded courses or was awarded outside of the period covered by the Waiver, as noted below.

Please note that if we have received a valid waiver from your previous university and your degree was awarded up to 5 years prior to your University of Suffolk course start date, we will be able to apply the waiver to your application automatically.

If your degree was awarded more than 5 years ago, but less than 10 years before your course starts, we may be able to apply the waiver to your application on a discretionary basis where we are able to satisfy ourselves that your award was taught entirely in English. In this case, applicants are also encouraged to provide a Medium of Instruction letter from their previous university, confirming that their specific course was taught to them in English. 

If your degree was awarded more than 10 years prior to your University of Suffolk course start, please note that we will not be able to apply the waiver to your application.

 

Country University Courses Excluded from Waiver
Bangladesh Jahangirnagar University All Bachelor degrees excluded. Postgraduate degrees from Departments of Bangla, Drama & Dramatics, History, Bangabandhu Institute of Comparative Literature & Culture, and Fine Arts are all excluded
Bangladesh Leading University (LU) All Bachelor degrees excluded
Bangladesh Metropolitan University (MU) All Bachelor degrees excluded
Bangladesh Presidency University All Bachelor degrees excluded
Bangladesh Shahjalal University of Science and Technology All courses excluded except BSc Engineering. Awards must be recognised by the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, or be accredited by the Board of Accreditation for Engineering and Technical Education (BAETE) to qualify for our waiver.
Bangladesh Stamford University Bangladesh All courses excluded except BSc Engineering. Awards must be recognised by the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, or be accredited by the Board of Accreditation for Engineering and Technical Education (BAETE) to qualify for our waiver.
Bangladesh World University of Bangladesh (WUB) All Bachelor degrees excluded
China Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications All courses excluded except MSc Management Science & Engineering
Germany Goethe University N/A
Ghana Entrepreneurship Training Institute (affiliated to University Of Cape Coast)  Only valid for degrees awarded by University of Cape Coast
Ghana Ghana Baptist University College (University of Cape Coast) Only valid for degrees awarded by University of Cape Coast
Ghana Ghana Communication Technology University (formerly GTUC) N/A
Ghana Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration N/A
Ghana Kumasi Technical University Only valid for Bachelor of Technology degrees with approval from the National Accreditation Board (NAB)
Ghana Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology N/A
Ghana Regent University College of Science and Technology Only valid for degrees with approval from the National Accreditation Board (NAB). All Postgraduate awards excluded
Ghana University of Cape Coast N/A
Ghana University of Education, Winneba N/A
Ghana University of Ghana N/A
Ghana University of Professional Studies, Accra N/A
Ghana Valley View University N/A
Hungary University of Debrecen N/A
India Achariya Arts and Science College (affiliated to Pondicherry University) Pondicherry University awards only
India Andhra University N/A
India Anwarul Uloom College (Autonomous), Osmania University Osmania University awards only
India Banaras Hindu University N/A
India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam University N/A
India GNA University N/A
India Gujarat Vidyapith N/A
India Indira Gandhi National Open University N/A
India Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Anantapur N/A
India Karpagam Academy of Higher Education  N/A
India Krishna University N/A
India Lovely Professional University N/A
India Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam (Kerala) Degrees in Language and/or Literature other than English are excluded
India Muthayammal Memorial College of Arts and Science (affiliated to Periyar University) Periyar University awards only
India Paavai Arts and Science College for Women (affiliated to Periyar University) Periyar University awards only
India Parul University N/A
India Pondicherry University N/A
India Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering and Technology (affiliated to Pondicherry University) Pondicherry University awards only
India Sardar Patel University [Gujarat] N/A
India Satavahana University  N/A
India Sri Sarada Mahavidyalayam Arts and Science College for Women (affiliated to Thiruvalluvar University) Thiruvalluvar University awards only
India University of Kerala N/A
India Vivekanandha Arts and Science College for Women (affiliated to Periyar University) Periyar University awards only
Kenya KCA University Degrees below four years in length are excluded. Awards must be for programmes recognised by the Commission for University Education
Kenya Kenya Methodist University Degrees below four years in length are excluded. Awards must be for programmes recognised by the Commission for University Education
Kenya The Technical University of Kenya Degrees below four years in length are excluded
Kenya University of Nairobi Degrees below four years in length are excluded
Nepal Pokhara University Degrees below four years in length are excluded
Nigeria Abia State University N/A
Nigeria Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi N/A
Nigeria Ahmadu Bello University N/A
Nigeria Alex Ekwueme Federal University N/A
Nigeria Ambrose Alli University BA (Hons) French
Nigeria Babcock University N/A
Nigeria Bayero University, Kano N/A
Nigeria Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University N/A
Nigeria Covenant University N/A
Nigeria Delta State University N/A
Nigeria Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti N/A
Nigeria Enugu State University of Science and Technology N/A
Nigeria Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta N/A
Nigeria Federal University of Petroleum Resources All Postgraduate awards excluded
Nigeria Federal University of Technology, Akure N/A
Nigeria Federal University of Technology, Minna N/A
Nigeria Federal University of Technology, Owerri N/A
Nigeria Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University All Postgraduate awards excluded
Nigeria Imo State University N/A
Nigeria Joseph Ayo Babalola University N/A
Nigeria Kwara State Polytechnic All Postgraduate awards excluded
Nigeria Ladoke Akintola University of Technology N/A
Nigeria Lagos State University N/A
Nigeria Landmark University N/A
Nigeria Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike N/A
Nigeria Modibbo Adama University Of Technology N/A
Nigeria Nasarawa State University N/A
Nigeria National Open University of Nigeria N/A
Nigeria Nnamdi Azikiwe University N/A
Nigeria Obafemi Awolowo University N/A
Nigeria Olabisi Onabanjo University N/A
Nigeria Tai Solarin University of Education N/A
Nigeria Tansian University All Postgraduate awards excluded
Nigeria University of Abuja N/A
Nigeria University of Benin N/A
Nigeria University of Ibadan N/A
Nigeria University of Ilorin N/A
Nigeria University of Jos N/A
Nigeria University of Lagos N/A
Nigeria University of Nigeria N/A
Nigeria University of Port Harcourt N/A
Nigeria Western Delta University All Postgraduate awards excluded
Pakistan Allama Iqbal Open University Degrees below four years excluded
Pakistan Bacha Khan University Degrees below four years excluded
Pakistan Government College of Management Sciences No.1 Abdul Wali Khan University awards only. Degrees below four years excluded
Pakistan University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Degrees below four years excluded
Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore Degrees below four years excluded
Pakistan University of Gujrat Degrees below four years excluded
Pakistan University of Lahore Degrees below four years excluded
Pakistan University of Swabi Degrees below four years excluded
Sri Lanka General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University N/A
Sri Lanka University of Jaffna N/A
Tanzania Mzumbe University N/A
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Cyprus International University N/A
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Eastern Mediterranean University N/A