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English language requirement

As part of the application process you will be asked to show that you have met the
Colleges English-language requirement. You can do this in a number of ways:

Successfully pass the Imperial College London Pre-sessional English Programme. This
equips international students with the academic language skills and literacytypically
needed to begin postgraduate research or postgraduate taught courses in science,
engineeringand medicine.
Take an English language proficiency test
Provide evidence of a previous qualification that you have taken that confirms your
English level
Provide evidence that you meet one of our English language exemptions

Please note: The Business School does not accept any pre-sessional courses as a means of
meeting the English language requirement, this includes the pre-sessional English
language courses offered by the Centre for Academic English. You may take the Centre for
Academic English pre-sessional English language courses to support your studies, however
please check your programme start date as this may clash with the end date of the Pre-
Sessional courses offered by the Centre for Academic English.

More details on the proficiency tests and qualifications we accept, along with our English
language exemptions, can be found below. Please note the College has two attainment
levels of English language; standard and higher. Please refer to the course pages for
undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to determine which level your course
requires.

For more details on how to submit your English language results to Imperial please visit
our pages on meeting the condition(s) of your offer for undergraduate and postgraduate
students.

Note for research (PhD) applicants

If you are applying for a postgraduate research degree and are askedto present formal
evidence of English language ability, you will need to fulfill the Imperial College London
Postgraduate English Requirement. This involves taking the Imperial College London initial
English assessment (English Assessment 1) as soon as you start your PhD studies. After this
assessment, internal classes (which are free of charge) may be recommended, and you
may be reassessed at a later stage to evaluate your progress.

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/english/ 5/1/2016
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The aim of this requirement is to help and encourage you to work on your English
language skills and to ensure that you receive the necessary support to complete your
PhD successfully and communicate your work in the wider academic community. For more
information please see the Centre for Academic English website.

**Update on visa requirements - changes to English

language**
Please note that as a Tier 4 Sponsor, Imperial College London is able to make its own
assessment of students English language ability. The College has therefore decided to
accept English language tests (as listed below), which meet our own entry requirements
for admission to courses taught at degree level, provided the test certificate is valid and
the scores achieved meet either our Standard level or Higher level requirements (please
note that some courses require the Higher level).

If you require a Tier 4 visa, your Confirmation for Acceptance of Studies (CAS), will include
a statement which confirms the College has made its own assessment of your English
language. When applying for your Tier 4 visa, you will not be required to provide evidence
of your English language ability with your visa application. However, you are still required
to provide official evidence to the College of the accepted English language test you have
taken. The only exception to this is in the case of pre-sessional English students, who are
studying below degree level and will therefore have to take a Home Office Approved
English Language Test and provide evidence of this test with their visa application. You
can book a IELTS for UKVI test through the IELTS website.

For information and advice on applying for your visa please go to our International
Student Support pages.

Proficiency Tests

IELTS (Academic) +
Standard Higher

6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in all elements) 7.0 overall (minimum 6.5 in all elements)

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.For
more information relating regarding IELTS please visit theIELTS website. Please note if
you are planning on taking a pre-sessional English programme at the College you must
take an IELTS for UKVI test. More details on how to book this test can be found on the
IELTS website.

Pearson Academic (PTE)

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+
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 relating regarding Pearson please visit the Pearson
website.

TOEFL (iBT) +
Standard Higher

92 overall (minimum 20 in all elements) 100 overall (minimum 22 in all elements)

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.For
more information relating regarding TOEFL please visit the ETS website.

Accepted English Qualifications

AS Level/A-level +
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.

Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) +

Standard Higher

Tests taken before Grade C Grade B

January 2015

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Standard Higher

176 overall (minimum 169 in 185 overall (minimum 176 in

Tests taken from
all elements) all elements)
January 2015

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) +

Standard Higher

Any pass grade with a pass in Any pass grade with a pass in
Tests taken each elementOR Level C1 each elementOR Level C1
before January
2015 certificate* certificate*

Tests taken Any pass grade with a pass in 185 overall (minimum 176 in all
from January each element elements)
2015

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same
level.

European Baccalaureate +

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.

GCSE or GCE 'O' Level +

Standard Higher

Grade B in English Language* Grade B in English Language*

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*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same
level.

Hong Kong AS Level +

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.

Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examinations Syllabus B +

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.

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education +

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.

IGCSE +
Standard Higher

Grade B in English as a First Language* Grade B in English as a First Language*

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same
level.

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International Baccalaureate +
For qualifications taken after 2013

Standard Higher

English A:
Grade 4 (if taken at either Grade 4 (if taken at either
Language &
Standard or Higher Level)* Standard or Higher Level)*
Literature

English A: Grade 4 (if taken at either Grade 4 (if taken at either

Literature Standard or Higher Level)* Standard or Higher Level)*

Grade 6 (if taken at Standard Grade 6 (if taken at Standard

English B Level) or Grade 5 (if taken at Level) or Grade 5 (if taken at
Higher Level)* Higher Level)*

For qualifications taken before 2013

Standard Higher

English A1
Grade 4 (if taken at either Grade 4 (if taken at either
Syllabus
Standard or Higher Level)* Standard or Higher Level)*

Grade 5 (if taken at Standard Grade 5 (if taken at Standard

English A2
Level) or Grade 4 (if taken at Level) or Grade 4 (if taken at
Syllabus
Higher Level)* Higher Level)*

Grade 6 (if taken at Standard Grade 6 (if taken at Standard

English B
Level) or Grade 5 (if taken at Level) or Grade 5 (if taken at
Syllabus
Higher Level)* Higher Level)*

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same
level.

International Option of the French Baccalaureat (OIB) +

Standard Higher

Grade 12 in English in the final Grade 12 in English in the final

examinations* examinations*

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same
level.

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Irish Leaving Certificate +

Standard Higher

Grade B3 in English at Standard Level* Grade B3 in English at Standard Level*

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same
level.

Malaysian Certificate of Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) +

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.

Scottish Standard Grade +

Standard Higher

Grade 3 in English Grade 2 in English

Singapore Cambridge A-Levels +

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.

Singapore Cambridge O-Levels +

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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.

Singapore Integrated Programme - NUS High School Diploma +

Standard Higher

CAP 4.5 out of 5 in English Language* CAP 4.5 out of 5 inEnglish Language*

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same
level.

Singapore Integrated Programme Cambridge A Levels (SIPCAL) +

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.

USA Advanced Placement Examination +

Standard Higher

Grade 4 in English* Grade 4 in English*

*For this qualification our standard and higher English requirements are set at the same
level.

West African Examinations Council (WAEC) +

Standard Higher

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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.

Exemptions

First Degree -
If you have a first degreetaught in English within the following countries then you meet
the English requirement automatically:

Australia
Canada
Guyana
Ireland
New Zealand
South Africa
United Kingdom
United States of America
West Indies

If you have studied a joint degree programme with a university based in one of the above
countries you are also considered to have met the English language requirement,
providing that you also meet the following requirements:

a) Your final degree is awarded by a university based in one of the above countries and;
b) Your entire final year of study was completed at a university based in one of the above
countries.

This applies only to degrees that were awarded by a university in the relevant
country.Please note if you are applying for a programme within the Department of
Mathematics or Imperial College Business School, this English language exemption is not
granted as standard and you will need to demonstrate your English proficiency through an
approved test or qualification. If applying for a programme within Imperial College
Business School you may be able to do this through passing an English language interview
with the Business Schools English language instructor. More information can be found
onImperial College Business Schools English language pages.

Masters' Degree +

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If you have successfully completed a one-year MSc degree (or equivalent) course at a
University in one of the following countries then you meet the English requirement
automatically:

Australia
Canada
Guyana
Ireland
New Zealand
South Africa
United Kingdom
United States of America
West Indies

This applies only to degrees that were awarded by a university in the relevant
country.Please note if you are applying for a programme within the Department of
Mathematics or Imperial College Business School, this English language exemption is not
granted as standard and you will need to demonstrate your English proficiency through an
approved test or qualification. If applying for a programme within Imperial College
Business School you may be able to do this through passing an English language interview
with the Business Schools English language instructor. More information can be found
onImperial College Business Schools English language pages.

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https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/english/ 5/1/2016