Admissions

Students whose first language is not English are required to have an appropriate result in an approved examination in English language before they can register on an academic programme.

Details of recognised English Language qualifications are available on our Minimum English Entry Requirements page, which can be found here:

Policy on minimum English entry requirements

Students will automatically be classed as having an alternative acceptable English language qualification if they have either:

• taken their education entirely in the medium of English and can demonstrate that they have completed a recognised undergraduate or full masters degree (excluding postgraduate diploma or certificate)
• successfully completed the whole of their secondary education up to and including the equivalent of year 12 in one of the countries on the Home Office list of countries. For more information, please consult the following:

Gov.uk - Student visa - knowledge of English

Students on split site degree programmes (such as 2+2 programmes) who have undertaken the latter 2 years of their degree in the medium of English, at an approved English speaking institution, can be classed as having an acceptable alternative qualification.

While the following countries are not on the Home Office list, the International Student Recruitment team has agreed that degree level qualifications from certain countries (recognised institutions only) are an acceptable alternative to B2 level English.

Further information

For more information about recognised institutions, please consult the following (entering your university username and password when prompted):

List of recognised institutions – Workspace (UoN Staff only)

All international applicants for non-Integrated foundation programmes are required by the Home Office to have taken a Secure English Language Test (SELT) and achieve the University’s minimum requirements for the programme.

This policy is not suitable for students requiring sponsorship under the Student route of the immigration rules.

If you wish to admit an applicant who does not meet the above criteria or the normal minimum requirements for their course but consider that the applicant has the required proficiency in English language you may submit acceptable evidence to the Head of Admissions. When compiling your evidence, please use the following online form:

Acceptable alternative English language evidence form

Such requests will only be considered where there is strong documented evidence that the student has attained the required level of English to meet the published requirements in all four elements (listening, reading, speaking and writing) but has not taken a recognised English language qualification.