The admission requirements for British universities include public examination scores (such as DSE, IB) and IELTS. The following article will explain the following 3 aspects:
How do British universities understand different public examinations? Attached is the explanation of DSE and IB
British University Admission Requirements (Top 30 British Universities)
How many scores and what version of IELTS are required for different British university courses?
1. How do British universities understand different public examinations?
About 30% of UK university applications are expressed in terms of the UCAS Tariff. The numbers listed below are the UCAS Tariff scores for A Level, IB or DSE. Although only a few UK universities require the UCAS Tariff as a standard, we list them because if we only list the A Level, DSE or IB conversion tables, some scores such as DSE's 5* or the difference between IB Higher Level and Standard Level scores cannot be effectively expressed.
UK University DSE Admission Requirements
UCAS Tariff | DSE | A Level |
56 | 5** | A* |
52 | 5* |
|
48 | 5 | A |
44 |
|
|
40 |
| B |
36 |
|
|
32 | 4 | C |
28 |
|
|
24 |
| D |
20 |
|
|
16 | 3 | E |
12 |
|
|
IB Admissions Requirements for UK Universities
A level | AS Level | EPQ | IB HL | IB SL | IB EE | IB TOK |
A*=56 |
| A*=28 | 7=56 | 7=28 |
|
|
A=48 | A=20 | A=24 | 6=48 | 6=24 | A=12 | A=12 |
B=40 | B=16 | B=20 | 5=32 | 5=16 | B=10 | B=10 |
C=32 | C=12 | C=16 | 4=24 | 4=12 | C=8 | C=8 |
D=24 | D=10 | D=12 | 3=12 | 3=6 | D=6 | D=6 |
E=16 | E=6 | E=8 |
|
| E=4 | E=4 |
IB scores | Equal to A level |
38 | A*AA |
36 | AAA |
35-34 | AAB |
34-32 | ABB |
30 | BBB |
2. UK University Admission Requirements (Top 30 UK Universities)
UK Universities(Ranking) | Degree Programs | International Year 1 | UK Foundation | |
DSE | DSE | DSE | Form 5 Result * | |
Durham (7) | 544333+ | - | 332 | 50%-70% |
Lancaster (8) | 55443+ | - | 322 | 50%-55% |
Bath (11) | 544-5*55 | - | 44333 | - |
Exeter (12) | 544-5*55 | 332 | 222 | 55% |
Leeds (13) | 444-5*55 | 433 | 322 | 50%-70% |
Bristol (15) | 444-5*55 | - | 433 | 65% |
Glasgow (16) | 444433+ | - | 322 | 50%-55% |
Manchester (18) | 5555+ | 333 | 222-444 | 70% |
Royal Holloway (19) | 544-555 | 333 | 322 | 50%-70% |
Southampton (20) | 554-5*55 | - | 433 | - |
Nottingham (21) | 554-5*55 | - | 3333 | 50%-55% |
York (22) | 5444-5*554 | - | 332 | 55% |
East Anglia (23) | 4443+ | 332 | 222 | 55% |
Dundee (24) | 333-555 | - | 2222 | 40%-55% |
Sheffield (26) | 544-555 | 333 | 322 | 40%-50% |
Aberdeen (27) | 4444+ | 333 | 222 | 55% |
Newcastle (28) | 544+ | 333 | 222 | 55% |
Liverpool (29) | 5444-5544 | - | 322 | 50%-55% |
The above information is for reference only. Requirements may vary slightly depending on the subject you apply for. * Based on 50% as the passing score. | ||||
3. IELTS requirements for UK universities
IELTS requirements for the top 200 UK universities ranked by Times
UK University | World Ranking | IELTS requirements | Master IELTS requirements |
University of Oxford | 1 | 7.0 | 7.5 |
University of Cambridge | 2 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
Imperial College London | 9 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
University College London | 14 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
London School of Economics and Political Science （LSE） | 26 | 7.0 | 7.5 |
University of Edinburgh | 29 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
King's College London | 38 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
University of Manchester | 57 | 6.0 | 7.5 |
University of Bristol | 78 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
University of Warwick | 79 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
University of Glasgow | 93 | 6.0 | 7.0 |
University of Sheffield | 106 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
Durham University | 114 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
University of Birmingham | 116 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
University of Southampton | 118 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
University of York | 119 |
|
|
Queen Mary University of London | 130 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
University of Exeter | 141 | 6.5 | 7.0 |
Lancaster University | 146 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
University of Nottingham | 149 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
University of Leeds | 153 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
University of Aberdeen | 158 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
University of St Andrews | 161 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
University of Leicester | 165 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
University of Sussex | 167 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
Newcastle University | 171 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
University of Liverpool | 181 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
Cardiff University | 187 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
University of East Anglia | 190 | 6.5 | 7.0 |
Whichversion of IELTSto take? IELTSUKVIisrequired?
IELTSUKVI is the version of IELTSdesignated by the UK Visas and Immigration Office for visa purposes and is currently the most widely accepted version of the exam by institutions and courses. Therefore, if the exam schedule permits, we recommend that students take IELTSUKVI.
FE Colleges/ Private Sixth Form Colleges in the UK | UK Universities | International Year 1 | British Foundation | ||
English level requirement | 5.0-5.5 | 6.0-7.0+ | 5.5-6.0 | 4.5-5.5 | |
IELTS Academic | Not accepted | Partially accepted | Not accepted | Not accepted | |
IELTS Academic for UKVI | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Acceptance | Acceptance |
IELTS Registration
Students can register on the British Council website.
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