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English language requirements


All undergraduate students are required to be sufficiently proficient in
the English language to benefit from their studies at the School.

If you have applied for one of our undergraduate programmes, or received an offer, you can meet our language requirements in the following ways:

•  You are a national of Canada or one of the UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries, listed below, and whose first language is English or

•  You have achieved the required grades in one of our recognised English language qualifications, listed below or

•  You have already successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year) or a PhD in one of those countries listed below

In addition, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) guidelines stipulate that all students entering the United Kingdom to study must have an English language qualification evidencing proficiency in each of the four sub-components of language learning (reading, writing, speaking and listening) unless they are from a majority English speaking country.

Please note: You are not required to provide proof of English language proficiency, unless you receive an offer from the School. If we make you an offer for one of our undergraduate programmes and we require an English language qualification, we will ask you to obtain one of the acceptable qualifications below before our deadline in July

Acceptable English language qualifications

  Qualification

 Requirement

 Validity

Bellerbys Academic English Skills (AES)

A minimum score of 70%

Forever

Botswana GCSE (BGCSE)
English Language

Grade B or above plus proof of education in the medium of English during five most recent years of study (prior to year of entry)

Forever

Cambridge C1 Advanced  (CAE)

185 points overall and 
a minimum of 185 points 
in each component
(in one exam sitting only)

Forever

Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE)

185 points overall and 
a minimum of 185 points 
in each component
(in one exam sitting only)

Forever

English Speaking Nationals (Nationals of Canada or UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries)

Please see list below

 

European Baccalaureate
English at L1 or L2

8.0 for all programmes

Forever

Baccalauréat Français International bilingual route taught in English (British, American or Australian) and completed Language, Literature & Culture Module in English (LVA)

Any grade if academic requirements met

Forever

 GCSE English Language

 Grade B/6 or above  Forever

IGCSE English (Language) as a first language

Grade B/6 with the following notes

Pearson/Edexcel English Language A with Speaking and Listening component/ Spoken Language Endorsement or five years education in English

Pearson/Edexcel English Language B has no Speaking and Listening component and is only acceptable with five years education in English

Cambridge CIE First Language English with Merit (or Grade 2) in the Speaking and Listening test or including Oral Endorsement or five years education in English

Oxford AQA/IGCSE English Language with Merit in Speaking and Listening or five years education in English

Forever

International Baccalaureate
English A + Literature
English A + Language & Literature
English A + Literature & Performance

Higher Level: any grade
Standard Level: at least 6

Forever

International Baccalaureate
English B

7 points at Higher Level

Forever

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing Service)

7.0 overall and 7.0 in each component 
(in one exam sitting only)

2 years prior to start of your programme 
(1 September)

National 5
English Language

Grade B or above

Forever

O-level English

1119 UCLES (SPM2)
1120 Brunei
1123
1125 Mauritius A
1128 Singapore (SINO)

Grade B or above

Forever

O-level English 
(other than those specified above)

Grade B or above plus proof of education in the medium of English during five most recent years of study (prior to year of entry)

Forever

Singapore Integrated Programme (IP) Secondary 4 English Language/ Language Arts

Grade B or above

Forever

Singapore Integrated Programme (IP) National University of Singapore (NUS) Language in Society (EL4101)

Grade B or above

Forever

TOEFL iBT (including Home and Paper Editions)

100 overall, with a minimum of: 

27 in Writing
25 in Reading
24 in Listening
24 in Speaking 

(in one exam sitting only)

2 years prior to start of your programme
(1 September)

Trinity College London
Integrated Skills in English

Level III overall with distinction in each component
(in one exam sitting only)

2 years prior to start of your programme (1 September)

Test validity

CAE, CPE, IELTS, TOEFL, and Trinity test scores must be achieved from one sitting. We will not accept individual components scores from multiple tests.

IELTS, TOEFL, and Trinity are also only valid for two years. Applicants can only use these qualifications if they were taken within two years of the start of your programme, which is 1 September of your year of entry.

Booking your test

We strongly urge you to book your English language test early and in time to meet our deadline. Test dates for all qualifications are often full by July and waiting to book a test could mean that you fail to meet the conditions of an offer. We cannot defer an offer on the basis of a missed English language test.

You should contact the individual organisations for further guidance about booking your test.

English speaking nationals

You may also meet our language requirements if you are a national of Canada or one of the UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries below (whose first language is English).

UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries:

  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Australia
  • The Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland    
  • Jamaica
  • Malta
  • New Zealand
  • St Kitts & Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent & the Grenadines
  • Trinidad & Tobago
  • UK
  • USA

Useful preparation materials

Please see the resources at the below links, to help you prepare for English language testing, and for studying at LSE.

IELTS Resources:

TOEFL Resources

Using English for Academic Purposes

Preparing for LSE Presessional courses

Preparing to study