English language requirements 2025/26: research degrees

Exceptions

You may not need to provide evidence of your English language abilities if any of the following conditions apply:

• You're a UK national
• You're a national from a majority English-speaking country as specified by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI):
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United States of America

• You've completed a degree either in the UK, Ireland or in a country listed above. The degree must have been completed within seven years of the course start date here at York (except Canada).
• You've completed a degree within seven years of your start date which has been taught in English. You will need to provide official confirmation from the institution where you completed your degree that the medium of instruction was in English.
• You have a secondary school qualification included in this list at the grade that meets your course entry requirements. The qualification must have been completed within seven years of the course start date here at York. This option is not available to applicants for any Hull York Medical School course.
  • List of GCSE equivalent qualifications for international student (PDF , 53kb)

For more information see the Student and Child Student guidance.

Accepted tests

The following tests are accepted for entry into degree-level courses:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (Academic and Online)
• IELTS One Skill Retake
• PTE Academic
• TOEFL IBT (internet based and special home edition) (TOEFL MyBest score is not acceptable for meeting the English language requirement)
• Trinity ISE
• Duolingo (except for Hull York Medical School courses)
• LanguageCert SELT
• LanguageCert Academic
• Cambridge B2 First 
• Cambridge C1 Advanced
• KTE
• Skills For English
• Oxford ELLT (University of York Oxford ELLT registration link)
• Oxford Test of English Advanced

We seek formal confirmation of all test results. If you are intending to take a TOEFL test, please enter our Designated Institution code 3065 on your test form.

We must be able to verify your test within two years of completion, but you may have completed the test up to two and a half years prior to the start date of your course. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test or multiple different tests.

If you take a Duolingo test please ensure you nominate York as an institution on the Duolingo system at the earliest available opportunity so that we can verify your results.

The requirements for these tests vary by academic department.

• See IELTS equivalencies

If you require a Student Visa

If you're applying for an on-campus pre-sessional English course and require a Student Visa then you must take a UK government approved Secure English Language Test (gov.uk). Only IELTS for UKVI (Academic), Trinity ISE or PTE Academic UKVI can be accepted for entry to pre-sessional courses.

For more information about visas and English language requirements see  Student Visas (gov.uk).

Academic requirements by subject area

If you've not met the departmental requirements

If you've taken one of the accepted tests but not met the departmental requirement, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

Visiting students

If you will be a visiting student see your English language requirements by subject.