We accept a range of English Language certificates for entry to our pre-sessional courses. Entry requirements for our pre-sessional courses are shown for IELTS scores.
You can use the information on this page to check which certificates we accept, and to find out the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) equivalencies for certificates other than IELTS.
Please carefully consider which test you take, as it may affect the type of visa you are eligible to apply for. Read more about visas.
We accept the following English Language certificates for entry to our pre-sessional courses:
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic or IELTS for UKVI (United Kingdom Visas and Immigration) (Academic) or IELTS Online Please note that we cannot accept results from these tests that are over two years old at the start date of the course you intend to study. We do not accept IELTS Indicator.
- PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic or PTE Academic UKVI or PTE Academic Online Please note that we cannot accept results from these tests that are over two years old at the start date of the course you intend to study.
- LanguageCert International ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) B2 Communicator or C1 Expert (either the online or test centre test) or LanguageCert International ESOL SELT (Secure English Language Test) B2 Communicator or C1 Expert (either the online or test centre test). Please note that we cannot accept results from these tests that are over two years old at the start date of the course you intend to study.
- TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test) or TOEFL iBT Home Edition. Please note that we do not accept TOEFL MyBest scores and we expect candidates to have met the relevant requirements from a single TOEFL test. We do not accept the TOEFL Paper-delivered test. We cannot accept results from these tests that are over two years old at the start date of the course you intend to study.
- Trinity College London ISE (Integrated Skills in English). Please note that we cannot accept results from these tests that are over two years old at the start date of the course you intend to study.
- NCUK English Language Test. Please note that this qualification is no longer offered but we can accept existing results as long as they will be no more than two years old at the start date of the course you intend to study.
- Password Skills. Please note that Password Skills tests must be arranged by an institution, so you cannot book a test as an individual. The University does not currently administer Password Skills tests, but if you have taken this qualification through a different institution then we will consider your results.
- A suitable Cambridge English qualification
- iGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) English as a first or second language.
Find your equivalent IELTS score
Entry requirements for our pre-sessional courses are shown for IELTS scores.
If you have a Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic, TOEFL iBT or LanguageCert ESOL test, use the following tables to find the IELTS equivalent for your test score. If you have another certificate from the previous list, contact langc@leeds.ac.uk.
Then visit our pre-sessional entry requirements pages for undergraduate applicants, Masters applicants or Research applicants to find the length of pre-sessional course you should study.
Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic
| Your Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic score | Equivalent to IELTS 4.0 | Equivalent to IELTS 4.5 | Equivalent to IELTS 5.0 | Equivalent to IELTS 5.5 | Equivalent to IELTS 6.0 | Equivalent to IELTS 6.5 | Equivalent to IELTS 7.0 | Equivalent to IELTS 7.5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 43 | 48 | 54 | 59 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 74 |
| Reading component | 43 | 48 | 54 | 59 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 74 |
| Writing component | 43 | 48 | 54 | 59 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 74 |
| Speaking component | 43 | 48 | 54 | 59 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 74 |
| Listening component | 43 | 48 | 54 | 59 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 74 |
TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test)
You must have at least the given score in each component, as well the overall score:
| Your TOEFL iBT overall score |
Equivalent to IELTS 4.0 | Equivalent to IELTS 4.5 | Equivalent to IELTS 5.0 | Equivalent to IELTS 5.5 | Equivalent to IELTS 6.0 | Equivalent to IELTS 6.5 | Equivalent to IELTS 7.0 | Equivalent to IELTS 7.5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 50 | 57 | 63 | 72 | 80 | 88 | 95 | 103 |
| Reading component | 9 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Writing component | 13 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 25 |
| Speaking component | 16 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| Listening component | 12 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
LanguageCert International ESOL
For summer pre-sessionals, find the right course option using the following list. Then see course information for our undergraduate 10 week or undergraduate 6 week summer pre-sessionals or postgraduate summer pre-sessionals.
If your International Foundation Year requires an overall IELTS score of 5.5 (B2 Communicator with a minimum of 33 in each of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing):
- Your current B2 Communicator score: minimum of 25 in each of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. You need: Summer 10 week
- Your current B2 Communicator score: minimum of 33 in each of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. You need: Summer 6 week
If your International Foundation Year requires an overall IELTS score of 6.0 (B2 Communicator with a minimum of 36 in each of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing):
- Your current B2 Communicator score: minimum of 33 in each of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. You need: Summer 10 week
- Your current B2 Communicator score: minimum of 36 in each of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. You need: Summer 6 week
If your undergraduate degree, research degree, exchange or Study Abroad Programme requires an overall IELTS score of 6.0 (B2 Communicator with a minimum of 36 in each of speaking, listening, reading and writing):
- Your current B2 Communicator score: one component below 33 allowed none below 25. You need: Summer 10 week
- Your current B2 Communicator score: minimum of 33 in each of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. You need: Summer 6 week
If your undergraduate /postgraduate /research degree / exchange / Study Abroad Programme requires an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (B2 Communicator with a minimum of 39 in each of speaking, listening, reading and writing):
- Your current B2 Communicator score: two* scores below 36 allowed. No scores below 33. You need: Summer 10 week
- Your current B2 Communicator score: one* score below 36 allowed. No scores below 33. You need: Summer 6 week
If your undergraduate degree, postgraduate degree, exchange or Study Abroad Programme requires an overall IELTS score of 7.0 (C1 Expert minimum of 33 in each of speaking, listening, reading and writing):
- Your current C1 Expert score: No scores below 25. You need: Summer 10 week
- Your current C1 Expert score: Two scores below 33 allowed. No scores below 25. You need: Summer 6 week
*MSc (Eng) Engineering Project Management, MSc (Eng) International Construction Management and Engineering and masters applicants of Leeds University Business School are only allowed to have one score below 36 and no scores below 33.
- Applicants with a score below 36 in either reading OR writing are eligible to study summer 10 week
- Applicants with a score below 36 in either listening OR speaking are eligible to study the summer 6 week