Did you study in a language other than English? Learn what evidence universities may request, how to prepare your qualifications and which pathways to consider across five study destinations.
This guide may be useful to students from countries such as Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Morocco, Nepal, Türkiye and Vietnam, or anyone whose previous qualification was taught in another language. These are examples, not a list of countries that must take an English test.
Your passport, country of residence and language of instruction are different things. Some applicants from English-speaking countries may still need evidence; others may qualify through prior English-medium study or an accepted exemption.
Depending on the university and destination, accepted evidence may include IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge English or an institution's own assessment. Not every test format is accepted for every visa route.
Some universities accept recognised qualifications or degrees taught in English. You may need a transcript, qualification certificate or an official medium-of-instruction letter. The institution decides what is acceptable.
Universities may require certified English translations of transcripts and certificates issued in another language. Follow each institution's document authentication and translation instructions.
English-language preparation or a foundation programme may offer a route toward your intended degree. Check course entry conditions, progression requirements, duration and additional fees.
Find the university's official admissions page for your exact course, level and intake. Check academic grades, subject prerequisites and English-language evidence.
The university may accept an approved test, a previous qualification taught in English or another assessment. Acceptance varies by course and institution; do not assume an exemption based on nationality.
Collect your certificates and transcripts. If they are not in the language requested by the university, ask whether a certified translation is required and who may provide it.
If you do not yet meet entry requirements, ask about pre-sessional English, foundation or pathway courses. Progression is usually conditional, not guaranteed.
University admission requirements and visa requirements are not always the same. Confirm the latest official rules for your destination before booking a test or making payments.
Requirements change. Use the official links below and the university's current course page before deciding which test to take.
For a UK Student visa, the usual minimum is CEFR B2 at degree level and B1 below degree level. A qualifying university may assess degree-level English itself; visa-approved tests have specific rules.
Universities set their own English proficiency and academic requirements. Check the programme's accepted tests, score thresholds and any English-language pathway options.
Check the individual institution's language requirements and the latest study-permit rules separately. French-language programmes may have different requirements.
Check the university's accepted English evidence and the separate immigration requirements that apply to your nationality and programme.
Confirm both the institution's language criteria and the English evidence required for your Student visa subclass 500, including accepted tests and exemptions.
No. Universities may accept different tests or alternative evidence, and immigration exemptions differ. Confirm the specific institution and visa rules.
Not necessarily. Some UK visa applications require an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT); eligible higher education providers may assess degree-level English themselves. Verify the exact test before booking.
Some universities issue conditional offers, but their deadlines and evidence rules vary. Ask the admissions team before relying on this option.
No. English is widely used in education in both countries, but UK immigration rules do not give an automatic nationality-based English exemption to Ghanaian or Nigerian applicants. Individual university assessment may differ.