The UK is a popular study abroad destination for Indian students. Due to the wide range of available courses in all fields like Science, technology, business and arts, the UK is among top study destinations after Canada and the UK. Pursuing courses in the UK, require students coming from non-native countries to prove their proficiency in language.
Out of all, some of the popular exams required to study in UK are IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, GMAT and GRE. The minimum scores for each exam is dependent on university and course opted.
English Language Exams Required to Study in UK
UK is home to more than 150 universities offering 25,000+ distinct courses. Every university in the UK requires Indian students to prove their efficiency in the English language. Hence, some of the top universities with language tests and scores are tabulated below.
| University | IELTS | PTE |
| University of Oxford | 7.0 | NA |
| Imperial College London | 6.0 | 62-69 |
| University of Cambridge | 7.0 | NA |
| University College London | 5.5 | 62-75 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | 7.0 | 69 |
| King’s College London | 6.0 | NA |
| University of Edinburgh | 6.5 | NA |
| University of Glasgow | 6.5 | 68 |
| University of Manchester | 5.5 | 43-74 |
| Durham University | 6.5 | 62 |
| University of Warwick | 5.5 | 62 |
| University of Bristol | 6.0 | 60-64 |
These scores depend on universities and courses opted by students. However, to get detailed information about all exams required to study in United Kingdom, stick till the end.
IELTS
IELTS or International English Language Testing System is one of the most preferred exams taken by Indian students. Almost every university in the UK accepts scores of IELTS exam. The average cost to appear for IELTS as an Indian student is approximately 14,000. The scores of IELTS varies from university to university. Tier-1 universities like Oxford might require you to submit a minimum of 7 bands whereas tier-3 universities might admit you with 4.5 bands. Therefore, the average IELTS score required to study in the UK is 6.0 bands.
| University | IELTS (Bachelors) | IELTS (Masters) |
| University of Oxford | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| University of Cambridge | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Imperial College London | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| University of Edinburgh | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| King’s College London | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| University of Warwick | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Durham University | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| University of Bristol | 6.0 | 6.0 |
PTE Academic
Pearson Test of English or commonly known as PTE is accepted by more than 100 universities in the UK for admissions. It is one of the most common exams required to study in UK. The average cost to appear for this exam is 13,000 INR and it is mandatory to secure a UK student visa. The range of score required varies between 43-59 but some tier-1 universities can expect you to score a little higher too.
TOEFL
TOEFL is not a very popular exam in the UK and many universities prefer scores of IELTS exams over TOEFL. However, there are few universities in the UK like University of Derby, University of Leeds, Hult International Business School that accept scores of TOEFL. Therefore, some of the universities in the UK accepting TOEFL scores are tabulated below.
| University | TOEFL-IBT scores | |
| University of Derby | 80-92 | |
| University of Sterling | 80-90 | |
| University of London | 92 | |
| Hult International Business School | 90 | |
| University of Leeds | 92 | |
| University of Anglia | 88 | |
| Manchester Metropolitan University | 89-90 |
Cambridge English Language Assessments
Cambridge English Language Assessment exams do not have an expiry date, but some institutions consider them invalid after two years. Most universities in the UK accept Cambridge test scores, but for institutions the requirement is either CAE or CPE, depending on the course.
The score bar is usually set at grade A, B, or C. The test cost between INR 6,000 and 7,000, but for Tier 4 visas one of the following tests is usually done:
- B2 Premier (FCE)
- C1 Advanced (CAE)
- Competence C2 (CPE)
Admission Exams Required to Study in UK
Apart from language proficiency tests, students are required to submit some admission tests as well. Some of the popular exams required to study in UK in detail are mentioned below.
GMAT
GMAT is one of the most popular exams in the UK for business courses. Almost 200 universities in the UK accept this Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT scores. Some of the popular universities with rankings and GMAT scores are tabulated below.
| Universities | QS Global MBA Rankings 2022 | GMAT Score |
| London Business School | 6 | Min: 600 Avg: 701 |
| University of Oxford Said Business School | _ | Not Required |
| ESCP Business School | – | 687 with the median at 700 |
| City University, Cass University of Cambridge: Judge | – | An average score of 638 or above |
| Imperial College Business School | 21 | GMAT score of 660 or above |
| Warwick Business School | 32 | Range of 580 to 760 is acceptable |
| City, University of London: Bayes | – | A score of 600 as a minimum to qualify for their MBA or Executive MBA. |
| Alliance Manchester Business School | – | GMAT score of 642 or above |
| Henley Business School | – | GMAT score of a minimum 600 |
| Cranfield School of Management | 75 | GMAT score on average of 610 |
GRE
Just like GMAT exam is required for business and management courses. GRE scores are required for Engineering and technology based scores. GRE is also an admission test based solely on aptitude and language skills. Some of the popular universities with GRE scores are tabulated below.
| University | GRE Score |
| University of Oxford | Verbal- 160 Quantitative- 160 or above Writing- 4.0 |
| University of Manchester | Verbal- 170 Quantitative- 165 Writing- 3.5 |
| Durham University | Verbal- 150 Quantitative- 161 Writing- 0-6 |
| University of Sunderland | Verbal- 160 Quantitative- 145 Writing- NA |
| Lancaster University | Verbal- 130-170, Quantitative- 130-170 Writing- 0-6 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | Verbal- 170 Quantitative- 130-170 Writing- NA |
MAT
The MAT or Mathematics Admission Test is a standardised paper-based mathematics test administered jointly by the universities of Cambridge and Oxford. Some universities require it for admission to undergraduate (and in some cases postgraduate) courses in mathematics, notably Imperial College London and the University of Warwick.
LNAT
The LNAT UK exam aims to find out if the candidate applying for a university place has the essential skills, including verbal reasoning, interpretation of information, analysis and reasoning about a problem. As with the CLT, you do not need any prior legal knowledge for this test.
Cambridge Law Test
CLT is a test where students are required to read an essay and respond to some answers accordingly. It is a comprehensive test and does not require prior knowledge of law. The test is set to examine the critical thinking skills of students.
STEP
The Sixth term Examination Paper test is currently being developed and used at the University of Cambridge and the University of Warwick. A person taking the STEP test must demonstrate a strong understanding of typical undergraduate maths topics.
Medical Courses in UK universities also require some admission exams to study in UK. Some of the popular exams are:
- BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT Exam- Required for Biomedical and dentistry programs.
- Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT Exam)- This exam is required for PhD medical courses.
- Health Professions Admission Test (HPAT Ulster)- Students required to study in healthcare appear for this exam.
- UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT)- Required for students willing to start study in the medical and dentistry field.
By offering the relevant scores in both English language proficiency exams and admissions tests students can apply to any university in UK. Every course has its own set of admissions tests, apart from language and performing in both is mandatory. UK universities are quite lenient towards their scores and students can easily get into tier-1 and tier-2 universities.
