To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate effectively in English and are able to do so in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

The list of acceptable English Language tests below is correct as of September 2024 and apply for entry in the 2025/26 academic year for the King’s programmes specified below.

Please note that these may be subject to change each admissions cycle and some tests listed below may not be accepted for future entry.

If a test you have completed is not listed below, unfortunately we are unable to accept it as meeting our English language requirements.

If your first language is not English you must be able to provide recent evidence that your spoken and written command of the English language is adequate for the programmes for which you have applied.

English language tests

The level of English language you are required to demonstrate is dependent upon the programme for which you have applied. Please select from one of the five bands below for more information about the level of English language competence required for your programme of study, and the English language tests accepted.

If you have taken an IELTS Academic test, you can use our Pre-sessional English calculator to check if your scores meet the requirements of your programme, or to calculate which Pre-sessional English course you may need to consider. 

Unless specified, requirements are the same for postgraduate taught (PGT) programmes and postgraduate research programmes (PGR).

All English Language test results must be sent via King’s Apply before the deadline in your offer. Please send a message with a scanned copy of your official test report or certificate attached. We cannot accept results submitted via post. 

Which programmes?

Currently none of our postgraduate programmes require Band A level of English.

Which programmes?

This band applies to the following faculties:

• Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy
• King's Business School - Excluding Global Human Resource Management MSc - Distance (see Band D)
• Study Abroad (Incoming)
• The Dickson Poon School of Law

The following departments:

• Department of Culture, Media & Creative Industries (PGT only)
• Department of Digital Humanities (PGT only)
• Department of Informatics (PGT only)

The following programmes:

• Affective Disorders MSc 
• Applied Statistical Modelling and Health Informatics PGCert/PGDip and MSc
• Clinical Education PGCert/PGDip/MA
• Clinical Neuroscience MSc
• Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology MSc
• Dietetics MSc
• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology DClinPsy
• Family Therapy GradCert and MSc
• Health Psychology MSc
• Mental Health Studies MSc
• Nutrition MSc
• Organisational Psychiatry and Psychology MSc
• Physiotherapy: Pre Registration MSc

Please read all of the below information carefully as there are a number of English language tests we can accept to meet our English language requirements.

If a test you have completed is not listed below, unfortunately we are unable to accept it as meeting our English language requirements.

English language proficiency tests

The tests listed below are valid if they have been taken within two years of the start date of your chosen programme. The start date for the purposes of English language requirements is the 1st day of the month in which your programme commences, i.e. if your programme starts in September 2025, the test must be dated within two years of 1st September 2025.

All elements of the test results must be demonstrated in one test. We cannot take a combination of your scores across two tests. We cannot take TOEFL MyBest scores or IELTS One Skill scores.

Which programmes?

This Band applies to:

• Faculty of Arts & Humanities (excluding Department of Culture, Media & Creative Industries PGT, and Department of Digital Humanities PGT - see Band B)

Please read all of the below information carefully as there are a number of English language tests we can accept to meet our English language requirements.

If a test you have completed is not listed below, unfortunately we are unable to accept it as meeting our English language requirements.

English language proficiency tests

The tests listed below are valid if they have been taken within two years of the start date of your chosen programme. The start date for the purposes of English language requirements is the 1st day of the month in which your programme commences, i.e. if your programme starts in September 2025, the test must be dated within two years of 1st September 2025.

All elements of the test results must be demonstrated in one test. We cannot take a combination of your scores across two tests. We cannot take TOEFL MyBest scores or IELTS One Skill scores.

Which programmes?

This band applies to the following faculties:

• Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences
• Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine (excluding Physiotherapy Pre Registration MSc, Clinical Education PGCert/PGDip/MA, Nutrition MSc, Dietetics MSc, Medical Ultrasound PGCert/PGDip and MSc, Ultrasound in Emergency and Critical Care PGCert (see Band B)
• Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences (PGT) - excluding Department of Informatics (see Band B)
• Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences (PGR only) 
• Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care
• Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (excluding Affective Disorders MSc , Applied Statistical Modelling and Health Informatics PGCert/PGDip and MSc, Clinical Neuroscience MSc, Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology MSc, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology DClinPsy, Family Therapy GradCert and MSc, Health Psychology MSc, Organisational Psychiatry and Psychology MSc and Mental Health Studies MSc (see band B)
  
  

And the following programme:

• Global Human Resources Management MSc - Distance

Please read all of the below information carefully as there are a number of English language tests we can accept to meet our English language requirements.

If a test you have completed is not listed below, unfortunately we are unable to accept it as meeting our English language requirements.

English language proficiency tests

The tests listed below are valid if they have been taken within two years of the start date of your chosen programme. The start date for the purposes of English language requirements is the 1st day of the month in which your programme commences, i.e. if your programme starts in September 2025, the test must be dated within two years of 1st September 2025.

All elements of the test results must be demonstrated in one test. We cannot take a combination of your scores across two tests. We cannot take TOEFL MyBest scores or IELTS One Skill scores.

Which programmes?

Currently none of our postgraduate programmes require Band E level of English.

Which programmes?

All incoming study abroad applicants are required to meet the English language requirements set out in Band B.

Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK will need to complete one of the acceptable English Language tests listed in Band B.

Applicants who do not require a Student visa to study in the UK or applicants who are applying for semester only programmes can complete one of the acceptable English Language tests listed in Band B or we may be able to accept English studied as part of an acceptable secondary school qualification if taken within 5 years of the start date of the programme. Alternatively, we may be able to accept a letter of English language proficiency from your home institution. For further information about this please contact the Admissions team via King’s Apply.

Exemptions

Study Abroad applicants in the following situation will to not be required to sit an English language test:

Competency for nationals of a UKVI defined majority English speaking countries

If you are a national of a UKVI defined majority English speaking country, you will not be required to take an English language test, please see the list of countries below.

Competency through Higher education in a UKVI defined majority English speaking country

If you are currently enrolled at a university in a UKVI defined majority English speaking country. You must have successfully completed 1 year of study and a University recognised on NARIC at the required academic standard for entry.

Competency through previous education in a UKVI defined majority English speaking country

You must have obtained a University level qualification from a UKVI defined majority English speaking country, no more than 5 years prior to the course start date.

Our innovative pre-sessional programmes teach you the academic and language skills you need to succeed in your chosen degree. Taught by highly qualified King’s tutors, our world-class courses are an alternative to taking an external English test.

Visit the Pre-sessional English website for more information on our courses.

English Language competency exemptions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in line with the below guidance. In certain circumstances, you may be asked to demonstrate your English proficiency by taking one of the above stated recognised tests.

Applicants who have 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 the following UKVI-defined majority English speaking countries are not usually required to complete an additional English language test.  

Please note all applicants meeting the English requirement through one of these qualifications need to have successfully completed it within:

• 5 years where the programme being applied to has a full-time or part-time mode of attendance
• 15 years where the programme being applied to has a distance learning mode of attendance

• Antigua & Barbuda
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Barbados 
• Belize 
• British Overseas Territories
• Dominica 
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• Ireland 
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Kitts & Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent & the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom
• United States of America 

Nationals of the above UKVI-defined majority English speaking countries (and nationals of Canada) may also be exempt from providing an English language test provided they have lived in this country or another UKVI-defined majority English speaking country as their permanent residence.