Studying in the UK has long been the destination for study abroad hopefuls looking to walk the hallowed halls of its esteemed universities among a diverse student population, soaking in new experiences and shaping their veritable futures. If that’s you, your study plans there could become a reality as the UK continues to welcome international students ready to take on an adventure of a lifetime and pursue a higher standard of education.
If you’re considering the UK, be prepared to meet the minimum English language requirements of your target universities which may require scores from a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as IELTS. Your IELTS Academic test score can also come in handy if you’re hoping to work or live in the UK later.
Start preparing for IELTS early for the best chance at getting in the right place for your studies in the UK.
Minimum scores for UK universities
To successfully study in the UK, you’ll be required to obtain a student visa, which you can only get if you meet the English proficiency requirements set by your education institution with an approved English test such as IELTS for UKVI.
Here are the minimum IELTS score requirements for study abroad in top-ranked universities in the UK, according to three of the most highly regarded university rankings to help you choose where to study.
Complete University Guide (CUG) rankings in 2025
The CUG university rankings is an independent rankings provider for UK universities. It offers course and expert advice for students who want to learn more about studying in the country.
Rank | University | IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes) | IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes) |
1 | University of Cambridge | 7.5 | 7.5 |
2 | University of Oxford | 7.5 | 7.0 |
3 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 7.0 | 7.0 |
4 | University of St Andrews | 6.5 | 6.5 |
5 | Imperial College London | 6.5 | 6.5 |
6 | Loughborough University | 6.5 | 6.5 |
7 | Durham University | 6.5 | 6.5 |
8 | University of Bath | 6.5 | 6.5 |
9 | University College London (UCL) | 6.5 | 6.5 |
=10 | University of Warwick | 6.0 | 6.5 |
=10 | Lancaster University | 6.5 | 6.5 |
12 | University of Surrey | 6.5 | 6.5 |
13 | University of Birmingham | 6.0 | 6.5 |
14 | University of Exeter | 6.0 | 6.0 |
15 | The University of Edinburgh | 6.5 | 6.5 |
16 | University of Bristol | 6.0 | 6.0 |
17 | University of York | 6.5 | 6.5 |
18 | University of Sheffield | 6.0 | 6.5 |
19 | University of Liverpool | 6.0 | 6.5 |
20 | University of Southampton | 6.5 | 6.5 |
Times Higher Education world university rankings in 2025
One of the world’s most established metrics, the Times Higher Education world rankings assesses universities based on the following five key performance indicators: teaching, research quality, research environment, international outlook and industry income.
Rank | University | Global rank | IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes) | IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes) |
1 | University of Oxford | 1 | 7.5 | 7.0 |
2 | University of Cambridge | 5 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
3 | Imperial College London | 9 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
4 | UCL (University College London) | 22 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
5 | The University of Edinburgh | 29 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
6 | King’s College London | 36 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
7 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 50 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
8 | The University of Manchester | 53 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
9 | University of Bristol | 78 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
10 | University of Glasgow | 87 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
11 | University of Birmingham | 93 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
12 | University of Sheffield | 98 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
13 | University of Warwick | 106 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
14 | University of Southampton | 115 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
15 | University of Leeds | 123 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
16 | University of Nottingham | 136 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
17 | Queen Mary University of London | 141 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
18 | University of York | 146 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
19 | Newcastle University | 157 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
20 | University of Liverpool | 160 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
QS World University rankings in 2025
The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world rankings is also another global premier ranking system which rates universities by institution and subject through academic reputation, citation, faculty to student ratio, employer, international research and sustainability indicators.
Rank | University | Global rank | IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes) | IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes) |
1 | Imperial College London | 2 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
2 | University of Oxford | 3 | 7.5 | 7.0 |
3 | University of Cambridge | 5 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
4 | UCL (University College London) | 9 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
5 | The University of Edinburgh | 27 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
6 | The University of Manchester | 34 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
7 | King’s College London | 40 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
8 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 50 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
9 | University of Bristol | 54 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
10 | University of Warwick | 69 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
11 | University of Glasgow | 78 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
12 | University of Birmingham | =80 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
13 | University of Southampton | =80 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
14 | University of Leeds | 82 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
15 | Durham University | 89 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
16 | University of St Andrews | 104 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
17 | The University of Sheffield | 105 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
18 | University of Nottingham | 108 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
19 | Queen Mary University of London | 120 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
20 | Newcastle University | 129 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
Further your studies in the UK with IDP
Are you ready to take the plunge and experience studying in the UK?
Take your first step with IELTS by IDP! As a co-owner of the IELTS test, IDP has decades of experience in helping students to prepare and achieve their target IELTS score for study abroad.
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