International applicants must satisfy both the English language entry requirement for their chosen course AND the academic entry requirement for their chosen course in order to be eligible to study.
English language entry requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate that they have an appropriate level of English language to be eligible to study one of our foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate courses. The level of English required depends on the course applied for.
Secure English Language Tests (SELT).
We accept the following SELT tests at the levels identified for entry:
| SELT Tests | Undergraduate | Postgraduate |
| IELTS for UKVI Academic | 6.0 (Min. 5.5 in each-sub-skill) | 6.5 (Min 5.5 in each sub-skill) |
| PTE Academic UKVI | 61 overall (Min. 59 in each sub-skill) | 65 overall (Min. 59 in each sub-skill) |
| Trinity College London ISE | ISEII - Merit in all 4 components |
ISEII - Distinction in all 4 components |
| LanguageCert SELT (online version not accepted) | LanguageCert B2 Communicator – Pass (minimum 33/Pass in each component) | LanguageCert B2 Communicator – High Pass (minimum 33/Pass in each component) |
| Skills for English UKVI English Language Level Test | B2 Pass | B2 Pass with Merit |
If you have taken a SELT test and have scored below our English language entry requirements for your chosen course, you may be able to join one of our pre-sessional English courses prior to starting your chosen main course of study. Our pre-sessional English courses are designed specifically to improve your overall English language ability, and on successful completion will allow you to progress on to your chosen main course of study.
Other English Language qualifications
We also accept a number of additional English language qualifications for entry to our courses.
| Qualification | Undergraduate | Postgraduate |
| IELTS Academic/Indicator | 6.0 (Min. 5.5 in each-sub-skill) | 6.5 (Min 5.5 in each sub-skill) |
| PTE Academic | 61 overall (Min. 59 in each sub-skill) | 65 overall (Min. 59 in each sub-skill) |
| International Baccalaureate (A or B Higher) | Grade 4 | Grade 4 |
| International Baccalaureate (B Standard) | Grade 5 | Grade 5 |
| GCSE/IGCSE English Language | Grade C or above | Grade C or above |
| OxfordAQA GCSE | Grade 4 | Grade 4 |
| Gatehouse International ESOL | Level 1 Merit or above | Level 2 Pass or above |
| AES Bellerbys Foundation | 50% | 60% |
| Cambridge Upper Main Suite | B2 First Grade B overall | C1 Advanced Grade C / B2 First Grade A |
| OET | NA | 2 C and 2 C+ https://support.occupationalenglishtest.org/hc/en-gb/articles/360000496916-How-do-I-give-verification-institutions-permission-to-view-my-results |
| TOEFL iBT (and TOEFL at home) |
Overall score: 79 (those with TOEFL at home will also need to pass speaking component of our University of Chester English Language Test (UoCELT) |
Overall score: 88 (those with TOEFL at home will also need to pass speaking component of our University of Chester English Language Test (UoCELT) |
| Oxford International English Language Test (ELLT) | B2+ overall with at least B2 in each band OR 6 overall with no less than 5 in each band | C1 overall with at least B2 in each band OR 7 overall with no less than 5 in each band |
| Password Skills Plus Test | Password 6.0 with no less than Password 5.5 in each band | Password 6.5 with no less than Password 5.5 in each band |
In-country English language qualifications
In addition to the above tests, we also accept some country-specific in-country English language qualifications for entry to our courses. To see if we accept an in-country English language qualification from your home country, please visit the Your Country section and choose your country's flag.
Please note, we do not accept in-country English Language Tests for the following courses:
- MSc Pre-registration Adult Nursing
- MSc Pre-registration Mental Health Nursing
- MA Social Work
- MA Art Therapy
- MA TESOL
- PGCE (Primary and Secondary)
- MBChB
UoC English Language Test (UoCELT)
For those applicants who do not have a SELT or an acceptable in-country English language qualification, the University of Chester has developed its own online English language test which applicants can take. Candidates will be tested in all four areas of English language proficiency and will be benchmarked against the CEFR framework.
Majority English Speaking Countries
Applicants from Majority English Speaking Countries will normally not need to provide further evidence of English language proficiency.
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United States of America
Academic entry requirements
Applicants must satisfy the academic entry criteria for their chosen course of study in order to be eligible to study.
International Foundation Programme & Bachelor's Degree (with Foundation Year)
For entry onto our Bachelor's Degree including a Foundation Year, we require a school leaving qualification which is equivalent to British GCSE's and English proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall. For entry onto our International Foundation Programme, we require a school leaving qualification which is equivalent to British GCSE’s. To find out which qualifications are acceptable from your home country, please visit the Your Country section and choose your country's flag. You can learn more about our Foundation options here.
Undergraduate/Bachelor's degree
For entry onto the first year of our undergraduate/Bachelor degree programmes, we normally require a school leaving qualification which is equivalent to British A-level/International Baccalaureate. To find out which qualifications are acceptable from your home country and at what grades, please visit the Your Country section and choose your country's flag. You can also view our range of Undergraduate/Bachelor's Degrees.
Postgraduate Taught/Masters' degree
Entry onto our postgraduate Masters' courses requires an undergraduate/bachelor degree of equivalent standard to the British undergraduate/bachelor degree. To find out which qualifications are acceptable from your home country, please visit the Your Country section and choose your country's flag. You can also view our range of Postgraduate Taught/Masters' degrees.