If English isn’t your first language and you wish to study a degree from a UK university, you’ll need to take a language test to prove your English is of a sufficiently high standard. Degree-level study is demanding and you must have both the language (reading, writing, speaking and listening) and academic skills to be able to succeed.
You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of, or if you’ve completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of the countries listed below.
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- the Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada*
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- UK
- USA
If you’re from outside these countries but hold a UK degree equivalent qualification, you don’t need to demonstrate your English language competence as long as you can provide proof your qualification was instructed in English.
*Applicants presenting Canadian qualifications usually don’t need to provide additional evidence of English language ability, so long as they supply sufficient proof from the institution that the degree was taught and examined in English.
If there’s any doubts over your English language ability, the University of Essex Online reserves the right to require you achieve a satisfactory score in our online English language test.
More information
Admissions policy
Undergraduate English language requirements
Postgraduate English language requirements