Study requirements for international students

English language requirements

All our teaching, learning materials, and assessments are in English, so competency in written and spoken English must be demonstrated.

If English is not your first language, you must have an accepted English language qualification to secure a place at SRUC.

If you require a Student Visa to study in the UK, you must provide an English language certificate, unless you are from one of the exempted countries deemed majority English speaking: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, British Overseas Territories.

You do not have to confirm English language competence if you have completed an academic qualification equivalent to a UK degree in any of the countries listed above (except for Canada), plus Ireland and the UK.
However, if you plan to do a course below degree level, you must include an original document from Ecctis (formally UK NARIC) that confirms the assessment of your academic qualification equivalency.

Accepted language qualifications

SRUC prefers the Academic IELTS English Exam as proof of English language level.

The required level of English language ability for each level of study is as follows:

For postgraduate programmes:

• IELTS 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component (for courses taught in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh)
• IELTS 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component (for MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh)
• IELTS 6.5 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component (for Distance Learning courses)

For entry onto undergraduate degree courses: IELTS 6.5 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.

For entry to HNC/HND courses: IELTS 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.0 in each component. If you need a Student Visa to study with us, you will need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a UKVI approved centre.

For college-level courses (such as NC): IELTS 5.5 with a minimum score of 5.0 in each component. If you need a Student Visa to study with us, you will need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a UKVI approved centre.

Please note that English language tests need to have been taken no more than two years prior to your visa application date.

SRUC also accepts other English language qualifications, such as the following below, although IELTS (SELT) is necessary if you also require a Student Visa to study.

Equivalent to IELTS 6.5:

• Achieve CEFR Level C1
• CPE (Cambridge Proficiency Exam) - 176
• CAE (Cambridge Advanced Exam) - 176
• PTE Academic 58
• GCSE/iGCSE English (first language) Grade C or above; (second language) Grade B or above
• International Baccalaureate English - 4 in Higher level, 5 in Standard level
• TOEFL (internet based) 93
• Trinity ISE Trinity Integrated Skills in English III or IV

Equivalent to IELTS 6.0:

• Achieve CEFR Level B2 
• CAE (Cambridge Advanced Exam) – 169
• CPE (Cambridge Proficiency Exam) – 169
• FCE (First Certificate in English) Grade A
• PTE Academic 50 
• GCSE/iGCSE English (first language) Grade C or above; (second language) Grade B or above
• International Baccalaureate English – 4 in Higher level, 5 in Standard level
• TOEFL (internet-based) 78
• Trinity ISE Trinity Integrated Skills in English II or above

If you need a Student Visa to study with us, you will need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a UKVI approved centre.

Equivalent to IELTS 5.5:

• Achieve CEFR Level B2
• FCE (First Certificate in English) Grade C
• PTE Academic 50
• TOEFL (internet-based) 59
• Trinity ISE Trinity Integrated Skills in English II

If you need a Student Visa to study with us, you will need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a UKVI approved centre.