Find out how to apply for a Student Route visa so you can join us at Canterbury Christ Church University. 

As an international student, you must hold a relevant English Language qualification, alongside your academic qualifications, to apply for a Student Route visa in order to join an undergraduate or postgraduate programme with us. 

Here you will find a list of English Language Tests as well as their requirements for our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Please check the list of countries that do not require an English Language test for their visa.

Run by the British Council, the IELTS test is the most widely recognised and commonly available English language qualification.

IELTS indicator/academic tests

IELTS Indicator is an online test that can be taken in-person or online. The test includes four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. You will receive an indicative score for each. Your performance will be marked by IELTS examiners and you will receive your result within seven days.

The Academic test is available for a limited time while IELTS testing is currently suspended due to COVID-19. Educational providers can use IELTS Indicator to help them gauge the English language ability of future students while IELTS testing is suspended.

For further information please visit their website.

Course type IELTS Indicator requirements (where appropriate)
Standard undergraduate and postgraduate programmes 6.0 overall with no element below 5.5
Professional health undergraduate programmes

7.0 overall with no element below 6.5

Non-standard postgraduate programmes 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0

Taken in-person, the PTE test is designed to test international English. There are three parts to the overall test: Speaking and Writing, Reading and Listening. You will take the online test in a test centre, and your score will be sent to you within five working days.

For further information please visit their website.

Course type Pearson PTE score requirements (where appropriate)
Standard undergraduate and postgraduate programmes 46 overall with no element below 36
Professional health undergraduate programmes

66 overall with no element below 56

Non-standard postgraduate programmes 56 overall with no element below 46

The TOEFL IBT can be taken either in-person or online. There are four tests to complete: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.

The entire test will take around 3.5 hours to complete, including a 30 minute break. You'll receive your score within four days of completion.

For further information please visit their website.

Course type TOEFL IBT score requirements (where appropriate)
Standard undergraduate and postgraduate programmes minimum of 60 overall: Reading 8, Listening 7, Speaking 16 and Writing 18
Professional health undergraduate programmes

minimum of 94 overall: Reading 19, Listening 20, Speaking 20, and Writing 24

Non-standard postgraduate programmes

minimum of 79 overall: Reading 13, Listening 12, Speaking 18 and Writing 21

Taken online only, the Oxford ELLT tests the four areas of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. This can be taken anywhere online, and you will receive your results within 48 hours upon completion.

Discount code for CCCU applicants to reduce price from £100 to £75: CCC75

For further information please visit their website.

Course type Oxford ELLT score requirements (where appropriate)
Standard undergraduate and postgraduate programmes

6 overall with no element below 5

Professional health undergraduate programmes

8 overall with no element below 7

Non-standard postgraduate programmes

7 overall with no element below 6

You can complete your LanguageCert test either in-person or online.

There are two parts to this exam: Written (which covers Listening, Reading and Writing) and Spoken (which covers Speaking). You can take both exams either together or independently, depending on your preference. The Written exam will take around 3 hours 10 minutes, whereas the Spoken exam takes 15 minutes.

You will receive your results between 3-10 business days upon completion depending on whether you took the paper-based or online test.

For further information please visit their website.

Course type LanguageCert score requirements (where appropriate)
Standard undergraduate and postgraduate programmes

33 overall with no element below 25 in B2 Communicator

Professional health undergraduate programmes

25 overall with no element below 25 in C1 Expert

Non-standard postgraduate programmes

38 overall with no element below 33 in B2 Communicator

Course specific exemptions

We are able to waive the English Language requirement for certain countries and qualifications. Please check your country here to see if your qualification is eligible.

The University offers students that have scored lower than their required scores the opportunity to study either a 6-week or 10-week pre-sessional course, or a one-year International Foundation Programme.

These programmes require that you hold a SELT (Secure English Language Test) as they are a below degree level programme: examples include IELTS for UKVI, Pearson PTE Academic UKVI and LanguageCert SELT.

We currently offer online pre-sessional courses that do not require a SELT, but you must still meet the requirements as below. Successfully passing these courses will count as meeting the English Language Requirement for your progression to your course.

Students who want to move on to undergraduate programmes that include professional qualification, e.g., Nursing and Midwifery, may have admission requirements in addition to passing the IFP such as an interview or higher language level.

If you intend to take these degrees, you should check their requirements directly or ask Admissions. In these cases, you may be advised to enter the IFP at a higher language level in order to ensure you can make the necessary progress over the year.

For further information please see the Pre-Sessional or International Foundation Programme.

Exam board Score requirements (where appropriate)
ELTS for UKVI

5.5 overall with no element below 5.0

Pearson PTE Academic UKVI

36 overall with no element below 29

LanguageCert SELT

33 overall with no element below 33 in B2 Communicator

Exam board Score requirements (where appropriate)
ELTS for UKVI

5.0 with no element below 4.5

Pearson PTE Academic UKVI

29 with no element below 23

LanguageCert SELT

38 overall with no element below 33 in B1 Achiever

Exam board Score requirements (where appropriate)
ELTS for UKVI

5.0 overall with no element below 4.0

Pearson PTE Academic UKVI

29 overall with no element below 23

LanguageCert SELT

38 overall with no element below 33 in B1 Achiever

List of non-standard programmes

  • Professional Health
  • BSc Adult/Child/Mental Health Nursing
  • Midwifery
  • Diagnostic Radiography
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Operating Department Practice
  • Physiotherapy.

Our non-standard postgraduate programmes all require IELTS of 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0. These are all of the postgraduate programmes in the School of Humanities as listed in the below table. 

Course IELTS/IELTS Indicator Requirements (where appropriate)
MA by Research in American Studies 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MA in Creative and Critical Writing 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MA by Research in English Literature 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MPhil or PhD in English Literature 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MA by Research in History 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MPhil or PhD in History 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MA in Medieval in Early Modern Studies 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MA in Modern History 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MA by Research in Theology in Religious Studies 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MPhil or PhD in Theology and Religious Studies 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0

Non-standard programmes requiring IELTS of 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0 also include the following:

Course IELTS requirements
PGCE Secondary 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MA Social Work 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MCh Surgery (all course types) 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MSc Nursing 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MSc Psychology 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0
MSc Forensic & Investigative Psychology 7.0 overall, with no less than 7.0 in writing and no less than 6.5 in all other bands
MSc Foundation in Clinical Psychology 7.0 overall, with no less than 7.0 in writing and no less than 6.5 in all other bands

Further English Language qualification information

If you are unsure if a qualification you already hold from your home country can meet the UKVI’s requirement for English Language testing, please contact your relevant Admissions team, and forward a copy of the qualification to be reviewed:

Undergraduate Admissions: ugadmissions@canterbury.ac.uk

Postgraduate Admissions: pgadmissions@canterbury.ac.uk