Providing evidence of English language ability as a postgraduate student

English language evidence criteria for postgraduate study

Decisions are normally taken based on the criteria below, but the University of St Andrews reserves the right to ask for additional evidence of English language ability, for example, an ECCTIS Qualification and Language Service (QLS) English Proficiency and Qualification Comparison verification confirming that the qualification is equivalent to CEFR Level C1, or a language test.

You should not need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability if you meet one of the following criteria:

UK degrees taught in English

You have completed a UK undergraduate degree with at least the final two years taught in the UK, or you have completed a UK postgraduate degree that was taught entirely in the UK.

Degrees from countries where English has official status

You have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK undergraduate or postgraduate degree taught entirely in English at a nationally accredited English-medium university (with provision of verified evidence by the awarding institution that you were taught in the medium of English) in one of the following countries or territories designated by UKVI as being a majority English-speaking country:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• British Overseas Territories (BOT)
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• UK
• USA

Additionally, we will accept qualifications equivalent to a UK undergraduate or postgraduate degree taught entirely in English at a nationally accredited English-medium university (with provision of verified evidence by the awarding institution that you were taught in the medium of English) from:

• Hong Kong
• Singapore
• South Africa

If you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK undergraduate or postgraduate degree taught entirely in English at a nationally accredited English-medium university (with provision of verified evidence by the awarding institution that you were taught in the medium of English) in one of the following countries or territories, you will need to provide a verified ECCTIS Qualification Language Service (QLS) English Proficiency and Qualification Comparison Unique Person Identifier (UPI) number and download of your ECCTIS QLS result, confirming the level of English language required for this qualification is equivalent to CEFR Level C1 (statements indicating that a degree programme meets the requirements of CEFR Level B1 or B2 are not acceptable) to satisfy our requirements:

• Botswana
• Cameroon
• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• Ghana
• India
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Malawi
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritius
• Namibia
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Rwanda
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore (for institutions that are not nationally accredited)
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa (for institutions that are not nationally accredited)
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Swaziland
• Tanzania
• The Bahamas
• The Gambia
• Tonga
• Uganda
• Vanuatu
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Degrees taught in English and obtained in other countries

Undergraduate or postgraduate degrees which are taught through the medium of English from countries which are not listed in the degrees from countries where English has official status section may also be considered as evidence where the following conditions are met:

• The awarding institution features in the top 300 of current QS University Rankings and verified evidence from the awarding institution is provided confirming that the specific applicant has completed a degree that has been taught in English; OR
• An ECCTIS Qualification Language Service (QLS) English Proficiency and Qualification Comparison Unique Person Identifier (UPI) number and download of your ECCTIS QLS result is provided confirming the level of English language required for this qualification is equivalent to CEFR Level C1 (statements indicating that a degree programme meets the requirements of CEFR Level B1 or B2 are not acceptable) and verified evidence from the awarding institution is provided confirming that the specific applicant has completed a degree that has been taught in English.

Obtaining an ECCTIS Qualification Language Service (QLS) English Proficiency and Qualification Comparison

If you have studied a degree in a country from a non-majority English-speaking country, you can apply for an English Proficiency and Qualification Comparison from the ECCTIS Qualification Language Service (QLS) confirming that the degree was taught in English to a particular standard. This service can be used where you have completed your degree (it cannot be used if you are still studying for your degree).

In order for the University to accept an ECCTIS QLS verification as evidence of English language, ECCTIS must confirm that the qualification is equivalent to CEFR Level C1. Statements indicating that a degree programme meets the requirements of CEFR level B1 or B2 are not acceptable.

When and how to provide your English language evidence

You do not have to wait for your academic results to apply for a University course or programme.

If you do not have evidence available when you apply, this will form part of any conditional offer made by the University and:

• you must provide the evidence at a later date, through the relevant portal:
  • Postgraduate taught students
  • Postgraduate research students
• you may be required to attend a pre-sessional course