Canterbury, UK
University of Kent: English test requirements
Kent grades every course as Good (IELTS 6.0), Very Good (IELTS 6.5) or Excellent (IELTS 7.0) and lists the score for each test at each grade on one page; the course page tells you which grade applies. Applicants from Pakistan must take an in-person test at an authorised centre and may only use IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson.
Checked on 31 Oct 2026 against the university's own pages. Universities change their requirements, and some courses ask for more. Always confirm on the university's page before you book a test or apply.
Applicants from Pakistan
Applicants from Pakistan must sit their English test in person at an authorised test centre, and only IELTS Academic or IELTS for UKVI (not online), TOEFL and Pearson are accepted from them. The page says: “we now require all applicants from Pakistan to take an English language test in-person, at an authorised test centre.”
Applicants from India
The page lists Standard XII English percentages as an approved qualification: 70% for CBSE and CISCE/ICSE, 75% for several state boards.
Applicants from Nigeria
The page lists the Senior School Certificate (NECO) or WAEC/WASSCE at grade C6, achieved no more than 8 years before the course starts, as an approved qualification.
IELTS
UG from 6.0
PG from 6.0
TOEFL iBT
UG from 4 / 80
PG from 4 / 80
PTE Academic
UG from 63
PG from 63
Duolingo English Test
UG from 110
PG from 110
Undergraduate
Kent uses one three-level scheme (Good, Very Good, Excellent) for every course, and each course page states which level it needs. The same page and scores serve undergraduate and postgraduate study. For example BSc Computer Science and BA English Literature need Good; LLB Law needs Very Good. No undergraduate course page read today was labelled Excellent, though some course pages (for example BA Social Work) state their own IELTS score instead of a level.
| Course group | IELTS | TOEFL iBT | PTE Academic | Duolingo English Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good (CEFR B2)e.g. Computer Science, Accounting and Finance, Business Management, Biology, PsychologySource for this group | 6.0minimum of 5.5 in each componentIELTS for UKVI and IELTS One Skill Retake are also accepted. Test must be no more than 2 years old at course start. | 4 (tests from 21 Jan 2026, 1-6 scale) / 80 (before, 0-120)1-6: minimum of 4 in each component. 0-120: minimum of 20 in Reading, 19 in Listening and Writing, 22 in SpeakingTOEFL iBT Home Edition is listed at the same scores. | 63minimum of 59 in each sub-testPTE Academic UKVI is listed at the same scores. | 110minimum of 110 in Speaking, Writing and Reading and 105 in ListeningApplicants from Pakistan are limited to IELTS Academic or UKVI (not online), TOEFL and Pearson, so Duolingo is not open to them. |
| Very Good (CEFR B2)e.g. Law, Law and Politics, Law and CriminologySource for this group | 6.5minimum of 5.5 in each componentIELTS for UKVI and IELTS One Skill Retake are also accepted. Test must be no more than 2 years old at course start. | 4.5 (tests from 21 Jan 2026, 1-6 scale) / 87 (before, 0-120)1-6: minimum of 4.5 in each component. 0-120: minimum of 20 in Reading, 19 in Listening and Writing, 22 in SpeakingTOEFL iBT Home Edition is listed at the same scores. | 67minimum of 59 in each sub-testPTE Academic UKVI is listed at the same scores. | 120minimum of 120 in Speaking and Reading, 130 in Writing and 115 in ListeningApplicants from Pakistan are limited to IELTS Academic or UKVI (not online), TOEFL and Pearson, so Duolingo is not open to them. |
| Excellent (CEFR C1)Source for this group | 7.0minimum of 7.0 in each componentIELTS for UKVI and IELTS One Skill Retake are also accepted. Test must be no more than 2 years old at course start. | 5 (tests from 21 Jan 2026, 1-6 scale) / 95 (before, 0-120)1-6: minimum of 5 in each component. 0-120: minimum of 24 in Reading and Writing, 22 in Listening, 25 in SpeakingTOEFL iBT Home Edition is listed at the same scores. | 76minimum of 76 in each sub-testPTE Academic UKVI is listed at the same scores. | 130minimum of 130 in Speaking and Reading, 145 in Writing and 125 in ListeningApplicants from Pakistan are limited to IELTS Academic or UKVI (not online), TOEFL and Pearson, so Duolingo is not open to them. |
“The Level of English required for the course you are applying to can be found in the entry criteria section of the course page.”
English Language Requirements
Postgraduate
Postgraduate courses use the same Good, Very Good and Excellent levels as undergraduate, and each course page states its level. Examples are taken from postgraduate course pages read today.
| Course group | IELTS | TOEFL iBT | PTE Academic | Duolingo English Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good (CEFR B2)e.g. Cyber Security, Finance, Mathematics, Chemistry, LinguisticsSource for this group | 6.0minimum of 5.5 in each componentIELTS for UKVI and IELTS One Skill Retake are also accepted. Test must be no more than 2 years old at course start. | 4 (tests from 21 Jan 2026, 1-6 scale) / 80 (before, 0-120)1-6: minimum of 4 in each component. 0-120: minimum of 20 in Reading, 19 in Listening and Writing, 22 in SpeakingTOEFL iBT Home Edition is listed at the same scores. | 63minimum of 59 in each sub-testPTE Academic UKVI is listed at the same scores. | 110minimum of 110 in Speaking, Writing and Reading and 105 in ListeningApplicants from Pakistan are limited to IELTS Academic or UKVI (not online), TOEFL and Pearson, so Duolingo is not open to them. |
| Very Good (CEFR B2)e.g. Law, International Law, Sociology, Criminology, Applied PsychologySource for this group | 6.5minimum of 5.5 in each componentIELTS for UKVI and IELTS One Skill Retake are also accepted. Test must be no more than 2 years old at course start. | 4.5 (tests from 21 Jan 2026, 1-6 scale) / 87 (before, 0-120)1-6: minimum of 4.5 in each component. 0-120: minimum of 20 in Reading, 19 in Listening and Writing, 22 in SpeakingTOEFL iBT Home Edition is listed at the same scores. | 67minimum of 59 in each sub-testPTE Academic UKVI is listed at the same scores. | 120minimum of 120 in Speaking and Reading, 130 in Writing and 115 in ListeningApplicants from Pakistan are limited to IELTS Academic or UKVI (not online), TOEFL and Pearson, so Duolingo is not open to them. |
| Excellent (CEFR C1)e.g. Creative Writing, Social Work, Medieval and Early Modern StudiesSource for this group | 7.0minimum of 7.0 in each componentIELTS for UKVI and IELTS One Skill Retake are also accepted. Test must be no more than 2 years old at course start. | 5 (tests from 21 Jan 2026, 1-6 scale) / 95 (before, 0-120)1-6: minimum of 5 in each component. 0-120: minimum of 24 in Reading and Writing, 22 in Listening, 25 in SpeakingTOEFL iBT Home Edition is listed at the same scores. | 76minimum of 76 in each sub-testPTE Academic UKVI is listed at the same scores. | 130minimum of 130 in Speaking and Reading, 145 in Writing and 125 in ListeningApplicants from Pakistan are limited to IELTS Academic or UKVI (not online), TOEFL and Pearson, so Duolingo is not open to them. |
“The Level of English required for the course you are applying to can be found in the entry criteria section of the course page.”
English Language Requirements
Other tests the university lists
- LanguageCert Academic and ESOL (SELT and non-SELT)
- Oxford ELLT Digital and Global
- Oxford Test of English
- Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency
- Skills for English UKVI
- Kaplan Test of English (KTE)
- Trinity ISE
- TEEP
- INTO IELA
“Not on the list” means the test does not appear on the university page we checked. It does not mean the test is refused: the course page or the admissions office may still accept it, so ask them.
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