IELTS · Guides · October 24, 2026 · 3 min read
IELTS score for the UK 2026: student visa, Skilled Worker, settlement and universities
For the UK, two different things decide your IELTS score. The Home Office sets a level (B1, B2 or C1) for each visa, and for most visas you prove it with IELTS for UKVI. Universities set their own minimums, usually 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each skill, and up to 7.5 at Oxford and Cambridge. Here is what each asks for, checked on gov.uk and university sites on 24 October 2026.
Visa levels in IELTS for UKVI
| Level | IELTS for UKVI |
|---|---|
| B1 | 4.0 in each skill |
| B2 | 5.5 in each skill |
| C1 | 7.0 in each skill |
A Secure English Language Test (SELT) result is valid for two years. No Cambridge exam is on the SELT list; the providers are IELTS (IELTS for UKVI and Life Skills), LanguageCert, Pearson, Trinity and PSI.
Student visa
- Degree level and above: B2. Your university can assess your English itself and may accept the standard IELTS Academic (with at least 5.5 in each skill) or another test, as long as it shows B2.
- Below degree level (foundation, pre-sessional English): B1, usually proved with IELTS for UKVI.
- You do not need a test if you have a UK school qualification, an English-taught degree recognised by Ecctis, or are a national of an exempt country.
Work visas and settlement
- Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker: B2 since 8 January 2026, which means 5.5 in each skill of IELTS for UKVI. People who held one of these visas before that date and are extending it can still use B1.
- Settlement (indefinite leave to remain): from 26 March 2027, most routes, including Skilled Worker and family settlement, will need B2 in speaking and listening. Until then the level is B1.
- Family visa: A1 for the first application (IELTS Life Skills A1), A2 at the extension, B1 for settlement under the current rules.
University minimums (IELTS Academic)
| University | Overall / each skill |
|---|---|
| Oxford, undergraduate | 7.5 / 7.0, from one sitting |
| Oxford, postgraduate | standard 7.0 / 6.5, higher 7.5 / 7.0 |
| Cambridge, undergraduate | normally 7.5 / 7.0 |
| Imperial College London | standard 6.5 / 6.0, higher 7.0 / 6.5; One Skill Retake not accepted |
| UCL, postgraduate | from 6.5 / 6.0 (level 1) up to 8.0 / 8.0 (level 5), by programme |
| Manchester | usually 6.0–7.0 undergraduate, 6.0–7.5 postgraduate; typical master’s 6.5 / 6.0 |
| Coventry | 6.0 / 5.5 undergraduate, 6.5 / 5.5 postgraduate |
If your score is slightly below, most universities offer a pre-sessional English course instead of a retake.
Doctors and nurses
Health professionals need a higher score set by their regulator: 7.5 overall for doctors (GMC) and 7.0 in three skills for nurses (NMC). See IELTS for nurses and doctors.
Common questions
Do I need IELTS for UKVI or the normal IELTS for a UK university? For degree-level study, usually the normal IELTS Academic is enough if your university accepts it. For courses below degree level and for work visas, take IELTS for UKVI.
Is 6.0 enough for a UK university? For some programmes at mid-ranked universities, yes. Most ask for 6.5 overall with no skill below 6.0.
How long is the score valid? Two years for visas. Universities usually ask for a result under two years old at the start of the course.
What each band means in CEFR terms is in IELTS bands and CEFR levels. To see whether you are at 6.5 already, take a timed practice test: the free IELTS mock test gives a band for every section.
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