English language proficiency
Guidance on when to provide evidence of your English language proficiency and how to provide accepted test scores on the 'Languages' tab of the application form.
A lamp in Radcliffe square. Credit: Virginie Do / Graduate Photography Competition
Demonstrating my English language proficiency
To take up a place on one of our courses, you must be able to demonstrate English language proficiency at the University's standard or higher level. Each course page states the required level for that course.
You do not need to provide evidence of English language proficiency if you meet one of the following criteria:
- Your first language is English and you have always been a citizen of and primarily resident in a majority English-speaking country recognised by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI); or
- You are a current Oxford student applying for readmission.
If you do not meet one of the criteria above, you will have to provide evidence that you meet the English language requirement for the course if you are offered a place. However, you may request a waiver of the requirement to provide language test scores when you submit your application. Please consult our guidance on English language test waivers for further information.
Do I need to provide English language test results?
Review our guidance relevant to your situation to determine whether you need to provide English language test results.
Majority English-speaking countries
Tests and minimum scores
We are only able to accept the following types of English language test.
English language test score
Do I need to have test scores when I apply?
If you already have English language test scores at the required level achieved within two years of the start of the course to which you are applying, please include them in your application. However, you are not required to provide test scores when you submit your application.
If you apply without submitting test scores, you submit test scores below the required level, or your test score is out of date, the academic department will assess your application as normal. If you receive an offer of a place, the department may require you to submit language test scores by a specific deadline as a condition of your offer.
It can take several months to secure a place for a language test, so we recommend arranging to sit a test as soon as you decide to apply.
For more information about providing your scores as part of your application, see Providing your English language information and scores below.
Providing your English language information and scores
The ‘Languages' tab of the application form includes a series of questions about your English language proficiency, and allows you to provide test scores if you have them.
Your test must have been taken less than two years before the start date of the course for which you are applying.
For IELTS and TOEFL, you can nominate the University of Oxford as a score recipient. For TOEFL you should use the institution code 0490 (TOEFL iBT) when you sit the test.
‘English language skills’
In this section of the application form, you are asked:
- whether English is your first language;
- whether you have completed, or are completing, a degree-level course taught and assessed entirely in English; and
- whether you have completed any course under a child student visa.
Your answers to these questions may indicate whether you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency, and if you are eligible for a waiver of this requirement. (Please refer to the English language test waivers section of this guide.)
If you have any queries about visas and immigration, visit the University's Student Immigration website.
‘English language proficiency’
If you choose to provide English language test scores with your application, you can enter the relevant information in this section:
- TOEFL iBT: registration number, date of test, scores in each component and overall score
- IELTS Academic: Test Report Form (TRF) number, date of your test, scores in each component and overall score
- Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency: date of test and overall score
- Oxford Test of English Advanced: date of test and certificate reference number.
The University checks test results directly with test providers. You may only provide scores that have been achieved in a single test.
Uploading your test score report or certificate
You can upload your language test score report or certificate on the ‘Supporting Documents’ tab. For more information, visit our Supporting Documents section.
After submitting your application, you can upload your test results certificate to your application via Graduate Applicant Self Service.
Any questions?Try our database of FAQs or submit your own question. |
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