English Language Entry Criteria

English Language Entry Criteria

The language of instruction on all our courses is English and it is vital that all students have a good command of the language.

You will not be required to provide evidence you meet our English language requirement when you apply. However, if you are not a national of a majority English speaking country (see ‘National of a majority English speaking country’ below) and you are made an offer of study, you will be required to provide us with evidence that you meet our English language requirement to join your course.

 The deadline to provide the School with evidence of meeting the English language entry requirement is usually in late April. If you receive your offer from early April onwards your deadline will usually be in mid-June.

English language requirement for Guildhall School’s courses

The English language requirement you will need to meet depends on the course you want to study. See ‘Programme specific English requirements’ for more information on the requirement for your course.

If you are made an offer and we ask you provide evidence you meet our English language requirement, you will be able to meet our requirement through a range of English language tests. We are also able to accept some countries’ school leaving qualifications.

Offer holders who require a Student visa

If you require a Student visa to study at Guildhall School, we will need you to provide evidence that you have met our English language requirement before we can issue you with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to apply for your visa.

Guildhall School complies strictly with the entry levels in English set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). As such, the entry criteria for all our courses meets the requirements set by the UKVI, and we will only accept qualifications and evidence that we are satisfied demonstrate the standard of English for entry to the course.

How to meet our English language criteria

Further programme-specific information

Please check the programme you want to study for the IELTS requirement you will need to begin your studies. If you want to know which other tests and qualifications we accept and the grades you would need, have a look through the information on the rest of this page (above). 

Additionally, applicants from overseas should refer to the International Students page for more information on life at the School.

English language tests

 

Test requirements for the following programmes: BMus; all postgraduate Music programmes; Short Term Music Programme
Test Minimum scores required
IELTS (Academic) / IELTS (Academic) for UKVI / IELTS Indicator (Academic) / IELTS Online (Academic) Overall score of 5.5, with a minimum of 5.5 in all four skills (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
Trinity College London - Integrated Skills in English II or III Pass in all 4 components (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
Pearson PTE Academic/ PTE Academic UKVI/ PTE Academic Online Overall score of 59, with a minimum of 59 in all four components (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator (In-person version only)

Overall Pass, including minimum component scores of: Reading with 33/50, Listening with 33/50, Speaking with 33/50 and Writing with 33/50. Applicants must sit all 4 exams. 

*As of April 2024 LanguageCert no longer offer the International ESOL. However, we will continue to accept completed tests that meet our score requirements and  which were taken within a valid time period.

LanguageCert Academic (both Online and In-person versions) Overall score of 60 with a minimum of 60 in each component score. 
Cambridge: B2 First or C1 Advanced Overall score of 160 and no less than 160 in any component.
TOEFL iBT /TOEFL iBT Home Edition Overall score of 72, including minimum component scores of: Reading with 18, Listening with 17, Speaking with 20 and Writing with 17.
Oxford ELLT English Language Level Test (Digital and Global versions)  Overall score of 5 with a minimum of 5 in each component score.
Test requirements for the following programmes: BA Acting; BA Production Arts; BA Digital Design and Production; BA Performance Design; PGCert in Performance Teaching
Test Minimum scores required
IELTS (Academic) / IELTS (Academic) for UKVI / IELTS Indicator (Academic) / IELTS Online (Academic) Overall score of 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in all four skills (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
Trinity College London - Integrated Skills in English II or III Pass in all 4 components (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
Pearson PTE Academic/ PTE Academic UKVI/ PTE Academic Online Overall score of 65, with a minimum of 65 in all four components (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
LanguageCert International ESOL B2 (Communicator)

Overall High Pass, including minimum component scores of: Reading with 39/50, Listening with 39/50, Speaking with 39/50 and Writing with 39/50. Applicants must sit all 4 exams. 

*The LanguageCert International ESOL is being phased out. We will continue to accept tests that meet our score requirements and were taken within a valid time period.

LanguageCert Academic Overall score of 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component score. 
Cambridge: B2 First or C1 Advanced Overall score of 176 and no less than 176 in any component.
TOEFL iBT /TOEFL iBT Home Edition Overall score of 92, including minimum component scores of: Reading with 18, Listening with 17, Speaking with 20 and Writing with 17.
Oxford ELLT English Language Level Test (Digital and Global versions) Overall score of 7 with a minimum of 6 in each component score.
Test requirements for MA Music Therapy
Test Minimum scores required
IELTS (Academic) / IELTS (Academic) for UKVI / IELTS Indicator (Academic) / IELTS Online (Academic) Overall score of 7.0, with a minimum of 5.5 in all four skills (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
Trinity College London - Integrated Skills in English II or III Pass in all 4 components (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
Pearson PTE Academic/ PTE Academic UKVI/ PTE Academic Online Overall score of 59, with a minimum of 59 in all four components (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
LanguageCert International ESOL B2 (Communicator)

Overall Pass, including minimum component scores of: Reading with 33/50, Listening with 33/50, Speaking with 33/50 and Writing with 33/50. Applicants must sit all 4 exams. 

*The LanguageCert International ESOL is being phased out. We will continue to accept tests that meet our score requirements and were taken within a valid time period.

LanguageCert Academic Overall score of 75 with a minimum of 60 in each component score. 
Cambridge: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency Overall score of 185 and no less than 162 in any component.
TOEFL iBT /TOEFL iBT Home Edition Overall score of 95, including minimum component scores of: Reading with 18, Listening with 17, Speaking with 20 and Writing with 17.
Oxford ELLT English Language Level Test (Digital and Global versions) Overall score of 8 with a minimum of 5 in each component score.
Test requirements for: MA in Opera Making & Writing; MA in Collaborative Performance Making; Production & Design; MPhil/DMus & MPhil/PhD
Test Minimum scores required
IELTS (Academic) / IELTS (Academic) for UKVI / IELTS Indicator (Academic) / IELTS Online (Academic) Overall score of 7.0, with a minimum of 6.0 in all four skills (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
Trinity College London - Integrated Skills in English II or III Pass in all 4 components (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
Pearson PTE Academic/ PTE Academic UKVI/ PTE Academic Online Overall score of 65, with a minimum of 65 in all four components (reading, listening, speaking, writing).
LanguageCert International ESOL B2 (Communicator)

Overall High Pass, including minimum component scores of: Reading with 39/50, Listening with 39/50, Speaking with 39/50 and Writing with 39/50. Applicants must sit all 4 exams. 

*The LanguageCert International ESOL is being phased out. We will continue to accept tests that meet our score requirements and were taken within a valid time period.

LanguageCert Academic Overall score of 75 with a minimum of 65 in each component score. 
Cambridge: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency Overall score of 185 and no less than 169 in any component.
TOEFL iBT /TOEFL iBT Home Edition Overall score of 95, including minimum component scores of: Reading with 18, Listening with 17, Speaking with 20 and Writing with 17.
Oxford ELLT English Language Level Test (Digital and Global versions) Overall score of 8 with a minimum of 6 in each component score.

International school qualifications

 

Country  Qualification(s)  Grade(s) required 
Multiple: International Baccalaureate International Baccalaureate

English A (English Language/Literature/Language & Literature): Higher Level 4 or Standard Level 5

English B (English Language): Higher Level 5 or Standard Level 7

Multiple: European Baccalaureate European Baccalaureat 

Pass English L1 at 70%, or pass English L2 at 80%

Australia  ATAR Pass English language at a high pass grade
Austria Reifeprüfung Pass English at 2 (gut) in both written and oral
Belgium 

Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs

Brevet van de Aanvullende Secundaire Beroepsschool

Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur

Pass English at one of, 80%, 16 out of 20, 'grote onderscheiding' or 'avec grande distinction'

Denmark 

Højere Forberedelseseksamen (HF) (Higher Preparatory Examination Certificate)

Bevis for Studentereksamen (Secondary Education Graduation Certificate)

Pass English (A or B) or grade 7
France 

Baccalaureat

Option Internationale du Baccalaureat

Baccalaureat: Pass English at 13 where English is the first foreign language (LV1/LVA)

Option Internationale du Baccalaureat: Pass English at 12

Finland  Ylioppilastutkinto / Studentexamen

Pass English at 5 (M) magna cum laude approbator in English at the Advanced Level

Germany Abitur

Pass English at 12 or Gut when taken as a Hauptfach,  Leistungskurs or Kurs mit erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education

Pass English with grade 4

Iceland  Stúdentspróf

Pass English at 9 (when taken as a compulsory language)

India  Standard XII: CBSE (All India Senior School Certificate Examination - AISSCE) OR CISCE (Indian School Certificate - ISC) only

Pass English with a minimum of 85% overall and in each year of study*

Please note these must be evidence through submitting the original certificate and a copy of the Digilocker verified score report

Netherlands  Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO)

Pass English at 8 (goed)

Luxembourg Diplôme de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires

Pass English at 45 (bien)

Norway

Vitnemål for Videregående Opplæring

 

Pass English at 4 when taken as a Common Core Subject

Singapore  O Level and Integrated Programme

Singapore O Level: Pass at grade B4 in English Language

Singapore Integrated Programme: Pass at grade B in English Language / Language Arts

Sweden Högskoleförberedande Examen

Pass English at grade C (a minimum of 150 credits)

Switzerland

Certificat de Maturité / Maturitätszeugnis / Attestato di Maturità

Pass English with 5 (bien/gut/bene)

USA  High School Diploma

English Language at grade B or above / overall GPA of 3.0*

*For non US citizens, and only when studied in its entirety in the US