English language ability for Student visa holders

Applicants who need a Student visa have a specific set of requirements, to comply with Home Office regulations.

Your English language ability will be sufficient if you meet one of the following criteria:

You are a national of a majority English-speaking country (see list below).
You have completed a qualification at a level comparable to RQF 6 that was awarded and taught in a majority English-speaking country (see list below), completed within three years of admission to the College. Non-Canadian nationals with a degree from Canada will be required to take an English language test.
You have already proved your level of English in a previous UK visa application. This must be at the CEFR B2 level.
You have completed one of the following English language tests:

Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English
GCSE or A Level English (where studied at a UK school while you were aged under 18)
IELTS Academic and IELTS Indicator
INTO Test of English: IELA
OnCampus Test of English: OCTOE
Pearson’s Test of English (Academic)
TOEFL: IBT and TOEFL Special Home Edition
Trinity College London: Integrated Skills in English.

Your IELTS, IELA, OCTOE, Pearson's, TOEFL or Trinity result must have been awarded no more than two years before your proposed course start date.
If you don't meet the minimum IELTS (or equivalent) requirement, we offer online pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

EUROPEAN SCHOOL QUALIFICATIONS

Standard and higher requirement: 2 (gut) in English when both written and oral exams are taken

Belgium: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs or Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Superieur

Standard and higher requirement: 8 in English when taken as a compulsory modern language

Standard and higher requirement: VG (val godkant) in English or Grade C in English

Switzerland: Maturitatzeugnis/Certificat de Maturite/Attestato de Maturita federal maturity certificate or the recognised cantonal maturity certificate