What IELTS score do you need for the Royal College of Music?

The test must be valid on your course start date, and visa applicants must have passed it within two years of the visa application. All four components must come from one sitting, except for the IELTS One Skill Retake. The usual deadline for sending evidence is 1 May.

You do not need a test if you hold a passport from a majority English-speaking country, a degree from one (Canada excluded), or a degree taught in English elsewhere with evidence. GCSE or A level English also counts: GCSE 4 or A level E for B2 courses, GCSE 6 or A level C for C1 courses, and for visa applicants it must have been taken at a UK school before 18.

For a Student visa, UK Visas and Immigration asks for English at CEFR B2 for degree-level study and B1 below degree level, per gov.uk. At degree level, gov.uk adds, your university can assess your English itself, but the level must still be equivalent to B2.

Requirements vary by programme and change between admissions cycles. The score that binds you is the one on your RCM programme page and in your offer letter, so check it there before you book a test.