The 43 UK universities with a 6.0 master's route
Of the 86 UK universities whose postgraduate minimum we could read, 43 go as low as 6.0 for some courses and 42 start at 6.5. The table shows each university's 6.0 route and what it asks in each skill. Rows marked 'Writing 5.5: yes' accept a profile like 6.0 overall with 5.5 in writing.
How we counted: each figure comes from our own guide to that university, which restates its admissions pages (read 4 to 9 October 2026). We took the lowest postgraduate IELTS overall each guide's tables give; where a table could not be read cleanly the university is left out of the count rather than guessed. We then read each guide's component rule for that 6.0 route by hand. The full list, with a CSV, is on our IELTS university requirements data. A course page can ask for more than the university minimum, so check yours before you book.
| University | Master's IELTS | Each skill at that level | Writing 5.5? | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abertay University | 6.0 | No component below 5.5 | Yes | Most taught postgraduate courses |
| Aberystwyth University | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 | Yes | Computer Science, Physics and Mathematics master's |
| Bath Spa University | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in each sub-test | Yes | MBA Business Administration (London) |
| Birmingham City University | 6.0 | No band below 5.5 | Yes | e.g. Big Data Analytics MSc, International MBA |
| Bournemouth University | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in each component | Yes | IELTS 6.0 courses |
| Canterbury Christ Church University | 6.0 | No element below 5.5 | Yes | Standard undergraduate and postgraduate level |
| Cardiff Met | 6.0 | No component below 5.5 | Yes | IELTS 6.0 courses, e.g. Data Science and Analytics MSc |
| De Montfort University | 6.0 | 5.5 in each | Yes | Business and Computing master's |
| Edinburgh Napier University | 6.0 | No component below 5.5 | Yes | Undergraduate and taught postgraduate |
| Glasgow Caledonian University | 6.0 | No element below 5.5 | Yes | GCU minimum, e.g. Big Data Technologies MSc |
| Leeds Beckett University | 6.0 | No skill below 5.5 | Yes | e.g. Data Science MSc |
| Liverpool John Moores University | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in each component | Yes | e.g. International Business and Management MSc |
| London Metropolitan University | 6.0 | 5.5 in each component | Yes | Standard level, undergraduate and postgraduate |
| Middlesex University | 6.0 | 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in the others | No (6.0) | Business and Law postgraduate |
| Oxford Brookes University | 6.0 | 6.0 in reading and writing (6.0 in all skills for computing) | No (6.0) | Business, Accounting, Finance, Marketing master's |
| Robert Gordon University | 6.0 | No component lower than 5.5 | Yes | e.g. Data Science MSc |
| Sheffield Hallam University | 6.0 | 5.5 in all skills | Yes | e.g. Big Data Analytics MSc |
| Solent University | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in each component | Yes | e.g. Applied AI and Data Science MSc |
| Staffordshire University | 6.0 | No component lower than 5.5 | Yes | e.g. Business Administration MBA |
| Swansea University | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in each component | Yes | e.g. Computer Science MSc |
| Teesside University | 6.0 | Component minimum not stated | Not stated | Art, Business (not HRM), Computing, Engineering, Science, MBA |
| UCLan (University of Lancashire) | 6.0 | 5.5 in each, with IELTS for UKVI only | Yes | Taught postgraduate: UKVI IELTS 6.0 (5.5) or Academic IELTS 6.5 (6.0) |
| UEA | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in each component | Yes | Undergraduate and taught postgraduate |
| UWS | 6.0 | No sub-test below 5.5 | Yes | e.g. MBA |
| University of Bedfordshire | 6.0 | 5.5 in each element (UKVI Academic IELTS) | Yes | Bedfordshire's minimum |
| University of Bolton (Greater Manchester) | 6.0 | No less than 5.5 in any band | Yes | e.g. MBA, Data Analytics MSc |
| University of Bradford | 6.0 | No sub-test below 5.5 | Yes | e.g. International Accounting and Finance MSc |
| University of Dundee | 6.0 | Writing 6.0, others 5.5 | No (6.0) | e.g. Management MSc |
| University of East London | 6.0 | 6.0 in writing and speaking, 5.5 in the others | No (6.0) | e.g. MSc Data Science |
| University of Gloucestershire | 6.0 | No less than 5.5 in writing or any band | Yes | e.g. MBA, Data Science MSc |
| University of Huddersfield | 6.0 | No element lower than 5.5 | Yes | e.g. International Business MSc |
| University of Law | 6.0 | 5.5 in each | Yes | MSc and MBA (business), MSc Computing |
| University of Leeds | 6.0 | 5.5 in each component | Not stated | Research degrees row only; check taught courses |
| University of Leicester | 6.0 | At least 5.5 in each skill | Yes | e.g. Data Science MSc |
| University of Lincoln | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in each element | Yes | e.g. Computer Science MSc |
| University of Salford | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in each component | Yes | Postgraduate taught (general) |
| University of South Wales | 6.0 | At least 5.5 in each component | Yes | e.g. MSc Applied Cyber Security, MBA Global |
| University of Strathclyde | 6.0 | No band below 5.5 | Yes | Science and Engineering faculties |
| University of Sunderland | 6.0 | 5.5 in each element | Yes | Sunderland's stated level |
| University of Sussex | 6.0 | At least 5.5 in each component | Yes | Standard level, e.g. Data Science MSc |
| University of Winchester | 6.0 | Minimum 5.5 in writing | Yes | e.g. MBA |
| Wrexham University | 6.0 | No skill below 5.5 | Yes | Undergraduate and taught postgraduate |
| York St John University | 6.0 | No less than 5.5 | Yes | Standard postgraduate courses |
Watch the small print: UKVI tests and research rows
Two of the 37 come with a condition. UCLan (University of Lancashire) takes 6.0 (5.5) for taught postgraduate courses only from IELTS for UKVI; with standard IELTS Academic it asks 6.5 (6.0). University of Bedfordshire names UKVI Academic IELTS as its standard qualification. See IELTS for UKVI vs IELTS Academic before you book the cheaper test.
We left University of Leeds and Teesside University out of the 37: Leeds's 6.0 (5.5) row is for research degrees, and Teesside lists 6.0 master's without stating a component minimum.
Know your target? Check where you stand
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If your writing is 5.0 or your overall is 5.5
Pre-sessional English is the usual bridge. Many of these universities run summer courses for offer holders who are half a band or a band short. For example, De Montfort University runs 5, 9 or 13 week courses, each worth about 0.5 of an IELTS band, and York St John University takes students from IELTS 5.5 (no skill below 5.0) onto a 5-week course for a 6.0 degree.
If only one skill is short, an IELTS One Skill Retake lets you resit that one module within 60 days of a computer-delivered test. Check our list of UK universities that accept it first: Oxford, Imperial, UCL, KCL, Edinburgh and Warwick do not.
For the visa itself, UKVI needs B2 at degree level, which is 5.5 in each skill if you need a Secure English Language Test; at degree level your university can assess your English itself (IELTS for a UK Student visa). Writing is the skill most people are short in, so get a scored essay before you pay for a retake: take a free IELTS mock test.
Frequently asked questions
Which UK universities accept IELTS 6.0 for a master's?+
In our data, 43 of the 86 UK universities whose postgraduate minimum we read list 6.0 for some courses, including De Montfort, Sheffield Hallam, Salford, Sussex, Leicester and Strathclyde.
Can I get a UK master's with 5.5 in writing?+
Yes, at 37 universities in our data, for courses that need 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each skill. Middlesex (Business and Law), Oxford Brookes, Dundee and UEL want 6.0 in writing.
Is 6.0 overall enough for a UK Student visa?+
UKVI needs B2 for degree-level study: 5.5 in each skill on IELTS for UKVI if you need a SELT. Your university's own minimum is usually the higher bar.
What if my writing is 5.0?+
Ask about a pre-sessional English course, or resit writing alone with IELTS One Skill Retake within 60 days if your university accepts it.
Do the best UK universities accept 6.0?+
Rarely. Most Russell Group universities in our data start at 6.5 or higher for master's; the 6.0 routes are mostly at newer universities and for business, computing and data courses.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS for a UK Student visa
- IELTS One Skill Retake rules
- Raise IELTS writing from 6.5 to 7
- IELTS university requirements data
- IELTS for the UK
- All 970 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 10 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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