University English requirements

What IELTS score do you need for the University of Portsmouth London campus?

The University of Portsmouth London asks for IELTS 6.0 with no component below 5.5 for bachelor's degrees such as Business and Management and Computer Science, 5.5 with 5.5 in each component for foundation-year degrees, and 6.5 with no component below 5.5 for the MSc Business Analytics. PTE Academic is 62 with 59 in each skill for undergraduate study, and the IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted.
  • Checked against official sources · 14 October 2026
  • 3 sections
  • IELTS

Portsmouth London scores by course

From London campus course pages such as BA (Hons) Business and Management, Computing with Foundation Year and MSc Business Analytics. The undergraduate alternatives come from the course's accepted qualifications list, and the postgraduate PTE and TOEFL rows from Portsmouth's university-wide English language requirements page, which the London course pages link to.

LevelIELTSPTE AcademicTOEFL iBTCambridge C1/C2
Foundation year degrees5.5, 5.5 in each componentNot stated on the London pageNot stated on the London pageNot stated on the London page
Bachelor's (e.g. Business and Management, Computer Science)6.0, no component below 5.562, 59 in each skill79; R18 L17 S20 W17169, no component below 162
MSc Business Analytics (most master's)6.5, no component below 5.565, 62 in each (most master's)91; R20 L19 S21 W20176, no component below 169

Which tests Portsmouth accepts

Portsmouth's English page says it accepts the IELTS One Skill Retake but not IELTS Academic Online or IELTS General Training, and not PTE Academic Online. It accepts TOEFL iBT, the TOEFL Special Home Edition and verifiable TOEFL MyBest scores; its TOEFL institution code is 3234. Duolingo results are listed, but offer conditions are updated only after a credibility interview with the recruitment team.

All tests must be within two years of your course start date. If you are joining a foundation or pre-sessional course on a Student visa, the page says you must take IELTS at a UKVI-approved test centre, because TOEFL is not a UKVI-recognised test for those courses.

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Exemptions, pre-sessional and the visa

For MSc Business Analytics, you do not need IELTS if you have a UK degree, a degree from a majority English-speaking country (not by distance learning), or nationality of a majority English-speaking country. Degrees taught solely in English in other countries, such as India, Pakistan or Nigeria, are considered case by case.

Every London course page says that if you do not meet the English requirement yet, you can reach it by completing a pre-sessional English programme before your course starts.

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 and may ask you to take a different test.

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

Minimum vs competitive score

Where the University of Portsmouth London campus publishes an IELTS score, it is the minimum: the floor an application has to meet to be considered, not a score that guarantees an offer.

Competitive programmes, and courses with far more applicants than places, may expect more than the minimum, and some departments set their own overall or per-skill scores, often for writing or speaking. The course page has the final word, so check it before you book a test.

If you are close to the line, aim for a margin above it: one weak skill can miss the requirement even when the overall band clears it. Not sure where you stand? Take a free IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill.

Frequently asked questions

What IELTS does Portsmouth London need for a bachelor's?+

IELTS 6.0 with no component below 5.5 for degrees such as BA Business and Management and BSc Computer Science. Foundation-year degrees ask 5.5 with 5.5 in each component.

What PTE score does Portsmouth London need?+

PTE Academic 62 with at least 59 in each skill for bachelor's degrees. Portsmouth's English page lists 65 with 62 in each for most master's. PTE Academic Online is not accepted.

Does Portsmouth accept IELTS One Skill Retake?+

Yes. Portsmouth's English page says it accepts the One Skill Retake, but not IELTS Academic Online or IELTS General Training.

Is an Indian English-medium degree accepted instead of IELTS?+

For MSc Business Analytics, degrees taught solely in English in non-majority English-speaking countries are considered case by case, so it is not automatic.

Keep reading

Related

Verified against the linked official sources on 14 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.

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