Entrance Exams to Study in the UK

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Samarpita Goswami
Updated on Mar 16, 2023 02:47 PM IST

Is the UK your preferred destination for higher education? The competition level at UK universities is quite high for which proper preparations and strategies should be used to qualify required entrance examinations. Let us now take a look at the list of entrance exams to study in the UK.

Entrance Exams to Study in the UK

As an international student, you will be accepted to study in the institutions of the UK only after you clear a few entrance examinations. These entrance exams, unique to the level of study, will be your passport to study at leading UK universities.

You will have to qualify for the tests irrespective of the university you are applying to, depending on the course and whether it is an undergraduate or graduate course. For instance, if you want to study MBA or MSc in the UK, then the exams required to study in UK are GMAT or GRE, but for the study of medicine or law in the UK, you do not have to appear for these entrance exams.

So, let us now dive right into the list of entrance exams to study in the UK.

Entrance Examinations to Study in the UK: An Overview

Here is a list of some common exams required to study in UK:

Course/Language Requirement

Entrance Exam in the UK

Business and Management

GMAT

Masters

GRE

Law

LNAT, Cambridge Law Test

Mathematics

MAT, STEP, Test of Mathematics for University Admissions

Medical

BMAT, GAMSAT, HPAT(Ulster), UKCAT

English Language Proficiency Tests

TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, Duolingo English Test

Get Expert Assistance for Admission to Top UK Universities!

Entrance Exams to Study in UK: Bachelor’s Level 

Let us now discuss in detail the various entrance examinations required to study bachelors in the UK.

LNAT

LNAT stands for National Admissions Test for Law. The examination does not test your previous knowledge of the law. Here, the authorities test the verbal reasoning, information interpretation, analysis, and conclusion skills of an issue. It is a two-part test including both multiple-choice questions based on passages of text and an essay. LNAT scores are used to supplement your UK university application and show your aptitude for studying law at the undergraduate level. 

The Legal National Aptitude Test, or LNAT, is an admission test that costs roughly INR 11,200 and is needed for applicants for undergraduate law degrees at the following UK universities:

CLT

In Cambridge Law Test you will get an essay and have to answer a few questions based on them. The exam digs deep into the critical thinking ability of the student and is designed to complement other elements of your application. CLT also does not require applicants to have prior knowledge of the law although it will ask questions based on legal ideas. It is a paper-based test comprising only one essay-based question.

MAT

Mathematics Admission Test, commonly known as MAT, is conducted by the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. It is taken in offline mode which tests the student's skills in a particular mathematics portion. The entrance exam is for undergraduate degree courses in mathematics and computer science. There is no "pass" mark for MAT and the admissions committee at a UK university only uses MAT scores with a student's UCAS application and other elements.

STEP

STEP stands for Sixth Term Examination Paper. Administered by the University of Cambridge, the University of Warwick and Imperial College London, STEP checks the basics required to study undergraduate programs along with the eligibility of an applicant. However, other universities may also ask international students to submit their STEP scores. The test consists of two 3-hour paper-based exams including STEP 2 and STEP 3. STEP 1 does not exist anymore.

Test of Mathematics for University Admissions

Like MAT and STEP, this exam also measures the mathematical reasoning potential of students. The University of Cambridge administers the exam, which is intended for candidates applying to undergraduate mathematics programmes. The following are some of the well-known universities that require the maths score:

BMAT

Bio-Medical Admissions Test or the BMAT is to be qualified by anyone who aspires to be a doctor in the UK. The courses for which BMAT scores are used include medicine, Biomedical Science, Veterinary and Dentistry. The examination tests the mathematical and scientific knowledge along with the critical thinking and problem-solving capacity essential for studying undergraduate programs.

UCAT

Formerly UKCAT, UCAT or University Clinical Aptitude Test is for candidates who want to get admitted to medical or dental programmes in the UK. The UCAT is a computer-based admissions test delivered by Pearson VUE at test centres across the UK and worldwide. The standard test is 2 hours and consists of five sub-tests timed separately in multiple-choice format.

If you are planning to study in the UK and need help deciding which entrance exams are needed to enrol in top UK universities, check out this video about the exams required to study in the UK. You will be able to figure out the different entrance exams for different courses and programmes offered in top UK universities.

With the help of the video, you can find the different entrance exams that you may have to attempt to enrol in across a variety of different disciplines and fields of study in the UK.

Given below is the list of entrance exams required to study postgraduate courses or Masters in the UK:

GMAT

The GMAT or Graduate Management Aptitude Test is taken by students who want to enrol in business graduate programs in UK Universities. It tests the applicants' knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, grammar, and multi-data course.GMAT is an online-based examination that is subdivided into four sections namely Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative and Verbal.

Currently, approximately 200 universities in the United Kingdom accept GMAT scores. Indian students wishing to take the GMAT may have to spend around INR 18,500. Let us take a look at the top universities accepting GMAT scores in the UK: 

Universities  

Average GMAT Score

London Business School 

780

Said Business School, University of Oxford 

690

University of Cambridge 

696

Imperial College London

642

Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

661

Cranfield School of Management

600+

University of Edinburgh

600

Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester

650

Strathclyde Business School 

630

Durham University Business School 

600

GRE

The GRE or Graduate Record Examination is a test that high schoolers take to get admission to graduate degree courses in institutions in the UK. This exam is an all-inclusive test which you have to qualify to enrol in any postgraduate program including business or law in the UK. Similar to GMAT, the GRE tests a student's ability in mathematics, writing skills, and vocabulary. The test can be taken from home or over 1,000 test centres across the world. GRE is now not required for the majority of colleges.

The table below lists some of the leading universities in the UK that accept GRE scores for their MBA and MS programmes

Name of the University 

Average Estimated GRE Score

Imperial College London

327

London School of Economics and Political Science

325

University College London

324

Durham University

319

London Business School

322

University of Manchester

320

University of Glasgow

322

University of Birmingham

316

University of St Andrews

317

Queen Mary University of London

319

University of Leeds

317

University of Bristol

328

University of Sheffield

323

GAMSAT

The full form of GAMSAT is Graduate Medical School Admissions Test. The test, administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is required to be taken by students who aspire to study medicine in the UK or Ireland. This exam helps in selecting the most compatible candidates for universities in the UK.

English Proficiency Tests to Study in the UK

Besides the above tests for study in respective domains, students have to clear a language proficiency test which will test their language competence. The test will help to judge their grip on the language. Without qualifying in the language proficiency test it will be difficult to study in the colleges in the UK as all the lectures and discussions will be in English. The common language proficiency tests are:

TOEFL

TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language is administered by ETS or the Education Testing System and tests the English proficiency of non-native students. It is widely accepted not only by 100% of UK universities but also by over 11,500 universities and other institutions across the world. The TOEFL tests for academic English skills - reading, writing, listening and speaking. For university-level courses in the UK, the average overall TOEFL score is 72.

Let us examine the TOEFL score requirements to study at the leading universities in the UK for international students:

Name of the University

Minimum Average TOEFL Scores Required

University of Cambridge

100

University of Oxford

100-110

Imperial College London

92-100

University College London

92-109

The University of Edinburgh 

92

University of Manchester

72-120

King’s College London

Bachelors - 109

Masters - 100

The London School of Economics and Political Science

100

University of Bristol

90

The University of Warwick

92

IELTS or IELTS UKVI

IELTS or International English Language Testing System is a widely accepted test taken by lakhs of people who wish to study or work in the UK. The test checks the student's ability to communicate in the English language. More than 11,000 organisations worldwide accept the IELTS as a good indicator of English proficiency. Like the TOEFL, the IELTS also test the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. You can now study in the UK without IELTS given that you fulfil some conditions.

The table below shows the minimum IELTS scores necessary at top institutions according to programme level:

Name of the University 

Average Estimated IELTS Scores Requirement (Bachelors)

Average Estimated IELTS Scores Requirement (Masters)

University of Oxford

7.0

7.0

University of Cambridge

7.0

7.0

Imperial College London

6.0

6.0

University College London

5.5

5.5

London School of Economics and Political Science

7.0

7.0

University of Edinburgh

6.5

6.5

King's College London

6.0

6.0

University of Manchester

5.5

5.5

University of Glasgow

6.5

6.5

University of Warwick

5.5

5.5

Durham University

6.5

6.5

University of Bristol

6.0

6.0

PTE Academic

PTE Academic is the simplest of all the examinations which generate quicker results on English proficiency. PTE Academic can either be taken from home or a designated test centre. The exam is taken to assess real-life English through a single session of 2 hours. Overall, the test includes 20 question types based on speaking & writing; reading and listening.

DET

Duolingo English Test is a recent addition to the list of English examinations that help learners to learn at their own pace. They have a simple examination pattern that is computer-based and helpful for the students.

Cambridge English Language Assessments

Cambridge English Language Assessment is one of the rare assessments that does not have a time limit. However, after two years, several UK institutions may consider these ratings invalid. Cambridge English, unlike other ELP tests, has a grading system with a minimal cut-off range of A, B, or C. To take this test, students must pay a registration fee of INR 6,000-7,000 at least 24 hours before the exam date. Most UK universities accept Cambridge test scores, but the criteria for institutions will be either CAE or CPE, depending on your course. The following are the many Cambridge English levels that can be taken to obtain Tier 4 visas:

  • B2 First (FCE)

  • C1 Advanced (CAE)

  • C2 Proficiency (CPE)

It is important to know what such examinations you must pass because they are naturally required regardless of the university. In other words, if your application does not include the required test, you will not be admitted to the university.

In general, the standard test necessary for your application is determined by factors such as your selected course, degree of study, and nationality. For example, if you want to study mathematics, the GMAT or GRE may be required, however, in another academic field, such as literature, this examination is almost certainly not required. Additionally, if you are from a nation where English is the official language, you will not be needed to complete a standardised English knowledge test.

Know more about the different courses to pursue at some of the best universities in the UK that match your interests and requirements. Write to us at abroad@collegedekho.com. 

Got Your Exam Scores? Get Ready to Study in the UK!

FAQs

Can I go UK after the 12th without IELTS?

Yes, it is possible to study in the UK without taking the IELTS exam. You should be able to meet English requirements such as having proof of over 70% in English in high school or attending an online interview conducted by the university or proof of English as your language of instruction in your school to be eligible for this.

Is SAT compulsory to study in the UK?

Though SAT is deemed non-mandatory in some UK institutes, it is necessary for others. It comprises Math and English reading and writing portions. A student must achieve high marks to be admitted to the university of his or her choice. The highest possible total score is 2400.

What is the Thinking Skills Assessment Oxford test?

It is a two-hour pre-interview test for the University of Oxford undergraduate applicants. Geography, Psychology and Philosophy, Philosophy and Linguistics, Human Sciences, Experimental Psychology, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), and Psychology and Linguistics are the UG courses for which you will need to take TSA.

What is the toughest exam in the UK?

The Law National Aptitude Test in the United Kingdom has become one of the most difficult exams to pass. Oxford University established the premier law test to pick the best candidates interested in studying law at the university. This 2.5-hour exam consists of reading and an essay section.

Are there any extra qualifications that graduates need to work in the UK?

People who want to work or immigrate to the UK must first get a UK visa. The visa requires applicants to demonstrate English language ability by taking the LanguageCert SELT Exam. It is a UK Home Office-approved English exam for UK visas and immigration. The exam is intended to assess candidates' English language skills in speaking, writing, reading, and listening to meet the minimal UKVI standards based on the type of visa.

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