English language requirements

As our programmes are taught and assessed in English, applicants must be able to prove their level of English language ability as part of the application process. This should be shown through one of the following means:

1. You are from a majority English speaking country or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree from a majority English speaking country as defined by UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI). View UKVI Majority English speaking countries. The qualification must have been completed no more than 5 years before the enrolment date of the degree programme for which you are applying.

2. You have successfully completed a You have successfully completed a University qualification we consider equivalent to a UK degree. The qualification was taught at an overseas campus of a university which is based in a country recognised by the UKVI as a majority English speaking country. The qualification must have been completed no more than 3 years before the of the enrolment date of the degree programme for which you are applying.

3. You have passed one of the following English Language Tests within the last 2 years at the levels indicated (we will need to verify the results of the test and as such you will need to upload your original certificate as part of the application process).

Notes:

• There are some exceptions, such as for our Translating and Interpreting programmes, which require higher level equivalent to an IELTS of 6.5 for undergraduate programmes and 7.0 for postgraduate programmes. Our Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics programmes require higher level equivalent to an IELTS of 6.5 for undergraduate programmes.
• The test should have been passed within two years of the enrolment date of the degree for which you are applying.
• In relation to TOEFL iBT, we do accept TOEFL iBT Home Edition however we do not accept myBest or Superscore results and minimum scores must be achieved in one sitting.
• We do not accept Duolingo.
• In relation to IELTS Academic, we do accept IELTS One Skill Retake however we do not accept the IELTS indicator, general training or online tests.
• In relation to PTE Academic, we do not accept the online version of this test.

4. Successful completion of one of our Pre-Sessional English Language Programmes within one year and one month of the enrolment date of the degree programme for which you are applying.

5. Successful completion of another UK University Pre-Sessional English Language course, based within the UK and which has BALEAP accreditation. This course must have been completed within one year of the enrolment date of the degree programme for which you are applying. It is your responsibility to prove that the mark you have obtained is a pass and would enable you to continue your studies at the UK University at which the English programme was taught.

6. Successful completion of a UK University Pre-masters qualification. This course must have been completed within one year of the enrolment date of the degree programme for which you are applying. It is your responsibility to prove that the mark you have obtained is a pass and would enable you to continue your studies at the UK University at which the pre-masters was taught.

7. Successful completion of one of the following School level English Language qualifications within 5 years of the enrolment date for your proposed degree programme with us.

8. For all postgraduate taught students:

If you have met the above school-level English Language qualifications more than 6 but less than 10 years ago - and graduated from your undergraduate degree within last 2 academic years of your proposed Heriot-Watt enrolment date, we will accept an official letter from your undergraduate university stating that the language of study and assessment for your degree was English.

If you graduated from your undergraduate degree more than 2 academic years ago, in exceptional circumstances, we will consider a letter from your employer confirming English is the language of the workplace. In this case, your employer must be a verifiable, international company or government agency, the letter must come from your employer’s HR department or line manager, and the signatory of the letter must be contactable. You must have worked there for a minimum of 6 months.

For postgraduate taught students from India:

If you met the Grade XII criteria within the last 10 years, and you graduated with an undergraduate degree which was taught and assessed in English at a recognised Indian university within the last 5 years, then please provide a Medium of Instruction letter from your university unless this is clearly stated on your transcript and degree certificate. If you completed your Grade XII qualification within the last 10 years and graduated from your university over 5 years ago, then we would require an approved employer letter (see below for details) or an IELTS or equivalent. If you met the Grade XII criteria over 10 years ago, then we will require an IELTS or equivalent.

For postgraduate taught students from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya or Botswana:

There is no time limit to the WAEC/WASSE, NECO, KCSE or BGCSE qualification for English language purposes. If your undergraduate degree was taught at a recognised university within Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya or Botswana or at a university within a majority English speaking country, or at an overseas campus of a university based in a majority English speaking country, then your transcript and degree certificate will be sufficient as evidence of English. If you graduated from a university outside one of these countries or your high school English does not meet the required grade, then we require an an IELTS or equivalent.

9. In relation to point 8, where proof of English may be inconclusive or when it is not possible to contact the signatory, the University, at its discretion, reserves the right to ask postgraduate applicants to take an in-house English test or other appropriate assessment to confirm English level. Any in-house will only be administered in exceptional circumstances and not at the request of applicants and should not be considered as a replacement for the tests detailed in point 3.

10. Postgraduate research students

Applicants must be able to meet one of the criteria below:

• If an applicant is a national of one of the countries listed on the UK Government Guidance under ‘Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English’ (copy of passport should be provided).
• If an applicant’s first language is not English but they have an English-taught Bachelors or Masters degree from one of the countries listed on the UK Government Guidance under ‘Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English’, and this is clearly stated in evidence. This qualification should have been obtained no more than two years before the applicant is due to begin their studies at Heriot watt.  
• This student’s first language is not English but they have achieved at least a C in a Heriot-Watt pre-sessional English course and this is clearly stated in evidence.
• This student’s first language is not English but they have provided a recognised English language test from the list below which was taken in the past 2 years and have achieved a CEFR level B2 at the levels below:

11. The University has the right to call students for a pre-CAS interview at its discretion.