Entry Requirements

Our Pre-Sessional English courses commence at specific stages throughout the year. The course you apply for will depend on your latest English Language proficiency level and the English Language requirement for the academic programme that you wish to study. Once you know your direct entry profile, and your latest IELTS (or equivalent) level and individual components you can calculate for how long you are recommended to study.

Please note the University can only consider the latest English Language qualification for entry to our Pre-sessional English courses. Combinations of English Language qualifications will not be considered.

The University of Liverpool has six different English Language proficiency entry profiles.  All programmes, with a very small number of exceptions, ask applicants to submit proof that they fit one of these profiles.  The vast majority of applicants use IELTS to prove their level of proficiency in English and so the table below shows what the entry profiles are in terms of IELTS results.

University of Liverpool Entry Profile 
F Overall 7.5 with no band below 7.0
E Overall 7.0 with no band below 6.5
D Overall 6.5 with writing at 6.5 and no other band below 6.0
C Overall 6.5 with no band below 6.0
B Overall 6.5 with no band below 5.5
A Overall 6.0 with no band below 5.5

You can check the English language requirements for your academic course here. Alternatively you can find it on your offer letter.

If you want to study the Pre-sessional English course on-campus only the following secure English Language tests (SELT) are acceptable:

  • IELTS Academic UKVI SELT
  • Pearson Academic UKVI SELT
  • Language Cert UKVI SELT
  • Skills for English UKVI SELT

Our fully online options will be available from summer 2023 and if you opt for one of these courses you will study online until August 2023.  If you are applying for a place on one of our fully online courses, the following tests are acceptable:

  • IELTS Academic SELT or Non SELT, including IELTS Online
  • Pearson Academic SELT or Non SELT including PTE Academic Online
  • Language Cert SELT or Non SELT including Language Cert Online
  • Skills for English UKVI SELT or Skills for English Global
  • Duolingo

To find out the length of Pre-sessional English course you require:

  1. Open the section below for the test you have taken
  2. Find your entry profile A-F (see table above if you are unsure of this)
  3. Read along to find the score that matches the score you have achieved
  4. Read up to find how long you will need to study for with that score.

 

 

    IELTS

    Entry Profile

     

    40-week

    Stage 1

    30-week

    Stage 2

    20-week

    Stage 3

    12-week

    Summer

    10-week

    Summer

    6-week

    Summer

    My most recent IELTS score

    F

    Overall score 5.5

    no band below 5.0

    Overall score 6.0

    no band below 5.5

    Overall score 6.5

    no band below 6.0

    Overall score 6.5

    no band below 6.5

    Overall score 7.0

    no band below 6.5

    Overall score 7.0

    no band below 7.0

    E

    Overall score 5.0

    no more than one band at 4.5 minimum

    Overall score 5.5

    no band below 5.0

    Overall score 6.0

    no band below 5.5

    Overall score 6.5

    no band below 5.5

    Overall score 6.5

    no band below 6.0

    Overall score 6.5

    no band below 6.5

    D

    Overall score 4.5

    no band below 4.5

    Overall score 5.0

    no band below 5.0

    Overall score 5.5

    no band below 5.5

    Overall score 6.0

    no band below 5.5

    Overall score 6.0 W 6.0 no other band below 5.5

    Overall score 6.0

    no band below 6.0

    C

    Overall score 4.5

    no more than one band at 4.0 minimum

    Overall score 5.0

    no more than one band at 4.5 minimum

    Overall score 5.5

    no more than one band at 5.0 minimum

    Overall score 6.0

    no more than one band at 5.0 minimum

    Overall score 6.0

    no band below 5.5

    Overall score 6.0

    no band below 6.0

    B

    Overall score 4.5

    no more than one band at 4.0 minimum

    Overall score 5.0

    no band below 4.5

    Overall score 5.5,

    no band below 4.5

    Overall score 5.5

    no more than one band at 5.0 minimum

    Overall score 5.5

    no band below 5.5

    Overall score 6.0 no band below 5.5

    A

    Overall score 4.0

    no band below 4.0

    Overall score 4.5

    no band below 4.5

    Overall score 5.0

    no band below 4.5

    Overall score 5.0

    no band below 5.0

    Overall score 5.5

    no band below 5.0


    Overall score 5.5

    no band below 5.5

     

    Pearson Academic (UKVI) Test

    Entry Profile

    40-week

    Stage 1

    30-week

    Stage 2

    20-week

    Stage 3

    12-week

    Summer

    10-week

    Summer

    6-week

    Summer

    My most recent PTE Academic score

    F
    Overall 51 No compoment less than 46
    Overall 54 No component less than 51
    Overall 61 No component less than 56
    Overall 61 No component less than 61
    Overall 69 No component less than 61
    Overall 69 No component less than 69
    E
    Overall 46 No compoment less than 43
    Overall 51 No component less than 46
    Overall 56 No component less than 51
    Overall 61 No component less than 51
    Overall 61 No component less than 56
    Overall 61 No component less than 61
    D
    Overall 46 No component less than 43
    Overall 51 No component less than 46
    Overall 56 No component less than 51
    Overall 59 No component less than 51
    Overall 59 W minimum 56, No other component less than 51
    Overall 59 No component less than 59
    C
    Overall 43 No component less than 43
    Overall 46 No component less than 46
    Overall 51 No component less than 51
    Overall 56 No component less than 51
    Overall 59 No component less than 51
    Overall 59 No component less than 56
    B
    Overall 43 No component less than 43
    Overall 46 No component less than 46
    Overall 51 No component less than 46
    Overall 51 No more than one component at 46 minimum
    Overall 56 No component less than 51
    Overall 59 No more than one component at 51 minimum
    A
    Overall 43 No component less than 43
    Overall 46 No component less than 43
    Overall 46 No component less than 46
    Overall 51 No component less than 46
    Overall 51 No component less than 51
    Overall 56 No more than one component at 51 minimum

     

    LanguageCert

    Please note: Where LanguageCert entry requirements allow for more than one length of course, it is up to you the student to decide what it most appropriate for your circumstances.

    Entry Profile

    40-week

    Stage 1

    30-week

    Stage 2

    20-week

    Stage 3

    12-week

    Summer

    10-week

    Summer

    6-week

    Summer

    My most recent LanguageCert score

    F

    B2 Communicator no skill below 25/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 25/50
    B2 Communicator No skill below 33/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 39/50
    C1 Expert no skill below 25/50
    C1 Expert no skill below 33/50

    E

    B1 Achiever no skill below 39/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 25/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 25/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 33/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 39/50
    C1 Expert NSB 25/50

    D, C, B

    B1 Achiever no skill below 39/50
    B1 Achiever no skill below 39/50
    B1 Achiever no skill below 39/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 25/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 33/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 33/50

    A

    B1 Achiever no skill below 33/50 *
    B1 Achiever no skill below 39/50
    B1 Achiever no skill below 39/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 25/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 25/50
    B2 Communicator no skill below 25/50
    Skills for English

    Entry Profile

     

    40-week

    Stage 1

    30-week

    Stage 2

    20-week

    Stage 3

    12-week

    Summer

    10-week

    Summer

    6-week

    Summer

    My most recent IELTS score

    F

    B2 Pass B2 Pass B2 Pass with Merit B2 Pass with Merit C1 Pass C1 Pass

    E

    B1 Pass with Merit

    B2 Pass B2 Pass B2 Pass with Merit B2 Pass with Merit B2 Pass with Merit
    D B1 Pass B1 Pass with Merit B2 Pass B2 Pass B2 Pass B2 Pass

    C

    B1 Pass

    B1 Pass with Merit

    B2 Pass

    B2 Pass B2 Pass B2 Pass

    B

    B1 Pass

    B1 Pass with Merit B1 Pass with Merit

    B2 Pass

    B2 Pass B2 Pass

    A

    B1 Pass B1 Pass

    B1 Pass with Merit

    B1 Pass with Merit B2 Pass

    B2 Pass

     

    Duolingo

    Please note: Duolingo is only accepted for fully online Pre-sessional English courses. If you are applying to study on campus, please use another accepted SELT.

     

    Entry Profile

     

    40-week Stage 1 30-week Stage 2 20-week Stage 3 12-week Summer 10-week Summer 6-week Summer

    My most recent Duolingo score

    F

    90

    no score below 80

    100

    no score below 90

    110 

    no score below 100

    110

    no score below 110

    120

    no score below 110

    120

    no score below 120

    E

    80

    no score below 70

    90 

    no score below 80

    100

    no score below 90

    110

    no score below 90

    110

    no score below 100

    110 

    no score below 100

    D,C,B

    70

    no score below 70

    80

    no score below 70

    90

    no score below 80

    90

    no score below 80

    100 

    no score below 90

    100

    no score below 100

    A

    70

    no score below 60

    70

    no score below 70

    80

    no score below 70

    80 

    no score below 80

    90

    no score below 80

    90

    no score below 90