IELTS is one of the major profieciency test required at Universities in UK as an admission requirement. Many time getting an good IELTS score for UK is little challenging. Given the difficulty of the exam and the selectivity of the universities, students often want to skip it and find ways to study in the UK without IELTS. Some of the questions that international students seem to oscillate between are: Is it possible to study in the UK without IELTS?, or What are the admission criteria to study in the UK without IELTS?
Many students who wish to be admitted into universities in the UK think that IELTS is mandatory. However, many universities in the UK allow students to be admitted without IELTS. Appearing for IELTS is one of the most important things that a student needs to consider before starting the application procedure to study in the UK. We have already covered study abroad without IELTS globally. In this article, we will inform you about the Study in the UK without IELTS. Apart from the IELTS exam, candidates also take the TOEFL and PTE exams to prove English language proficiency.
Taking the IELTS exam is important as your stay depends on it. English language proficiency is a student visa requirement and getting into a university has no impact because of this. Those who do not want to take IELTS or any other English language proficiency test can now apply to universities that offer admission without asking for IELTS exam scores. However, there can be other criteria set by the university which you need to fulfil to secure admission. UK universities may ask students to prove their English language proficiency not with the standardised test score but in a different way. So, you can check with the university how it is measuring your English proficiency, thus saving your time, money, and effort all at once.
What is IELTS?
IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. The test is administered by the British Council, Cambridge Assessment English and IDP Education. It analyses one’s English language skills to read, write, speak and listen. It is a standardised test for a student who wants to show his/her proficiency in English whose mother tongue is not English.
Are you aiming to register for the TOEFL exam? Get INR 500 off on your TOEFL exam fee by using the code ‘SHIKTOEFL’ while TOEFL registration.
List of UK Universities that Allow Admissions Wthout IELTS
Given below is the list of the universities that grant admission to Indian students without IELTS.
- University of Plymouth
- University of Portsmouth
- Swansea University
- University of Warwick
- London Southbank University
- University of Greenwich
- University of Central Lancashire
- Aston University
- Northumbria University
- Robert Gordon University
- University of Bolton
- Birmingham City University
- Riga Technical University
- University of Northampton
- Sheffield Hallam University
- University of Basel
- University of Bristol
- University of Geneva
- Birmingham City University
- University of Central Lancashire
How to Study in the UK without IELTS for Indian Students
No wonder, how important is IELTS score to stay and study in the UK, there are some alternate options that one can consider to study in the UK without IELTS.
- If your previous education was done in English: Some of the universities in the UK allow international students to study in the UK without IELTS whose previous education has been completed in an English Medium School. In order to prove proficiency in English, you need to get a Medium of Instruction (MOI) certificate from a previous educational institute.
- Class 12th English Scores: Many universities that offer admission in the UK without IELTS need the class 12th English Language scores of students. In exceptional circumstances, universities may require the 10th class marks. Like if you have scored more than 70% in English in 10th and 12th then universities can consider this as proof of English proficiency.
- Online Interview: Few universities may ask students to appear for online interviews through Skype. They will assess your English Language proficiency through this interview.
Apart from this, there are universities that may not ask you to give IELTS or TOEFL score, but to write a separate exam to prove your English level.
Note: English language proficiency is one of the requirements for getting a Tier 4, the most common UK student visa. However, if your university is waiving IELTS test scores then you can ask them to issue a document stating that you are eligible to get a UK student visa.
Documents Required to Study in the UK Without IELTS
- SSC mark sheet
- HSC mark sheet
- Bachelor’s semester marks sheet
- Provisional certificate & consolidated marksheet
- Medium of Instruction certificate (Depending on the senior year scores in English)
- Passport
- Letter of Recommendations
- Resume
- Statement of Purpose
- Offer letter
- Experience letter (if any)
- Other Academic Transcripts
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This was all about how you can study in the UK without taking the IELTS exam. If you wish to study abroad, then you can get assistance from Shiksha Counselling Services for free. You can also drop your queries in the comments section below.
Study in UK without IELTS in 2025 requirements
The cheapest university in the UK that accepts students without IELTS is Northumbria University. It offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs at affordable tuition rates, making it a popular choice for international students seeking to study in the UK without taking the IELTS exam.
The names of the UK universities that allow students to take admission without IELTS are the University of Warwick, Birmingham City University, University of Bristol, Robert Gordon University, University of Greenwich, Portsmouth University, etc.
IELTS is not always mandatory for Indian students wishing to study in the UK. Some universities allow students to apply without IELTS if they have completed their previous education in English or can provide alternative proof of English proficiency, such as a high school English score or other standardized tests.
Yes, it is possible to obtain a UK visa without an IELTS score if you are accepted into a university that does not require IELTS for admission. However, you may still need to demonstrate your English language proficiency through other means, such as documentation from your previous educational institution or alternative English tests.
The IELTS exam dates in India 2025 is available throughout the year. The computer based IELTS exam dates is available almost daily. On the other hand, the paper based IELTS dates are available up to 4 times a month, totaling 48 fixed test dates annually.
Booking an IELTS exam centre is not very difficult. Applicants can either register for the chosen IELTS exam centre online or go to the nearest IDP kiosk and choose for one. 75+ IELTS exam centres are available across various Indian cities. Thus, applicants will be able to book their IELTS test centres easily based on the available exam centres in India. When applicants will be registering on IDP's website for IELTS exam, they can directly choose their exam centre and register for the exam. On the other hand, when registering offline, people at IDP can help applicants choose their exam centres.
The application process at the University of Manchester may vary depending on the course and level of study. However, here is the application process for UG and PG courses:
The Undergraduate Application Process:
Step 1: You can apply through the UCAS common application portal.
Step 2: Go to the website and select the course you are interested in.
Step 3: Ensure you meet the Entry requirements (Academic qualifications, English proficiency, etc.
Step 4: Once you decide on the course, submit documents such as SOP, Transcripts and personal statements.
Check out: tips to improve your SOP.
Step 5: You can track the application's progress through your given credentials by UCAS.
Step 6: Once the applicant submits the application to UCAS, it forwards to the University, and the admission teams carefully analyse the application document.
Step 7: The university will send you an offer letter once selected. Hence keep checking your UCAS portal for your application status.
The Postgraduate application process:
Step 1: Select the postgraduate course you are interested in from the University of Manchester.\
Step 2: Ensure you meet the entry requirements for the chosen program, as they vary depending on the course.
Step 3: Complete the online application by providing your personal information.
Step 4: Upload the required documents, such as Academic transcripts and proof of English language proficiency ( TOEFL/ IELTS). experience in your fields and references (depending on the course). You also may require Two LORs depending on the course.
To make your admission better, check out the following: How Admission Officers Evaluate your application.
Step 5: If your application is successful, you will receive an offer from the University of Manchester.
One can look for an alternative English Proficiency Tests accepted by UK universities. Several universities accept other standardized tests as proof of English proficiency, including:

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Hello Ari. We request you to be more clear with your query and elaborate the same so that we can understand the same properly. In case you are urgently looking for a solution, please feel free to take free counselling offered by Shiksha counsellors at - https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply?utm_sou
Yes, it is possible to study in UK without IELTS. For this, you should have to fulfill English requirements such as having a proof of over 70% in English in High School or taking an online interview conducted by the university or proof of English as your medium of instruction in your school.