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IELTS score requirement for The University of St Andrews

The University of St Andrews based in St Andrews, Scotland publishes both an institutional baseline and 4 programme-specific IELTS thresholds. The cards below show the institutional minimums; the programme table further down lists the courses (including BSc Medicine (Pre-clinical) and MLitt English Literature) where the bar is meaningfully higher.

Undergraduate
6.5overall band
With no band below 6.0.
CEFR B2
Per-section 6.0

Most undergraduate programmes require overall 6.5 with no individual element below 6.0. The Bachelor of Medicine (BSc Medicine) at the School of Medicine applies a stricter per-section floor.

Graduate
7.0overall band
With no band below 6.5.
CEFR C1
Per-section 6.5

Most taught postgraduate programmes require overall 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each section. Several Arts and Divinity master's programmes require 7.5 with 6.5 in every section; PhD applicants typically use the 7.0 / 6.5 baseline.

Last verified 2026-05-19. The figures on this page are taken from The University of St Andrews's own admissions page. Verify against the official source before relying on a specific number; programme directors can revise English requirements between intakes.

Official admissions page

About St Andrews and its IELTS requirement

Scotland's first university (founded 1413) and a regular UK top-3 in domestic league tables. Standard undergraduate admission is 6.5 / 6.0; standard taught postgraduate is 7.0 / 6.5; selected MLitt Arts programmes including English Literature push to 7.5 / 6.5.

Translating the published minimum into a study target

Undergraduate applicants to St Andrews need an overall IELTS Academic band of 6.5 with no band below 6.0. In CEFR terms this corresponds to B2. Most undergraduate programmes require overall 6.5 with no individual element below 6.0. The Bachelor of Medicine (BSc Medicine) at the School of Medicine applies a stricter per-section floor.

For graduate study the institutional minimum is overall 7.0 with no band below 6.5 (CEFR C1). Most taught postgraduate programmes require overall 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each section. Several Arts and Divinity master's programmes require 7.5 with 6.5 in every section; PhD applicants typically use the 7.0 / 6.5 baseline.

Programmes that raise the bar

Several St Andrews programmes publish IELTS thresholds that sit above the institutional minimum. The current list on this page includes BSc Medicine (Pre-clinical) (overall 7.0), MLitt English Literature (overall 7.5), MSc Computer Science (overall 7.0). Treat these as the target if you are applying to one of them; the institutional minimum does not over-ride a programme-level publication.

How to prepare for the St Andrews IELTS minimum

A target of 6.5 (CEFR B2) is achievable for candidates with strong school-level English and 4-8 weeks of focused IELTS practice. The fastest gains usually come from Listening and Reading because the question types are predictable and trainable. Sit a full-length practice test first, identify the section that pulls your overall down most, and drill that section before scheduling the live exam.

Programme-specific IELTS minimums

These programmes publish IELTS thresholds that differ from the institutional minimum above. Verify the programme page for the most current value before you apply.

ProgrammeOverallPer-section
BSc Medicine (Pre-clinical)7.07.0
MLitt English Literature7.56.5
MSc Computer Science7.06.5
MLitt International Business7.06.5

Other English tests St Andrews accepts

TOEFL iBT 88 with at least 17 L / 17 R / 21 W / 17 S for undergraduate study; 100 with at least 22 in each subscore at the taught postgraduate level. PTE Academic and Cambridge English C1 Advanced/Proficiency accepted at equivalent thresholds.

Alternatives and thresholds change between intakes. Confirm on the official admissions page before relying on a specific alternative test.

Common questions

What is the minimum IELTS score for The University of St Andrews?
For undergraduate study at The University of St Andrews, the published minimum is overall 6.5 with no band below 6.0. For graduate study, the minimum is overall 7.0 with no band below 6.5. Specific programmes can require higher; the figures here reflect the institutional baseline.
What does 'no band below 6.0' mean at St Andrews?
Every section of the IELTS Academic test must reach 6.0 for St Andrews. In practice the section that drops candidates below this floor is most often Writing, and occasionally Speaking; Listening and Reading tend to be the strongest two for international applicants. A test report with a single section below 6.0 is treated as if the overall band were also below the threshold, regardless of how high the overall actually is.
Does St Andrews accept other English tests besides IELTS?
Yes. TOEFL iBT 88 with at least 17 L / 17 R / 21 W / 17 S for undergraduate study; 100 with at least 22 in each subscore at the taught postgraduate level. PTE Academic and Cambridge English C1 Advanced/Proficiency accepted at equivalent thresholds. Acceptance and thresholds for alternative tests can change from one admission cycle to the next; the The University of St Andrews admissions page linked above is the authoritative source.
What if my IELTS score is below the St Andrews minimum?
A short-fall against the St Andrews minimum is fixable rather than fatal in most admission cycles. Candidates who retake IELTS after four to six weeks of targeted practice on their lowest section commonly close a half-band gap. Targeted practice means full-length papers under timed conditions, not topical revision; the section that pulled you down on the last sitting is almost always the one that will pull you down again unless you specifically drill it.
Are there programme-specific IELTS minimums at St Andrews?
Yes. 4 programmes on this page publish thresholds that differ from the institutional baseline, including BSc Medicine (Pre-clinical), MLitt English Literature, MSc Computer Science. The Programme-specific IELTS minimums table above shows each one. Always re-verify on the programme page before relying on a published figure — programme directors can raise minimums between intakes.

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