For undergraduate qualifications
For admission to an聽undergraduate qualification聽at UC, except an undergraduate teaching qualification, your English language test results must meet the following minimum standard:聽 聽聽
Topic
English language requirements
06 August 2025
Minimum standards required for English language test results to study at UC.聽
HOW TO APPLY
Minimum English language test results聽
You must achieve a satisfactory standard in聽one聽sitting within聽two years聽of the expected study start date.
Some departments and programmes may require higher results than those listed below.聽 Please check specific聽course and qualification information聽for further details.
| Test | Minimum standard |
| C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency | Minimum score of 169 with at least 162 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. |
| CCEL EAP | Level 2 with a minimum C+ grade. |
| DET | Minimum total score of 105. |
| FluentIQ | Overall mark of 8/10 with nothing less than a 7 being scored in a single category. |
| IELTS | Academic with an average score of 6.0, with a minimum of 5.5 in聽reading, writing, listening and speaking. |
| ISE | ISE II with distinction in all 4 components. |
| LanguageCert | B2 Communicator (LRWS) overall with High Pass. |
| NZAPA | English New 麻豆传媒团队Accredited Pathway Assessment Level 2 (with no skill lower than Level 1). |
| NZCEL | Level 4 - Academic endorsement. |
| Pearson Test of English (Academic) | PTE with an overall score of聽50 and no PTE communicative skills score below聽42. |
| TOEFL iBT | Total minimum score of 80, with at least 19 in聽reading, writing and listening.聽Please note UC only accepts TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date, not MyBest scores. |
For teaching qualifications
For admission to a teaching qualification at UC聽your English language test results must meet the following minimum standard:
| Test | Minimum standard |
| C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency or Cambridge English exams | Listening: 185 minimum Reading: 185 minimum Writing: 185 minimum Speaking: 185 minimum Overall mark (in one test): 185 minimum |
| IELTS Academic | Reading: 7.0 Writing: 7.0 Speaking: 7.0 Overall mark (in one test): 7.0 |
| ISE III | Listening: Pass with merit Reading: Pass with merit Writing: Pass with merit Speaking: Pass with merit Overall mark (in one test): Pass with merit |
| LanguageCert - C1 Expert IESOL | Listening: no less than 35/50 LanguageCert has changed the way it reports test results, changing from the language of 'pass/fail' to a numerical score. This change does not change the score required, it is simply a change in language |
| LanguageCert - C2 Mastery IESOL | Listening: no less than 25/50 LanguageCert has changed the way it reports test results, changing from the language of 'pass/fail' to a numerical score. This change does not change the score required, it is simply a change in language. |
| Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic | Listening: 65 Reading: 65 Writing: 65 Speaking: 65 Overall mark (in one test): 65 |
| TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) | Listening: 24 Reading: 24 Writing: 27 Speaking: 23 Overall mark (in one test):聽98 minimum |
For postgraduate qualifications
For admission to a聽postgraduate qualification聽at UC,聽your English language test results must meet the following minimum standard:
| Test | Minimum standard |
| C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency | Score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. |
| CCEL EAP | Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade. |
| DET | Minimum total score of 120. |
| FluentIQ | Overall mark of 8/10 with nothing less than a 7 being scored in a single category. |
| IELTS Academic | An average score of 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. |
| ISE | ISE III with a pass in all 4 components. |
| LanguageCert | C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with HIGH PASS. |
| NZAPA | English New 麻豆传媒团队Accredited Pathway Assessment Level 3 (with no skill lower than Level 2). |
| NZCEL | Level 5. |
| Pearson Test of English (Academic) | PTE with an overall score of聽58 and no PTE communicative skills score below聽50. |
| TOEFL iBT | Total minimum score of 90, minimum score of 19 in reading, writing and listening.聽Please note UC only accepts TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date, not MyBest scores. |
For UCIC-taught qualifications
For admission to the Certificate in Foundation Studies (CertFounStudies) or the Diploma in University Studies (DipUniSt), your English language test results must meet the following minimum standards:
| Test | Minimum standard |
| Cambridge International A Level Qualification | CertFounStudies: - DipUniSt:聽Passing grade in one A Level Examination. (Teaching and assessment of this subject must have been conducted in English). |
| CCEL EAP 1 | CertFounStudies: C+ DipUniSt: C+ |
| Duolingo | CertFounStudies:聽95 (no band below 80) DipUniSt: 95 (no band below 80) |
| GCE/GCSE/IGCSE "O" level | CertFounStudies: C in one subject DipUniSt: - |
| IELTS (Academic) including IELTS One Skill Retake and online | 颁别谤迟贵辞耻苍厂迟耻诲颈别蝉:听5.5 (no band below 5.0) 顿颈辫鲍苍颈厂迟:听5.5 (no band below 5.0) |
| International Baccalaureate | 颁别谤迟贵辞耻苍厂迟耻诲颈别蝉:听Standard 5 or Higher 4 顿颈辫鲍苍颈厂迟:听Standard 5 or Higher 4 |
| LanguageCert (online) B2 Communicator International ESOL | 颁别谤迟贵辞耻苍厂迟耻诲颈别蝉:听Written (LRW) PASS and Spoken (S) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill. DipUniSt:聽Written (LRW) PASS and Spoken (S) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill. |
| NZ NCEA Level 2 and/or 3 | CertFounStudies:聽4 credits for Reading and 4 credits for Writing from the UE literacy OR five credits of Level 3 English Language standards. DipUniSt:聽4 credits for Reading and 4 credits for Writing from the UE literacy OR five credits of Level 3 English Language standards. |
| NZCEL | CertFounStudies:聽Level 3 (Applied) DipUniSt:聽Level 4 (General) |
| Pearson Test of English (Academic) | 颁别谤迟贵辞耻苍厂迟耻诲颈别蝉:听42 (no band below 36) DipUniSt:聽42 (no band below 36) |
| TOEFL iBT/home edition | 颁别谤迟贵辞耻苍厂迟耻诲颈别蝉:听46 (writing is not below 14) DipUniSt:. 46 (writing is not below 14) |
English language proficiency
More information, including how to provide your test results to UC.
