For most international students planning to study in the UK in 2026, the real challenge is not simply passing the English proficiency test, but getting the desired score. While the UK visa system follows its own English language proficiency rules, universities decide their own academic thresholds. And to save your time, here is a list of PTE score required for UK universities. Check the UK universities PTE score requirement and streamline your preparation.
A small but important reality before you read the table:
- UK universities do not follow one fixed national PTE score. In practice, universities publish:
- Different English levels (such as standard, higher or advanced), or
- Different requirements for different faculties, or
- Higher thresholds for competitive subjects.
Take A Free PTE Mock Test To Check Your Score For 2026 Intake
PTE Score Required for UK Universities
| List of Universities | Minimum PTE Score Requirement (Graduate) | Minimum PTE Score Requirement (Post Graduate) |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | 58 | 65 |
| University of St Andrews | 51 | 70 |
| Durham University | 56 | 70 |
| University of Cambridge | 60 | 64 |
| University of Oxford | 66 | 66 |
| Imperial College London | 56 | 60 |
| University of Bath | 69 | 69 |
| University of Warwick | 65 | 62 |
| University College London | 68 | 68 |
| University of Bristol | 59 | 64 |
| University of Strathclyde | 60 | 62 |
| Loughborough University | 62 | 62 |
| University of Sheffield | 56 | 60 |
| University of Exeter | 64 | 73 |
| Lancaster University | 58 | 58 |
Source – Click here.
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Important for applicants:
For universities such as Cambridge, Imperial, Bristol, Durham, and Edinburgh, the university clearly states that the correct English requirement must be checked on the individual program page.
What PTE score should you realistically plan for in 2026?
Looking across official university pages, a very consistent pattern appears.
- Most undergraduate programmes accept: PTE scores in the 59 to 61 range.
- Most postgraduate taught programmes begin from: 61 to 65 overall.
However, research-intensive and globally competitive universities usually expect much higher results. For those institutions, aiming only for the minimum published score is rarely safe.
Key Takeaways for 2026 applicants
- Top-tier universities tend to require high PTE bands
- World-class universities typically require a PTE Academic score of about 58–73 overall for postgraduate study, with most courses sitting in the low to mid-60s and up to around 70 for more competitive programmes.
- Many universities specify component minima
- It is very common to see conditions such as “minimum 59 in each skill” together with an overall score. Universities use this to make sure students are not weak in one area such as speaking or writing, even if their total score looks acceptable.
- Always check specific course pages
- Even when a university publishes a general English requirement, individual programmes — particularly in subjects like law, medicine, business or education — frequently apply higher language standards. The course page is always the final authority.
- PTE Academic UKVI matters for visas
- For a UK student visa, you must take PTE Academic UKVI with a valid SELT reference. A standard PTE Academic test may be accepted by the university, but it may not be suitable for your CAS and visa process if the course requires a UKVI test.
Check your course readiness with a free PTE mock.
One more detail many students miss:
Universities usually accept both PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI for admission. However, if your offer requires a SELT for visa purposes, you must already hold the UKVI version of the test. Choosing the wrong version is one of the most common and costly mistakes in the application process.
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Why Checking PTE Minimum Score for UK Matters More in 2026
English-language policies across UK universities have become more detailed in recent years. Several institutions now:
- Apply higher minimum scores for professional degrees.
- Introduce stricter speaking and writing sub-score rules.
- Separate language standards for different faculties.
For 2026 entry, it is no longer safe to rely on a single headline score taken from a university’s main English page.
How to Realistically Achieve PTE Score Required for UK Universities
Your preparation approach must be matched to the university level you are targeting. A student aiming for PTE 59 needs a very different strategy from someone aiming for PTE 78.
Start with a PTE Mock Test
Before committing to a long study plan, take a full mock test and identify whether your main problem is:
- Fluency
- Pronunciation,
- Listening accuracy,
- Written structure.
Most candidates do not lose marks because of vocabulary. They lose marks because of speed, hesitation and inconsistency.
Train Speaking for The Scoring System
PTE speaking is highly sensitive to:
- Smooth delivery,
- Clear pronunciation,
- Continuous flow.
Frequent self-corrections, long pauses and broken sentences can reduce scores even when your English sounds natural in daily life.
Build a Writing Structure That Still Sounds Natural:
For the writing section learn:
- Logical organization
- Clear topic development,
- Controlled grammar.
Templates can help, but only when you adapt them properly to the question. Rigid memorized answers usually limit content and coherence.
Treat Listening As a Daily Habit:
Listening tasks in the real exam closely resemble academic discussions and lectures. Daily exposure to:
- Short academic talks.
- Interviews.
- Classroom-style discussions.
Builds real listening stamina and prevents panic during longer recordings.
Track Progress By Individual Skills
Random practice may feel productive, but it rarely leads to consistent improvement. What actually makes a difference is regularly tracking how each core skill is developing, such as:
- Your speaking fluency patterns over time.
- Your listening accuracy across different question types.
- Your grammar consistency in writing tasks.
This skill-level tracking shows exactly where improvement is happening — and where focused practice is still needed.
You can start your PTE preparation on Gurully. Our online practice platform is designed to help you score better with expert-curated full-length mock tests. To improve specific skills, you can focus on section-wise practice for Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.
With accurate AI scoring and instant results, you will clearly understand where you are losing marks and how to improve through practical AI-based suggestions. You can also practice individual questions for free and strengthen your performance across all PTE task types in a structured way.
FAQ:
What is the minimum PTE score for the UK?
Is the UK accepting 5.5 bands?
Is PTE accepted for a UK visa?
What if I fail PTE Academic?
Is 50 marks good in PTE?
