Yes, PTE Academic is widely accepted by UK universities for 2027 entry, but there is no single score that works everywhere. The score you need depends on the university, course, study level and, often, your individual results in speaking, writing, reading and listening.
If you are searching for PTE accepted universities in UK, the useful question is not simply “Who accepts PTE?” It is “Which universities accept my score for my exact course?” This guide answers both, with current score bands, lower-score options and a clear distinction between university admission and UKVI rules.
Is PTE Accepted in the UK in 2027?
The short answer is yes. Pearson says PTE is accepted by 99% of UK universities and colleges. That makes PTE Academic a mainstream English-language option for international applicants rather than a niche alternative.
Acceptance, however, does not mean one common minimum. Oxford currently asks for 76 overall for undergraduate English-language evidence, while some universities and courses use requirements around the high 50s or low 60s. Several institutions also use bands or profiles, so two courses at the same university can ask for different PTE scores.
That is why the safest approach is to check both the overall score and the minimum score in each communicative skill. If you are still choosing between tests, you can compare PTE with TOEFL before booking, or see how UK universities assess different forms of English-language evidence.
PTE Accepted Universities in UK for 2027
The table below focuses on universities with current official evidence that they accept PTE Academic. Scores are a guide to published bands or common requirements, not a promise that every course uses the same threshold.
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University
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Current PTE Academic score guide
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What you should check
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University of Oxford
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76 overall, minimum 66 in each skill for current undergraduate entry
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Course and test-format rules
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Imperial College London
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Standard: 62 overall, 56 in each element. Higher: 69 overall, 62 in each element
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Whether your course uses Standard or Higher
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University College London
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Levels 1 to 5: 75 to 88 overall, with 67 to 80 minimum in each communicative skill
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The English level assigned to your programme
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King's College London
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Current undergraduate bands include 62, 69 and 75 overall, with component minima from 59 to 69
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The band attached to your course
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University of Warwick
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Current undergraduate bands: 60, 69 or 75 overall, with at least 59 in each communicative skill
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Recheck the 2027 cycle because Warwick states its PTE table by entry year
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University of Birmingham
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Published groups include 64, 67 and 76 overall, with component minima from 59 to 67
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Your course's English group
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University of Bristol
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Profiles currently span roughly 64 to 78 overall
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The profile named on the course page and its component scores
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University of Leeds
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Many master's courses: 64 overall, minimum 60 in each component. Research degrees commonly use 60 overall, 59 in each component
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Course-specific postgraduate conditions
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University of Sheffield
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Postgraduate bands commonly run from about 61 to 76 overall, with increasing component thresholds
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The English level stated for your programme
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University of Southampton
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Current bands can require 67 or 76 overall, depending on the course level
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The exact Southampton band and four skill scores
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University of Manchester
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Typical PTE bands: 59-63, 64-69, 70-75, 76-78 and 79+
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Your individual course profile and sub-scores
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University of Glasgow
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A current 2027 undergraduate example uses 59 overall with 59 in each subtest; other courses can be higher
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The 2027 programme page for your subject
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University of Edinburgh
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PTE Academic is accepted; the required total and component scores are programme-specific
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Your degree finder entry. PTE Academic Online is not accepted
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University of Exeter
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Current profiles range from 64 to 75 overall, with profile-specific communicative-skill minima
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The profile assigned to your programme
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University of Sussex
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Standard: 59 overall and 59 in each skill. Advanced: 67 overall and at least 62 in each skill
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Whether the course asks for Standard or Advanced English
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Cardiff University
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Current PTE equivalencies include 69, 76 and 80 overall for higher English bands
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The course-specific overall and communicative-skill requirement
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Swansea University
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PTE Academic equivalencies include 64, 69 and 76 overall
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The IELTS-equivalent band and component scores required by your course
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Queen's University Belfast
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64, 69 or 76 overall, with at least 59 in each component
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Whether your course is less, normally or more linguistically demanding
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Bangor University
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51, 56, 62 or 72 overall, with component minima of 42, 51, 58 or 67 respectively
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The IELTS-equivalent level set for your course
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University of Chester
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Undergraduate: 59 overall and 59 in each sub-skill. Postgraduate: 62 overall and 59 in each sub-skill
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Any higher requirement for regulated or specialist courses
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Anglia Ruskin University
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Undergraduate: 60 overall and 59 in each skill. Postgraduate: 61 overall and 59 in each skill
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Courses with requirements above the standard level
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Nottingham Trent University
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Common equivalencies include 59 overall with 59 in each element, 62 with 59, and 68 with 62 for higher requirements
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Course exceptions, particularly regulated programmes
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University of Dundee
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PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI are accepted; scores are set by the individual course
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The requirement shown on your course page and offer
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Here is the important part. Do not choose a university from this table on the score alone. A PTE 62 may meet one programme but miss another at the same institution because the second programme requires a stronger writing or speaking score.
The list is deliberately based on official university evidence rather than copied third-party lists. That matters. Cambridge, for example, often appears on competitor lists for this topic, but its current central undergraduate English-language page does not list PTE Academic among the standard tests shown there. For a high-stakes requirement, the university's own admissions guidance should win.
PTE Requirements for UK Universities: What Do the Scores Mean?
A common UK PTE score requirement sits somewhere around the high 50s to high 60s, but that range is useful only for initial planning. There is no nationwide admission score.
Think about it this way. A student with PTE 64 could meet Chester's published postgraduate standard of 62 overall with 59 in each sub-skill. The same student would not meet UCL Level 1, which currently requires 75 overall and at least 67 in every communicative skill.
So when you check the PTE score for UK study, look at four things together: the overall result, each component, the course's language band and the permitted test format. A score shown on a university-wide page may still be overridden by a higher course-specific requirement. In practice, this is where applicants often get caught out: they focus on the overall number and miss a component condition.
For planning purposes, scores around 51-59 open some direct-entry or pathway options, 60-67 covers a much broader set of standard requirements, and 69-76+ appears more often in demanding profiles. UCL can go higher, reaching 88 overall at Level 5.
Students who do not want to rely on PTE alone can also check other ways to meet an English condition without IELTS. Keep that question separate from the university-list intent here so you do not confuse alternative evidence with PTE acceptance.
PTE Accepted Universities in UK for Bachelor's Study
For bachelor's applicants, several universities publish relatively clear PTE Academic thresholds. Bangor can start at 51 overall for courses aligned to its lower English band. Chester asks for 59 overall with 59 in each sub-skill for its standard undergraduate requirement, ARU asks for 60 overall with 59 in each skill, and Sussex uses 59 overall with 59 in each skill at its Standard level.
At the other end, Oxford currently asks for 76 overall and at least 66 in speaking, listening, reading and writing. UCL's five-level system begins at 75 overall.
This is why the UK PTE score requirement for bachelor study cannot be reduced to one number. A score in the high 50s may work at one university, while another course can ask for a result well into the 70s.
If you have a PTE score around 50, check whether the published number is for direct bachelor's entry or a foundation route. Those are not interchangeable.
PTE Accepted Universities in UK for Master's Study
Is PTE accepted in UK for masters? Yes. Many UK universities accept PTE Academic for postgraduate taught courses, including Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Chester, ARU, Edinburgh and others in the main table.
Current examples make the range easier to understand. Leeds states 64 overall with no component below 60 for master's-level study. Chester's standard postgraduate requirement is 62 overall with at least 59 in each sub-skill, while ARU publishes 61 overall with 59 in each skill for standard postgraduate entry.
Manchester does not use one university-wide master's score. Its typical PTE bands run from 59-63 up to 79+, and the course profile tells you which level applies.
So if you are researching the UK PTE score requirement for masters, start around the low to mid-60s as a planning reference, then verify the exact MSc, MA, MBA, LLM or other programme. A broad planning range should never replace the actual offer condition.
Low PTE Score Accepted Universities in UK
Students searching for low PTE score accepted universities in UK need to distinguish between direct degree entry and a pathway.
Bangor is one of the clearest direct-entry examples in the current data. Its published equivalency table starts at PTE 51 overall with 42 in each component for courses aligned to IELTS 5.5 with 5.0 in each component. Higher Bangor course bands move to 56, 62 and 72 overall.
Chester's standard undergraduate threshold is 59 overall with 59 in each sub-skill. Nottingham Trent also publishes a 59 overall, 59 in each element equivalency for courses requiring IELTS 6.0.
What about a PTE score of 50? It is close to some lower published thresholds, but you should not treat it as a guaranteed direct-entry score. Foundation or pre-sessional routes can have lower requirements, and the permitted test version may change for those routes.
That small distinction is important because “low score accepted” search results often mix direct degrees, foundation programmes and visa English rules as though they are the same thing.
Can You Study in UK with PTE?
Yes, you can study in UK with PTE when your university accepts PTE Academic and your score meets the course requirement.
English evidence is only one part of the application, though. You still need to meet the academic entry criteria, submit the required documents, secure an offer and satisfy any conditions before the university can progress you towards a CAS.
If you are building a full shortlist rather than comparing English tests alone, plan the rest of your UK application alongside your course choice. Applicants with previous education taught in English may also want to check when English-medium previous study can be considered, because MOI policies vary sharply between institutions.
PTE Academic vs PTE Academic UKVI
PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI assess the same four language skills, but they are not always used for the same purpose.
Pearson explains how PTE Academic UKVI differs by including the Unique Reference Number needed when a UK visa route requires a Secure English Language Test. For degree-level study at a UK Higher Education Institution, regular PTE Academic can be appropriate when the university accepts it. Below-degree study, certain pathways and some other visa situations may require a UKVI-approved version.
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Situation
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What to check
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Direct degree-level university admission
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Whether the university accepts regular PTE Academic
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Course below degree level or a route requiring a SELT
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Whether you need PTE Academic UKVI
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Pre-sessional or pathway course
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The university's CAS and SELT instructions
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Work or another immigration route
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The specific GOV.UK English-language rule
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Do not assume your university admission test automatically satisfies every immigration scenario. If your route specifically requires secure testing, check which English tests have UKVI approval before paying for an exam.
UK Student Visa PTE Score: Is There One Fixed Number?
No. A single universal “UK student visa PTE score” is an oversimplification.
The current UK Student immigration rules set English ability at CEFR B2 for degree-level study and B1 for study below degree level. Eligible higher education sponsors can also assess English themselves for degree-level study in certain circumstances.
Where the route requires a Secure English Language Test, GOV.UK lists approved SELTs, including the relevant Pearson UKVI test. That is different from saying every Student visa applicant must obtain the same overall PTE score.
Keep the two questions separate: your university decides its academic English condition, while the immigration rules decide what evidence your visa route requires.
How Long Is a PTE Score Valid?
Pearson states that a PTE score report is valid for two years from the test date. Most universities in this list use a similar two-year window for PTE, although an institution can apply its own timing rules.
A practical example: if your course starts in September 2027 and the university requires the result to remain valid on the course start date, a test taken too early in 2025 could expire before enrolment.
That timing question becomes more important when you defer an offer, so check validity again after any intake change.
Planning a January, May or September 2027 Intake
PTE acceptance and intake availability are separate filters. A university may accept your English score but not run your chosen course in every intake.
If you want an early start, compare courses available for January entry with the PTE requirement on the exact programme page. Spring options are narrower, so students considering that period should check which programmes offer a May start.
September remains the broadest UK intake. If that is your target, map your PTE date against the main September admissions cycle so that a late English result does not hold up an otherwise complete application.
A Quick 2027 Cost Check
English testing is only one item in a UK study budget. As of August 2026, the UK Student visa application fee is £558. The current maintenance requirement is £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London, for up to nine months. That means a maximum maintenance figure of £13,761 in London or £10,539 outside London, before any outstanding tuition fees on your CAS.
The student Immigration Health Surcharge is currently £776 per year, although the amount you actually pay depends on the length of the visa.
These are government immigration figures, not estimates of your real monthly spending. Tuition fees and awards vary much more widely, so compare funding and scholarship options in the UK separately before deciding that a university is affordable simply because its PTE requirement suits you.
How to Check Your Exact PTE Requirement Before Applying
Start with the exact course page, not a general university list. Confirm the intake year, then identify the English-language band or profile attached to the programme. Check the overall PTE Academic score and all four component requirements.
Next, confirm the test format. Several universities in this guide explicitly reject PTE Academic Online even though they accept the test-centre version. If a pathway, pre-sessional course or visa condition is involved, check whether PTE Academic UKVI is required instead.
Finally, check the validity date against your course start date. Requirements can change between admissions cycles, which is why a 2027 applicant should recheck a page even when the university accepted the same score in 2026.
A five-minute verification at this stage can prevent an expensive retest later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PTE accepted in UK?
Yes. Pearson says its PTE tests are accepted by 99% of UK universities and colleges. For university admission, check whether your specific course accepts PTE Academic and what overall and component scores it requires.
Does UK accept PTE for university admission?
Yes, most UK universities accept PTE Academic, but acceptance is institution and course specific. The main table above includes current official examples from Oxford, Imperial, UCL, King's, Manchester, Leeds, Sussex, Bangor and other universities.
Which UK universities accept PTE Academic?
Many do, including Oxford, Imperial College London, UCL, King's College London, Warwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield, Southampton, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Exeter, Sussex, Cardiff, Swansea, Queen's Belfast, Bangor, Chester, ARU, Nottingham Trent and Dundee.
What is the minimum PTE score for UK universities?
There is no universal minimum. Current direct-entry examples in this guide range from 51 overall at a lower Bangor English band to 76 at Oxford undergraduate level, while UCL's highest profile reaches 88. Course and component requirements matter.
Is PTE accepted in UK for masters?
Yes. Many master's programmes accept PTE Academic. Examples include Leeds at 64 overall with 60 in each component for its general master's requirement, Chester at 62 overall with 59 in each sub-skill, and ARU at 61 overall with 59 in each skill for its standard postgraduate requirement.
Can I get admission with PTE 50 in the UK?
Possibly through some foundation or pre-sessional routes, but PTE 50 is below many direct-degree requirements. Bangor's current lower direct-entry equivalency begins at 51 overall. Always confirm whether a published low score applies to a degree, foundation course or pre-sessional programme.
Is PTE Academic accepted in UK for a Student visa?
For degree-level study, a university may accept regular PTE Academic as its academic English evidence. If your immigration route specifically requires an approved SELT, PTE Academic UKVI may be required. Follow your university's CAS instructions and the current GOV.UK rules.
Is PTE valid in UK for two years?
Pearson's standard PTE score report is valid for two years from the test date. Universities may state how recent the result must be at application or course start, so check the institution's own rule as well.
Final Check Before You Apply
There are many PTE accepted universities in UK for students planning 2027 entry, but a university name and an overall score are not enough to make an application decision.
Match your score to the exact course. Check each communicative skill. Confirm whether the university accepts PTE Academic or needs PTE Academic UKVI for your route. Then check the intake, cost and validity date before you commit.
That sequence is simple, but it avoids the most common mistake: finding a university that “accepts PTE” and assuming your particular score automatically qualifies.
Once you have a shortlist, you can discuss your course choices and entry conditions before making the next move.