Subject Area English Language Requirements
English language entry requirements by subject area for inbound students.
**Due to be updated for September 2025/26 entry***
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Requirements
The minimum level of English required by the University of Sheffield is IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. However, each academic subject area sets its own individual English Language level and most of these are higher than this minimum score.
You must meet the minimum score for each subject you wish to study before registration to be accepted onto modules taught by that subject.
Subject area requirements
| Subject area | TOEFL requirement | IELTS requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Archaeology | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Architecture | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Automatic Control and Systems Engineering | 80 (minimum 17 in Listening, 17 in Writing, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each component) |
| Bioengineering | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Biosciences (including Biology, Biomedical Science, and Molecular Biology and Biotechnology) | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Chemical and Biological Engineering | 80 (minimum 17 in Listening, 17 in Writing, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each component) |
| Chemistry | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Civil and Structural Engineering | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Computer Science | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| East Asian Studies | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Economics | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Electronic and Electrical Engineering | 80 (minimum 17 in Listening, 17 in Writing, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each component) |
| English Language Teaching Centre (credit modules) | 80 (minimum 17 in Listening, 17 in Writing, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each component) |
| English | 95 (minimum 21 in Listening, 22 in Writing, 22 in Reading, 23 in Speaking) | IELTS 7.0 (minimum 6.5 in each component) |
| Geography | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| History | 95 (minimum 21 in Listening, 22 in Writing, 22 in Reading, 23 in Speaking) | IELTS 7.0 (minimum 6.5 in each component) |
| Human Communication Sciences | 110 (minimum 24 in Listening, 26 in Reading, 27 in Speaking and 26 in Writing) | IELTS 8.0 (minimum 7.5 in each component) |
| Journalism, Media and Communications | 103 (minimum 22 in Listening, 24 in Writing, 24 in Reading, 25 in Speaking) | IELTS 7.5 (minimum 7.0 in each component) |
| Landscape Architecture | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Law | 95 (minimum 21 in Listening, 22 in Writing, 22 in Reading, 23 in Speaking) | IELTS 7.0 (minimum 6.5 in each component) |
| Management School (Business) | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Materials Science and Engineering | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Mathematics and Statistics | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Mechanical Engineering | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Modern Languages Teaching Centre | 80 (minimum 17 in Listening, 17 in Writing, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each component) |
| Music | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Nursing & Midwifery | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Philosophy | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Physics | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Politics | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Psychology | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Sociological Studies (including Digital Media) | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
| Urban Studies and Planning | 88 (minimum 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking) | IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in each component) |
NB: Some postgraduate modules may require a higher IELTS (or equivalent) score.
International scholarships
We offer a generous package of financial support for international students, including undergraduate and postgraduate taught scholarships worth £10,000 towards the annual tuition fee.
Applications are open for existing offer holders for programmes starting in autumn 2025.