English proficiency

The ability to communicate effectively in English is critical to working effectively as a health professional in the UK. Consequently, we can ask you for information about your ability to use English.

We will always do this for international applicants unless:

a) you are a national of a relevant European State other than the United Kingdom;
b) you are a national of the United Kingdom who is seeking access to, or is pursuing, a relevant profession by virtue of an enforceable Community right; or
c) you are a person who is not a national of a relevant European State but who is, by virtue of an enforceable Community right, entitled to be treated, for the purposes of access to and pursuit of a relevant profession, no less favourably than a national of a relevant European State.

If you are making an application to become registered as a Speech and Language Therapist the language testing exemption does not apply (please see the table below).

Applicants whose first language is not English and who are required to provide a language test certificate as evidence of their proficiency must ensure that it is, or is comparable to, IELTS level 7.0 with no element below 6.5 (or IELTS level 8.0 with no element below 7.5 for Speech and language therapists). If you propose to rely upon a non-IELTS test score that is not listed below, it will be your responsibility to provide evidence that it is comparable to the requisite IELTS levels. Failure to do so will delay the processing of your application.

IELTS or other English language tests which are equivalent to IELTS level 7 (no element below 6.5) may be submitted. If you are submitting any other acceptable test that is not IELTS, you must prove the equivalence of that test. The standard required for speech and language therapists is level 8 (no element below 7.5).LANGUAGE TEST
Minimum Test Score
Speech And Language Therapists*
All Other Professions
INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM (IELTS)
8.0 with no element below 7.5
7.0 with no element below 6.5
TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TOEFL) Internet Based Test (IBT)**
Minimum score of 118/120
Minimum score of 100/120


All test certificates must be dated within two years of the date we receive your application.