Study in UK Without IELTS 2026: 27 Universities, Class 12 Marks & Visa Rules

  • Last Updated on: October 15, 2026 by
  • Shiva Sai Bejawada
Study in UK Without IELTS
Study in UK Without IELTS

Yes. For a degree course, your UK university can accept your Class 12 English marks or your degree instead of IELTS. It records that on your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies), the document your visa uses. Foundation courses, one-year courses before a UK degree for students who need extra preparation, still need a test. So you can study in UK without IELTS for 2026-27 entry, as long as your university confirms you have upper-intermediate English, which UK rules call CEFR B2. In 2026, the Home Office, the UK government department that runs visas, asks for that level on degree courses and one step lower, B1, on foundation and pathway courses. Below are the Class 12 English marks 27 universities accept, board by board. Eighteen are open to Andhra Pradesh board marks and 13 to Telangana board marks, often at 5 points more.

Written by
Shiva Sai Bejawada
Senior Counsellor (British Council Certified) -UK & Ireland
Shiva Sai Bejawada is a British Council Certified overseas-education counsellor at AOEC India who guides Indian students through UK and Ireland university selection, admissions, and student visa documentation.
6 Years, 96% visa approval rate
Reviewed by
Sridhar Kongara
Managing Director
Mr. Kongara Sridhar, Director of AOEC India, has over 12 years of experience in overseas education consulting, admissions, and student visa guidance.
Over 12 years Experience

Key Takeaways

  • Your university can replace IELTS for a degree by confirming upper-intermediate English on your CAS.
  • Class 12 English of 60% to 85% replaces IELTS for a bachelor’s at 27 universities.
  • Thirteen of the 27 are open to Telangana board marks and 18 to Andhra Pradesh; 8 and 9 of them ask 5 points more than CBSE or ISC.
  • Nottingham accepts master’s applicants from 15 named Indian institutions; Manchester and York refuse MOI (medium of instruction) letters.
  • Foundation and pathway courses almost always need an approved test; nurses registering with an Indian qualification need IELTS or OET.
  • The visa costs £558, charged as ₹73,842 on 12 October 2026 (it won’t match a currency converter), plus £1,164 (₹1,47,800) health surcharge on a 1-year master’s visa.
Table of Contents
Which no-IELTS route fits your profile Scroll here ↓ How the UK Student visa accepts English without IELTS Scroll here ↓ UK universities accepting Class 12 English instead of IELTS Scroll here ↓ UK universities that take Telangana and Andhra Pradesh board marks Scroll here ↓ UK master’s without IELTS: degree, MOI and Class 12 routes Scroll here ↓ When an MOI letter counts Scroll here ↓ University interviews and in-house English tests Scroll here ↓ IELTS alternatives UK universities accept Scroll here ↓ When you still need an English test Scroll here ↓ What studying in the UK without IELTS costs Scroll here ↓ Frequently Asked Questions Scroll here ↓

Which no-IELTS route fits your profile

Your board and course level decide the route.

Your profileYour routeWhat you submitThe catch
CBSE or ISC Class 12, applying for a bachelor’sClass 12 English waiverClass 12 marksheet showing your English %The mark rises with the course’s IELTS band
State board, incl. Telangana or Andhra Pradesh, applying for a bachelor’sClass 12 waiver where your board is listedClass 12 marksheet showing your English %Same mark or 5 points more; some boards excluded
Indian graduate, applying for a taught master’sNamed-institution degree, MOI letter or Class 12 marksDegree certificate, MOI letter, sometimes an Ecctis statement (the UK body checking overseas qualifications)An MOI letter alone is never visa evidence
Foundation or pathway courseAn approved Secure English Language Test (SELT), almost alwaysPTE Academic UKVI or IELTS for UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) resultYour university can’t assess you itself
NursingClass 12 or degree route for admissionFor registration: your UK nursing degree, or a testTest only if you register with a qualification from India

If two rows fit you, say a CBSE student who now holds a degree, use the route with fewer documents: Class 12 marks need only a marksheet. An MOI letter comes from your college or university and confirms that your course was taught in English, usually the whole of it. Whichever route you use to study in UK without IELTS, don’t ask a university “do you accept MOI?” Ask “what will you write on my CAS about my English?”

  1. Shortlist the universities that list your board or degree.
  2. Ask each university the CAS question, and get the answer in writing.
  3. Gather the one document your route needs: Class 12 marksheet, MOI letter or Ecctis statement.
  4. If you’re starting with a foundation or pathway course, book an approved test now; if you’ll register as a nurse with an Indian qualification, plan for IELTS Academic or OET.

How the UK Student visa accepts English without IELTS

In 2026, a UK Student visa doesn't need an IELTS certificate for a degree course. Under the Home Office English language rules, a university with a proven record as a visa sponsor can check your English itself and write how it checked on your CAS. The CAS must confirm upper-intermediate English, CEFR B2, in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

If CAS is a new word for you, our explainer on the CAS full form in the UK covers what the document holds. Here’s how each kind of proof works:

  • Class 12 marks count when your university accepts them, which is how all 27 universities below use them. The visa doesn’t accept them on their own, only UK school exams such as GCSEs and A levels (the exams UK students take at 16 and 18).
  • An Indian degree counts by itself only with an Ecctis statement. Ecctis is the UK body that checks overseas qualifications. The Ecctis statement (£210) confirms your degree was taught in English and matches a UK bachelor’s degree or higher. Without one, your university decides.
  • An MOI letter works only if your university agrees to rely on it. The visa rules don’t list it as proof, and your university has to write on the CAS how it checked you.

So treat an MOI letter as something a university may accept, never as something the visa guarantees. For the steps around the CAS, start from the study in the UK hub.

From our counselling desk: In our 2026 UK intake work, the most common avoidable delay wasn't the visa itself. It was a CAS listing an English condition the student assumed was already waived. We now ask every university to state the CAS English wording in writing before a student pays a deposit, because reversing it later costs weeks.

UK universities accepting Class 12 English instead of IELTS

In October 2026, Class 12 English marks of 60% to 85% replace IELTS for bachelor’s entry at the 27 universities below. The lowest, 60% for CBSE and ISC (Indian School Certificate), applies at Coventry and on Queen Mary University of London’s Band 3 courses. The highest, 85%, covers Medicine at Edinburgh and the top bands at Nottingham and Warwick.

UniversityCBSE / ISC EnglishTelangana / AP boardCondition
Queen Mary University of London60%, 70% or 80% by course bandAP 65%, 75% or 85%; Telangana not on their listMarks within 7 years of course start; verifiable with the board
Coventry University60%AP 60%; Telangana not on their listOther boards: Coventry University English Test
University of Hertfordshire65%Not statedBachelor’s courses
University of Greenwich65%Same as CBSE (65%)Bachelor’s and master’s
Birmingham City University65% (IELTS 6.0 courses) to 80% (7.0)AP same as CBSE; Telangana not on their listMark rises with the course’s IELTS band
Teesside University65% (CBSE; ICSE, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education)70%Combined with a Teesside University interview
London Metropolitan University65% (IELTS 6.0 or 6.5 courses) or 70% (7.0)Same as CBSE (65% or 70%)All Indian boards except Punjab and Haryana
University of Bristol70% to 80% by course profileNo state board listedBachelor’s only
University of Birmingham70% (IELTS 6.0 courses) to 80% (7.0)75% to 85%Mark rises with the course’s IELTS band
Aston University70% (IELTS 6.0) or 75% (6.5)75% or 80%Mark rises with the course’s IELTS band
University of Leeds70% or 75%70% or 75%, depending on boardBachelor’s and master’s
University of Nottingham70% (IELTS 6.0) to 85% (7.5)State boards not acceptedCBSE or CISCE (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations) only
University of Southampton70%No state board listedCBSE or ISC only
University of Exeter70%AP 70%; Telangana not on their listProfile C courses only
University of Kent70%75%Marks within 8 years of course start
University of Essex70%No state board listedNo separate test, normally
University of Reading70%75%Bachelor’s courses
Sheffield Hallam University70%Not stated“May be considered”; course page decides
University of Bedfordshire70%Same as CBSE (70%)Named boards only; you “may be exempt”
Swansea University70%, 75% or 80% by the course’s IELTS level75%, 80% or 85%; 2018 exams onwardMarks within 10 years
University of Sheffield75%80%Bachelor’s and master’s
University of Liverpool75%80%English-medium schooling required
Newcastle University75%No state board listedExam within 3 years, else interview
University of Portsmouth75%Same as CBSE (75%)Same mark for all levels
University of York75%AP 75%; Telangana not on their listWithin 7 years; MOI not accepted
University of Warwick75%, 80% or 85% by course bandState boards not acceptedCBSE or CISCE only; first attempt
University of Edinburgh85%No state board listedMedicine only

If you’re on a state board, shortlist only the rows that list your board or take all boards. A Telangana board student with 78% in English clears Kent, Reading, Portsmouth and Greenwich, but not Sheffield or Liverpool, which want 80%. A Punjab board student can’t use the waiver at Liverpool, Portsmouth, Greenwich or London Metropolitan and should plan for a test. Teesside, Bedfordshire and London Metropolitan are all in our list of affordable universities in the UK for Indian students.

UK universities that take Telangana and Andhra Pradesh board marks

On a Telangana board mark, 13 of the 27 universities are open to you for a bachelor’s:

  • 65%: Greenwich; London Metropolitan (70% on courses that ask IELTS 7.0)
  • 70%: Bedfordshire; Teesside, with a university interview
  • 70% or 75%: Leeds, depending on your board
  • 75%: Kent, Reading and Portsmouth; Aston, Birmingham and Swansea from 75%, rising with the course (Swansea: 2018 exams onward)
  • 80%: Sheffield; Liverpool, if it accepts your board

On an Andhra Pradesh board mark, add five more: Coventry (60%), Birmingham City (65% to 80%), Queen Mary (65% to 85%), Exeter (70%) and York (75%). Nottingham and Warwick say outright that they take no state board; five more list only CBSE or ISC.

Eight of the 13 ask Telangana board students 5 points more than CBSE or ISC, so check the mark for your board, not the CBSE one. Five name the Telangana board outright (Kent, Sheffield, Bedfordshire, Teesside and Swansea). The rest cover it under “state boards” or “all other boards”, so get that confirmed in writing, above all at Leeds and Liverpool. Sussex takes both boards for a master’s.

If you’re still choosing a course straight after school, the rest of the application is mapped out in study in UK after 12th.

UK master’s without IELTS: degree, MOI and Class 12 routes

An English-taught Indian degree doesn’t clear the English requirement everywhere. For a master’s, some universities would rather see your Class 12 marks than your college’s MOI letter.

UniversityRoute that replaces IELTSCondition
University of NottinghamBachelor’s from 15 named Indian institutions, incl. all IITsNo time limit; Madras graduates add an MOI document
Aston UniversityMOI letter from a university in Aston’s top group of Indian universities (Tier 1)Letter signed and stamped in ink; English classes alongside your degree
University of KentDegree certificate, MOI letter and Ecctis statementEcctis cost refunded if the statement meets the requirement (Sept 2026, Jan 2027 starts)
Newcastle UniversityClass 12 English 75% (CBSE or CISCE)Degree over 3 years old: you may have an interview
University of SheffieldClass 12 marks as for a bachelor’s; or a degree finished in the last 12 months plus a B1 testDegree alone: No
University of Birmingham75% CBSE/CISCE, 80% other boards; 80-85% for courses needing IELTS 6.5West Bengal board: 75% on both
University of SussexClass 12 CBSE English Core 70% or 80%; named state boards incl. Telangana and Andhra PradeshState-board results within 6 years of course start; Indian degree doesn’t exempt
University of HertfordshireClass 12 English 70% to 75%Board not stated
Coventry UniversityClass 12 English 65%, named boards onlyTelangana not listed; others take the Coventry test
University of GreenwichClass 12 English 65%Not for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand
University of ManchesterClass 12 English, by board and scoreMode-of-instruction letter: Not accepted
University of YorkClass 12 English onlyMOI letter: Not accepted at any level

We’ve seen applicants pick a university off a generic no-IELTS list, then find their MOI letter didn’t count for that programme. So rank your options by how few conditions they carry: a named-institution degree first, Class 12 marks next if they’re recent, and an MOI letter last. Aston grades Indian universities in its own Tier list; Tier 1 is the top group. Tier 2 and Tier 3 graduates also need Class 12 English of 65% (CBSE or ICSE) or 70% (state boards). Our list of MOI-accepted universities in the UK covers the wider set.

When an MOI letter counts

Aston takes an MOI letter only on your university’s headed paper, saying the course and its assessments were delivered wholly in English, and stamped in ink. Other conditions:

  • Aston also needs the degree to be no more than three years old when you start.
  • Swansea, for a master’s, needs a letter confirming that your bachelor’s degree was taught in English. The degree must come from a university on Swansea’s list and be finished within 10 years of your course start. Degrees from affiliated colleges don’t count.
  • Sheffield needs an official letter from your university confirming you were taught in English, alongside a test or listed qualification.

MOI letters most often get turned down for vague wording, so check yours against the medium of instruction certificate format before you send it.

University interviews and in-house English tests

Some UK universities check your English themselves, usually through a short online interview or their own English test. Four examples:

  • Teesside pairs your Class 12 mark with a Teesside University interview. The mark covers reading and writing, and the interview checks listening and speaking. Teesside offers this to eligible students during admissions.
  • Swansea runs its own Swansea English Language Test (SWELT). Your first attempt is free if you hold a conditional offer with an English condition.
  • Coventry lets you take the Coventry University English Test if your board or mark falls outside its Class 12 rule.
  • Newcastle accepts its 75% mark without an interview if your Class 12 exam, or an English-taught degree, is no more than three years old when your course starts.

An in-house check has a limit: it works only for a degree course, where your university can record it on your CAS. Teesside also doesn’t run the reading and writing part of its own test in India. If Teesside asks you for all four skills, you’ll take an outside test such as IELTS.

IELTS alternatives UK universities accept

Six main English tests cost between ₹15,729 and ₹19,250 in India, and only three of them count for a foundation-course visa. At degree level, any of the six works if your university accepts it, because the university assesses your English itself and records it on your CAS.

TestCounts for a foundation-course visa?Fee in IndiaResults in
IELTS for UKVIYes, approved SELT₹19,250 (computer)13 days (paper); computer not published
IELTS AcademicNo, university admission only₹19,0001 to 2 days (computer test)
PTE Academic UKVIYes, approved SELT₹18,900About 2 days
PTE AcademicNo, university admission only₹18,900About 2 days
TOEFL iBTNo, university admission only₹15,729 incl. taxes3 days
LanguageCert Academic SELTYes, approved SELT₹16,4305 working days

For a foundation or pathway course the choice narrows to the Home Office’s approved list of Secure English Language Tests (SELTs), so you’d book IELTS for UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI or LanguageCert Academic SELT. TOEFL iBT, Duolingo and standard PTE Academic aren’t on that list. Your SELT result also has to be less than two years old when you apply.

If you aren’t sure yet whether you’ll need a SELT, book the UKVI version. PTE Academic UKVI is the same test as PTE Academic with a reference number for your visa, at the same fee. Many universities also accept Cambridge English exams such as C1 Advanced for admission, though these are not approved visa tests. At degree level each university decides whether to take the Duolingo English Test, so check the Duolingo-accepted universities in the UK against your course first.

When you still need an English test

On a foundation or pathway course, you’ll almost always need an approved test, a Secure English Language Test (SELT). Under the Student visa English rules, those courses need intermediate English, CEFR B1, one step below the degree level. Your university can’t run that check itself, and Class 12 marks don’t count for the visa. An Indian passport doesn’t exempt you either, because India isn’t on the visa list of majority-English-speaking countries. The exception is an English-taught degree confirmed by Ecctis.

  • Foundation and pathway courses. Take one of the three approved SELTs in the alternatives table above. Our guide to the PTE score required for UK universities lists the bands school by school.
  • Pre-sessional English courses are short English courses before your degree starts, and they don’t replace a test. Warwick, for example, asks for a test score before you join, and if your CAS covers only the pre-sessional you’ll need IELTS for UKVI.
  • Nursing registration. A UK pre-registration nursing degree is the degree that qualifies you to register as a nurse. It is taught and examined in English, which is one of the routes the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the UK nursing regulator, accepts. If you register with a qualification from India or another one not taught in English, plan for a test. The NMC’s test route asks for IELTS Academic 7 (6.5 in writing) or OET (Occupational English Test) grade B (C+ in writing).
  • An offer that names a test. The English condition on your offer letter binds you, even if the same university waives the test for other courses.

If a foundation year is your way in, book the test early so the result is ready before your CAS.

What studying in the UK without IELTS costs

A Telangana board student heading to Sheffield in January 2027 on an 80% Class 12 waiver saves the test fee but still pays every visa cost below. Her maintenance figure also rises if she applies on or after 30 November 2026.

ItemCost (GBP)Cost (INR)What it is
Student visa fee, applying from outside the UK£558₹73,842 on 12 Oct 2026; the Home Office sets the rupee price, so a currency converter won’t match itOne-off visa application fee; rupee fee set by the Home Office
IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) for a typical 1-year master’s£1,164₹1,47,800One year’s charge plus half, for a visa longer than 12 months and up to 18 months
Maintenance funds, per month£1,529 London / £1,171 elsewhere; £1,570 / £1,203 for applications from 30 Nov 2026₹1,94,100 / ₹1,48,600; ₹1,99,300 / ₹1,52,700 from 30 Nov 2026Money that must sit in your bank account for 28 days, not a fee; covers up to 9 months
Ecctis statement, if you use your degree as English proof£210₹26,700Result aimed within 20 working days

Apply before 30 November 2026 and the current, lower figures apply, even for a January 2027 start. If you’re planning the January intake in the UK, file by 29 November.

Parents: the maintenance figure, plus any course fees still unpaid, tells you how big a loan or savings balance you need, whether through HDFC Credila, Avanse or SBI. The money must sit in the account for 28 days in a row, ending no more than 31 days before you apply. For 9-month totals and which accounts and loan letters count, see the UK student visa proof of funds rules.

When you study in UK without IELTS, a waiver saves you one test fee and some weeks, while the visa fee, health surcharge and maintenance money stay the same. Tuition and rent sit on top, and our breakdown of the cost of studying in the UK prices them by city.

Get in Touch

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, on a degree course. If your university is allowed to assess your English itself (ask admissions), it can do so and confirm upper-intermediate (CEFR B2) English on your CAS, so no IELTS score goes to the Home Office. On a foundation or pathway course you’ll normally need an approved test such as PTE Academic UKVI or IELTS for UKVI.

Only at universities that choose to accept it. Aston takes an MOI letter from its top group of Indian universities (Tier 1) and Kent takes one alongside an Ecctis statement, but Manchester and York refuse MOI letters. For the visa, an MOI letter never stands alone: your university’s assessment, written on the CAS, is what counts.

At degree level, yes, if your university accepts it and records it on your CAS. For 2026-27 entry, Reading asks for 125 overall with no sub-score below 100, and Sussex asks for 110 to 130 on its master’s courses, taken within two years of the start date. On a foundation or pathway course, plan on an approved visa test instead.

It depends on your board. Of the 27 universities here, 13 are open to Telangana board marks and 18 to Andhra Pradesh board marks. Eight and nine of them ask 5 points more than CBSE or ISC. Nottingham and Warwick take no state board; five more list only CBSE or ISC. Confirm in writing where your board isn’t named.

No, not once you hold a UK degree. For a Skilled Worker visa, a degree taught in English and awarded by a UK institution is accepted proof of English. If you already proved your English in an earlier successful visa application, you may not have to prove it again.

To study in UK without IELTS, start from your board and your course level; pick the university after that, not before.

Ardent Overseas counsels Indian students applying to UK universities from its offices in Hyderabad and Tirupati. The team matches each student’s Class 12 marks, board or degree to the universities that accept them, and checks the English condition on every offer before the visa file goes in.

Sources

Official sources first, then universities, then test providers.

Show 50 more sources

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