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ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

The English language requirements for our courses are provided on individual course pages as minimum IELTS scores, however we accept many other tests and qualifications.

Please visit our English language requirements page for more information. 

POSTGRADUATE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

For entry onto a Master’s Degree, most US students would need to have completed a Bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.2 GPA (for courses requiring a UK 2:1); students from highly ranked institutions may also be considered with a GPA of 3.0/4.0. For courses requiring a UK 2:2, a GPA of 2.8 is required. The terms below are used to recognise students with particularly high GPAs:

  • Cumulative GPA 3.9 (alternative name: Summa cum laude)
  • Cumulative GPA 3.7 (alternative name: Magna cum laude)
  • Cumulative GPA: 3.5 (alternative name: Cum laude).

Please note that all applications are considered on an individual basis and you may be admitted to a Master's programme with a lower-level degree if you have work experience relevant to the degree applied for.

If you do not meet these criteria, you can apply for OnCampus' Master's Foundation programme, which is available for two- or three-term progression onto a wide range of Master’s Degrees at Birkbeck.

Undergraduate entry requirements

Applicants from the United States of America are generally required to have:

  • High School Diploma with a GPA of 2.8/4.0 PLUS one of the following:
    • 2 or 3 AP (Advanced Placement) Examinations (Group A subjects) with grades of 4 or more AND 3 SAT Subject Tests with a minimum of 600 points each; for programmes with subject requirements, SAT Subject Tests should be in relevant subjects
    • New SAT with a combined score of 1200/1600 with 600 in each SAT section
    • Old SAT (Reasoning Test) with a combined score of 1800/2400 with 600 in each SAT section
    • OR 2-3 APs (as above); for programmes with subject requirements, SAT Subject Tests should be in relevant subjects 
    • OR American College Testing (ACT) Programme with a composite score of at least 27 AND SAT Subject Tests OR APs (as above)
  • An Associate Degree from a good institution with a GPA of at least 3.2/4.0 can be considered for entry onto a Bachelor’s degree.
  • Applicants with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A-levels will be considered for direct admission to our undergraduate degree programmes. IB requirements range from 28 to 30, depending on the course.
  • A-level, SAT and AP exam conversion
    • A-level (A) = SATs (680) = AP exam results (5)
    • A-level (B) = SATs (630) = AP exam results (4)
    • A-level (C) = SATs (580) = AP exam results (3)
  • A-level, UCAS tariff point and AP exam conversion
    • A-level (AAA) = 144 UCAS tariff points = AP exam results (5, 5, 5)
    • A-level (AAB) = 136 UCAS tariff points = AP exam results (5, 5, 4)
    • A-level (ABB) = 128 UCAS tariff points = AP exam results (5, 4, 4)
    • A-level (BBB) = 120 UCAS tariff points = AP exam results (4, 4, 4)
    • A-level (BBC) = 112 UCAS tariff points = AP exam results (4, 4, 3)
    • A-level (BCC) = 104 UCAS tariff points = AP exam results (4, 3, 3)
    • A-level (CCC) = 96 UCAS tariff points = AP exam results (3, 3, 3)
  • A-level to SAT conversion
    • A-level (AAA) = SATs (2040 averaged over three subjects)
    • A-level (AAB) = SATs (1990 averaged over three subjects)
    • A-level (ABB) = SATs (1940 averaged over three subjects)
    • A-level (BBB) = SATs (1890 averaged over three subjects)
    • A-level (BBC) = SATs (1840 averaged over three subjects)
    • A-level (BCC) = SATs (1790 averaged over three subjects)
    • A-level (CCC) = SATs (1740 averaged over three subjects)

Please note that combinations of any of the above qualifications are also acceptable (e.g. an applicant with a HSGD, an SATR score of 1700 and two AP exams with appropriate scores for the course would meet minimum entry requirements).

For foundation degree courses, applicants must have obtained a HSGD and at least two AP Exams with scores of 3 or above.

Research degrees entry requirements

The usual entrance requirement for a research degree is a Master’s degree from a recognised university; schools may accept students with high grades in the undergraduate degree.

Applicants are strongly urged to contact potential supervisors within the department before submitting a research application.

Further information

US Student Loans

International partnerships

  • Birkbeck has agreements with Columbia University and Villanova University.

Find out about our international scholarships.