Do I meet the entry requirements to study abroad at University
As part of the process of applying for admission for a course at University, you will have to ensure that you meet the entry requirements set for the course that you choose. Whilst Universities usually make it simple to find out the entry requirements for domestic students, you may be wondering how your academic achievements in your country compare to the stated requirements.
Entry requirements for undergraduate degree courses
Generally students wishing to start year 1 of an undergraduate degree programme are expected to have achieved specific grades in the qualifications of their native country, or a qualification available worldwide such as the International Baccalaureate.
We have collected the qualifications you may be expected to have achieved to start year 1 of an undergraduate degree at university, depending on your native country. Expected grades vary so much between country, university and course that the best way of checking specific requirements is to look them up on your chosen university website.
International students may be expected to top up their qualifications from their home country by completing an international foundation programme, which typically takes 1 year to complete and bring your academic standards up to those required for starting year 1 of a bachelor degree at university.
Students from the USA
Students from the USA will generally be expected to have achieved one or more of the following:
- Successfully completed a High School Diploma
- Achieved a certain Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score
- Achieved a certain Advanced placement (AP) score
- Achieved a certain American College Testing (ACT) score
Students from Canada
Students from Canada will be expected to have completed their Canadian high school diploma at grade 12.
Students who have completed their Canadian high school diploma at grade 11 may need to complete an international foundation programme to enroll on year 1 of an undergraduate degree programme.
Students from Australia
Australian students will generally be expected to have completed Year 12/their senior year and have achieved a specific ATAR score, which will be dependent on your university of choice. ATAR requirements to enroll on an undergraduate degree course can range from as high as an ATAR of 92, to 60, depending on university.
Students from New Zealand
Students from New Zealand will be expected to have completed the NZ University Bursaries Exam/National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).
Students from the United Kingdom
In the UK, most students are expected to have acquired two or more British A-Levels to be accepted into year 1 of an undergraduate degree programme. The exact grades required will vary by country, university and by course. Some Australian universities will demand an aggregate score of 6 from your 3 best A-Levels. Some UK universities may demand as high as AAB, whilst others in the UK will request BBC.
Alternative options include T-Levels, which are roughly equivalent to 3 A-Levels, and include more practical based work, and BTEC Level 3, which are equivalent to A-Levels.
Many other qualifications can be considered, and UCAS (UK’s Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) provides a Tariff points calculator as a means of calculating a combined score of your academic qualifications.
Students from Germany
German students will be usually expected to have completed their Abitur examinations. Some universities may demand an Abitur of 4.0 or less, whilst universities with more stringent requirements may demand scores as low as 2.0 – 1.0.
Students from France
Students from France will generally be expected to have completed their French Baccalaureat
Students from Italy
Students from Italy will generally be expected to have completed their Diploma di Esame di Stato
Students from India
Students from India will generally be expected to have completed their Indian Higher Secondary Certificate.
Students with a lower grade in their Indian Higher Secondary Certificate may be expected to complete an international foundation programme to enroll on year 1 of an undergraduate degree programme.
Students from Pakistan
Students from Pakistan will be expected to have complete either:
- FSc (pre-engineering, pre-med, commerce)
- Successful completion of Higher School Certificate or Intermediate Certificate
- GCE ‘A’ Levels (from 2010 onwards)
Students from China
Students from China will generally be expected to have completed either:
- Successful completion of the National College Entrance Examination (Gao Kao) with a particular score
- Successful completion of Gao San with a particular score
- People’s Republic of China Senior Middle School Graduation Certificate
Students from Indonesia
Students from Indonesia will generally be expected to have completed either:
- Indonesia Secondary School Leaving Certificate (STTB SMA)
- Completed the national High School curriculum (SMA3)
Students from Malaysia
Students from Malaysia will be generally be expected to have completed the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)
Students from Nigeria
Students who have completed the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) may be required to complete a foundation programme
Students from Ghana
Students may be expected to have completed either the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) or the Higher National Diploma (HND) depending on the course entry requirement.
Students from Kenya
Students who have completed the University Diploma (UD) / Ordinary Diploma (OD) / Ordinary Technician Diploma (OTD) may be considered for entry into year 1 of a bachelor degree course.
Students who have completed the Higher Diploma / Higher Technician Diploma may be considered for entry into year 1, 2 or 3 of a bachelor’s degree programme, depending on entry requirements for that course.
Students from Saudi Arabia
Students with a Diploma from a Health College or a Diploma from a Technical College may be eligible for entry to year 1 of a bachelor degree course.
Holders of an Associate Degree may be eligible for entry to year 1 or year 2 of a bachelor degree course.
These requirements should only be viewed as a rough guide, as entry requirements vary between university and by country. You should always check with the university that supplies your chosen course to make sure that you meet the course entry requirements.
Next: Accommodation options for international students at university