IELTS
For
the attention of parents of Sixth Form overseas students
You may not be aware that a few UK universities have changed their English language entry requirements for overseas students and no longer accept the IGCSE English Language qualification that is taken at Tonbridge, because it does not include a speaking element. This does not apply to all universities but to solve this potential problem the school has decided to offer preparation classes for the IELTS test to any boy who will be asked for a further English proficiency certificate. Details of how to check whether this will affect their university application have already been sent to those boys to whom it is most likely to apply. If your son has not received such information and you think it might be relevant to him, please ask him to contact Mrs Thomson so that she can send him the details.
To summarise briefly for your information, all overseas students must check very carefully when choosing their university courses whether those particular institutions will or won’t accept their IGCSE (or equivalent) English Language qualification, especially if it does not have a speaking component. They will need to send at least two emails, or possible three: to the Admissions Tutors of the university, course and – where a collegiate university is concerned – college, to ask whether a speaking qualification is necessary in their individual case. Universities reserve the right to change the rules at any time (which in any case vary from course to course and college to college) and do not always keep their websites up-to-date, and so it is the responsibility of each individual applicant to ensure that he can satisfy the entrance requirement in English for the universities of his choice by checking in this way.
If in any doubt, students should join the short course of IELTS lessons that starts in the Lent Term anyway, with a view to taking the IELTS test at home (as soon as possible for UVI, and in the summer holiday or next Christmas for LVI). IELTS is recognised by all UK universities as a suitable qualification for entrance. If your son needs to take action on this information and has not already done so, please encourage him to contact Mrs Thomson for help or more details as soon as possible.
Mrs Rochelle Thomson
EAL Department