As elective students will be communicating with both staff and patients within the Hospital it is vital that the School of Clinical Medicine ensures that all visiting students possess the minimum required level of English. This is for the benefit of both the elective student and those working with them.
The School of Clinical Medicine therefore requires all students from a country where English is not the first language to complete an accepted English Language Test, or provide evidence of a score already achieved, providing that it is achieved no more than two years before the start date of the proposed elective in Cambridge. This will be required as part of Stage 1 of the application process.
The following exceptions apply:
- If you are currently enrolled in a course that is taught and assessed entirely in English. You will need to provide proof of this by means of an official Dean’s letter in Stage 1 of your application. The letter must state that your course is entirely taught and assessed in English. (eg. the medium of instruction and examination is English). If the letter only states your course is taught in English, it will not be accepted as proof.
- If you have a Degree/BA or other equivalent University qualifications dating no more than 30 months and undertook in an English-speaking country, you may be exempt.
- If your home country is from List B* but your course is not taught and assessed in English, you will need to provide a copy of your passport and take our in-house language assessment.
*List B contains the following countries: Botswana, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, West Indies (with the exception of those in list A), Zambia, Zimbabwe.
This is an entry requirement for a Cambridge Elective Placement and the Clinical School is only able to accept the English Language Certificates listed below. We ask that you do not send certificates that are not on the list as they will not be accepted (eg: GCSE or A Level/Baccalaureate qualifications). Please be aware that these are the requirements for the Cambridge Electives Programme. There may be other requirements involved for Visa purposes.
If you wish to undertake an English course prior to your test, please visit the British Council website for all available courses in your area.
Accepted English Language Certificates
| Test | Score Requirement | Date |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS | IELTS (Academic) or IELTS for UKVI Academic - Overall band score of 7.0, with not less than 7.0 in Speaking, Listening and Writing, and 6.5 in Reading | No more than 2 years old at the start of the elective placement |
| TOEFL iBT | Overall score of 100 with no element below 25 | No more than 2 years old at the start of the elective placement |
| CAE | Overall score of 193, with no element lower than 185, plus an assessment by the Language Centre | No more than 2 years old at the start of the elective placement |
| CPE | Overall score of 200, with no element lower than 185 | No more than 2 years old at the start of the elective placement |
Please note that the English Language requirements are subject to change.
The University has its own Language Centre and University Language Centre’s assessment . This service can be used to assess some students in lieu or in addition to the accepted English certificates, in special circumstances.
For example, should a student submit a language certificate qualifying as a ‘narrow miss’ but which meets the eligibility criteria for a referral: at least a 6.0 in IELTS (with at least a 6.0 in each category) or TOEFL iBT score of 80 (with at least 20 in each element).
When a student gets referred, they must pay a set fee of £93 in advance of the assessments. Upon receipt of the funds, the language centre will contact the student and offer guidance on how to proceed with the tests. There are two main components:
- online modules to assess Listening, Reading and Writing
- a short telephone conversation to assess speaking
