Chevening IELTS Requirement
The IELTS score you actually need for the Chevening Scholarship — whether the scheme sets its own band or defers to your university, with the official source and how to check your band first.
What IELTS score do I need for the Chevening scholarship?
Chevening does not set its own IELTS score — that requirement was removed in 2020. You instead need to meet your UK university's English condition, which is usually IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 5.5-6.0.
Chevening removed its separate English-language requirement in 2020, so there is no Chevening IELTS score to submit with the scholarship application. What Chevening does require is an unconditional offer from a UK university by its offer deadline each cycle (typically mid-July), and to convert a conditional offer into an unconditional one you must meet your university's English requirement. Most UK master's courses ask for IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no individual band below 5.5-6.0; competitive and professional courses (Law, Medicine, Journalism) often ask for 7.0 or higher. Chevening accepts both IELTS Academic and IELTS Academic for UKVI where a university requires them.
Which test: IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI (set by your UK university).
Chevening IELTS requirement at a glance
| What sets the requirement | Typical IELTS Academic |
|---|---|
| Chevening scholarship itselfIts own English requirement was removed in 2020 | No IELTS required |
| Standard UK master's courseThe level most Chevening scholars actually need to clear | 6.5 overall, no band below 5.5-6.0 |
| Competitive / professional courseLaw, Medicine, Journalism, Public Policy and similar | 7.0-7.5 overall |
Chevening sets no IELTS score; your UK university does. Confirm the exact band on your specific course's admissions page, and note that you must hold an unconditional offer by Chevening's deadline.
Official source: Chevening (chevening.org)
Chevening IELTS requirement - common questions
Does Chevening require IELTS?
No. Chevening removed its own English-language requirement in 2020, so you do not submit an IELTS score to Chevening. However, your UK university almost certainly requires one to give you the unconditional offer Chevening needs — usually IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 5.5-6.0.
What IELTS score do I need for a Chevening scholarship?
Whatever your chosen UK master's course requires, because that is what you must meet to secure the unconditional offer. For most courses that is IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no individual band below 5.5-6.0; competitive courses ask for 7.0 or higher. Chevening itself sets no minimum.
Does Chevening accept IELTS for UKVI?
Chevening accepts both IELTS Academic and IELTS Academic for UKVI where your university requires an English test. Which one you need depends on your course and visa route, so confirm with your university before booking.
How can I check if my IELTS band is high enough for a Chevening course?
Take a free full-length IELTS Academic practice test on this site to get AI-graded overall and per-section bands, then compare them against your target UK university's requirement (usually 6.5 overall). Use the IELTS Writing checker to make sure your Writing band clears the no-band-below floor.