IELTS requirements by European country: the real table

The general picture

⚠️ The final number belongs to the programme, not the country. Use this table to shortlist, then check each programme page.

Bachelor's versus master's

A common misconception is that master's programmes ask for more. Often it is the reverse:

• Bachelor's requirements can be stricter, since the student arrives straight from school and will study in English for three or four years
• Master's programmes frequently allow a waiver where the previous degree was taught in English — which is where an MOI certificate helps

"Overall" is not the whole condition

This is the most overlooked requirement and the most common cause of rejection. It is usually written like this:

"IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, with no individual band below 5.5"

So 6.5 overall with 5.0 in writing does not qualify.

For Bangladeshi test-takers the lowest band is typically writing, then speaking. Prepare for band balance rather than simply raising the overall — see the preparation plan.

Academic, not General

Always IELTS Academic. General Training is not accepted for study; it is for migration and work. Sitting the wrong module costs both the fee and two months.

Validity

IELTS scores are normally valid for two years. Taking the test too early can mean it expires during the application cycle, particularly if you are planning a year ahead. It must be valid at both the admission and the visa stage, so time it deliberately.

Where flexibility exists

Three alternatives genuinely work, each with limits:

1. 1The university's own English test — common in Malta and Bulgaria; usually online and inexpensive (in Cyprus it does not replace the state minimum)
2. 2An MOI certificate — where previous study was in English; works for many Italian master's at admission, not in Cyprus, Malta or the Nordics; at Italy's visa stage it is not on the embassy's list, so unless the university records your language on Universitaly, the visa needs IELTS
3. 3Another test — TOEFL almost everywhere, PTE in many places, Duolingo in some

⚠️ But note: a waiver at admission does not guarantee one at the visa stage. Some countries require separate language evidence for the residence permit. Check both the admissions office and that country's immigration page.

Italy is the documented example, and it catches people every cycle. Its universities are genuinely flexible — a medium-of-instruction letter, a departmental interview or a previous English-taught degree can all get you admitted. The Italian Embassy in Dhaka then applies its own published checklist to the visa file: it asks for a language certificate unless your university has already verified your language and reported it on your Universitaly pre-enrolment, and when it asks, that means B2 in Italian or another European language, or a score of at least 6 for English, with IELTS the only English certificate it names, and the certificate must be under two years old on the date of the application. So ask your university whether it will record that before relying on an MOI letter, Duolingo or PTE, and if it will not, plan for IELTS 6.0 unless your course is taught in Italian — the full picture is here. The other eight countries each set their own separate rule; this one is Italy's.

Practical strategy

1. 1Choose programmes first, then set the target score — not the other way round
2. 2Aim half a band above the requirement — a safety margin, and it helps for scholarships
3. 3Budget time and money for a second attempt — do not assume one sitting will do it
4. 4Match the result date to the application deadline — results take time to arrive