Entry & Visa Requirements

Entry and visa requirements for students wishing to study at Abbey College Cambridge.

PRE-SESSIONAL PROGRAMME AND GCSE

Pre Sessional GCSE
Year 9
1 year
GCSE
Year 10
2 Years
GCSE
Year 10
18 Months
GCSE
Year 11
1 Year
Age at start of the course 13 years + 13 years 13 to 15 years 13 to 15 years 15 or 16 years
English Requirements IELTS 4.0 minimum or equivalent, and successfully passing the college interview process for Pre-Sessional only, or 0.5 less than the course English requirement if the student is looking for unconditional entry to the main course of study IELTS 5.5 minimum or equivalent and successfully passing the college interview process IELTS 4.5 minimum or equivalent and successfully passing the college interview process IELTS 4.5 minimum or equivalent and successfully passing the college interview process IELTS 5.0 minimum or equivalent and successfully passing the college interview process.
Academic Requirements Age and academic requirements as per the academic course of study the student is progressing to Good high school grades equivalent to Year 8 in the UK Good high school grades equivalent to Year 9 in the UK Good high school grades equivalent to Year 9 in the UK Good high school grades equivalent to Year 10 in the UK

 

A-LEVEL PROGRAMME

A-Level
2 Years
A-Level
18 Months
A-Level
1 Year
Age at start of the course 16 to 19 years 16 to 19 years 18 years
English Requirements IELTS 5.5 minimum or equivalent and successfully passing the college interview process. IELTS 5.5 minimum or equivalent and successfully passing the college interview process. IELTS 6.5 minimum or equivalent and successfully passing the college interview process.
Academic Requirements 5 GCSE passes at Grade 4 or equivalent  5 GCSE passes at Grade 4 or equivalent Only applicable if students have either done A-Levels
before or wish to re-sit a subject

INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION PROGRAMME

Foundation
1 Year
Age at start of the course 17 to 21 years
English Requirements IELTS 5.0 minimum or equivalent and successfully passing the college interview process

Medicine Foundation students require IELTS 6.5 minimum or equivalent

Academic Requirements 5 GCSE passes at Grade 4 or equivalent

Medicine Foundation  students need to have previously completed one year of Level 3 study in Biology

All students with an English level below IELTS 7.5 and a minimum 7.0 in each area must attend Academic English lessons alongside their academic studies.

Visa Requirements

The Abbey DLD Group of Colleges comprises of Abbey College Cambridge, DLD College London, and Abbey College Manchester. Most international students wishing to join one of our Abbey DLD colleges will require a student visa for the duration of their study.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is the division of the Home Office responsible for issuing visas to visit, study, and stay in the United Kingdom.

Abbey DLD colleges can sponsor students under both the Child Student and Student visa routes.

We can provide you with expert visa advice and assistance on both visa types, and we have successfully helped to guide hundreds of students, parents, and agents through the visa application process.

The visa you need to apply for can depend on many things including your age, your chosen course, and how long you will be studying with us. Applying for a visa can be difficult, but our experienced admissions team will be able to help guide you through the process.

Below you can find links to the official Home Office website for each type of visa, and a couple of the most commonly asked questions.

Child Student Visa

https://www.gov.uk/child-study-visa

WHO CAN APPLY?

Students under the age of 18 looking to study all courses offered at Abbey DLD Colleges except for Foundation courses.

DO I NEED AN ENGLISH QUALIFICATION?

You do not require an English qualification for visa purposes, but the college will ask for evidence of English language as part of your college application to determine the best course of study for you.

Student Visa

https://www.gov.uk/student-visa

WHO CAN APPLY?

Students aged 18 years and over looking to study all courses offered at Abbey DLD Colleges except for GCSE. Students under the age of 18 looking to study Foundation also need to apply for a Student Visa.

DO I NEED AN ENGLISH QUALIFICATION?

If you are a new student who has never studied in the UK before, you will need an official IELTS result showing a UKVI number from a test that has been taken at a Secure English Language Test (SELT) centre. However, if you have previously studied in the UK, you may be exempt from this requirement.

If you have proven the required English level in a previous application for a UK Visa, then you will not need to provide an additional English qualification.

Please contact the college you are applying to for further details.

Once you have been successfully enrolled, your college will provide you with a ‘Visa Application Guide’. If you are applying for Child Student or Student visa, you will also be issued with a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) Number by the college.

You will then be ready to apply for your visa using the online visa application form and will most likely be required to submit supporting documents that provide evidence of your identity, academic qualifications and also of your ability to fund your studies in the UK. These include:

  • Your passport
  • Any previous passports
  • Parental letter of consent signed by your parents – template provided by the college
  • Academic evidence – this will be listed on your CAS
  • Evidence of funds such as bank statements – the college will provide examples and confirmation of funds necessary for visa application

Our Admissions Team will also request to see the copies of your supporting visa documents in order to check them to ensure they meet UKVI requirements.

The above information provides a brief insight into the visa application process. When you apply Abbey DLD staff will provide you with more detailed advice and guidance on your individual application.

For more information on visa applications, types of visa and documents required, please refer to the Home Office website.

For more information about entry and visa requirements, please contact our admissions team.

E: admissions@abbeydld.co.uk

T: +44 (0) 3300536082