Skip to main content

Entry requirements for Bahrain

Our entry requirements will vary depending on your level of study, the course you are interested in and your English language proficiency.

Foundation courses

"The UK education system has global respect and a well-deserved reputation for quality and high standards."

Saleh Aldahsh, Doctor of Philosophy

If you have graduated from the national high school system, you will normally be required to successfully complete an International Foundation Year before entering our undergraduate courses.

Undergraduate courses

If you have A-levels or the International Baccalaureate with good grades, you will be considered for direct entry on to our undergraduate degree courses.

If you have graduated with the Tawjahiya (Secondary School Leaving Certificate), you will normally be required to complete an International Foundation Year

Postgraduate taught courses

"The city of Cardiff is amazing. You can find anything you are looking for – the latest brands and merchandise – only five minutes away from the University!

Shaima Bukeli, MSc International Relations

If you hold a bachelor's degree, you will normally be considered for admission on to a one-year master's degree.

We will generally require a minimum GPA of 2.8 (out of 4) for entry to postgraduate taught courses.

Postgraduate research courses

There are a number of possible entry routes to our postgraduate research courses. We will consider applicants who have successfully completed a Masters from a recognised institution.

In some cases, we will consider applicants who only have a Bachelor's degree (minimum Second Class, Higher Division), although applicants may be required to complete a Master's course at Cardiff University prior to embarking upon PhD studies.

English language

You will need to have a relevant English language qualification to satisfy the English language requirements for your course. The minimum admissions requirement is usually IELTS 6.5 but for some courses we may ask for higher grades.

You can improve your level of English language to meet the entry requirements for your course through our in-house English for University Study programme, a full-time course for international students planning to study at a UK university. The minimum entry requirement is IELTS 4.0 for September entry, 4.5 for January and 5.0 for April. The Exit Test results from this course are accepted as IELTS equivalents for entry to all degree courses at Cardiff University.

We also offer Summer Pre-sessional courses for applicants with academic offers that are conditional on improving their level of English language proficiency.