Quick answer: King's publishes these English requirements on its official pages (checked October 27, 2026). Undergraduate (Band B, most faculties): band 5.0 or 100 on the old scale. Undergraduate (Band D, Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences): band 4.5 or 92 on the old scale. Postgraduate taught (Band B, incl. King's Business School and Law): band 5.0 or 100 on the old scale. Postgraduate taught (Band D, e.g. Life Sciences, Dentistry, NMES): band 4.5 or 92 on the old scale.
TOEFL requirements at King's, program by program
| Program | Old scale (0 to 120) | New scale (1 to 6) | Section minimums | IELTS | MyBest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate (Band B, most faculties) | 100 | 5.0 | Old 0-120 scale: Writing 25, other sections 23. New 1-6 scale: 4.5 in each section | 7.0 | Not accepted | Official page |
| Undergraduate (Band D, Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences) | 92 | 4.5 | Old 0-120 scale: Writing 23, other sections 20. New 1-6 scale: 4 in each section | 6.5 | Not accepted | Official page |
| Postgraduate taught (Band B, incl. King's Business School and Law) | 100 | 5.0 | Old 0-120 scale: Writing 25, other sections 23. New 1-6 scale: 4.5 in each section | 7.0 | Not accepted | Official page |
| Postgraduate taught (Band D, e.g. Life Sciences, Dentistry, NMES) | 92 | 4.5 | Old 0-120 scale: Writing 23, other sections 20. New 1-6 scale: 4 in each section | 6.5 | Not accepted | Official page |
Checked on each official page on October 27, 2026. Old scale: TOEFL iBT tests taken before January 21, 2026. New scale: tests taken from that date.
Undergraduate (Band B, most faculties)
“TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition Institution code:0394 Tests taken before 21 January 2026: 100 overall with a minimum of 25 in writing and 23 in each of the other skills Tests taken from 21 January 2026: 5 overall with a minimum of 4.5 in each skill”
Band B covers Arts and Humanities, Social Science and Public Policy, King's Business School, Law, Medicine/Dentistry, IoPPN and some named courses. IELTS: 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each skill. Band A (Dentistry Entry Programme for Medical Graduates) needs 109 with Writing 27 and 25 elsewhere.
Undergraduate (Band D, Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences)
“TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition Institution code: 0394 Tests taken before 21 January 2026: 92 overall with a minimum of 23 in writing and 20 in each of the other skills Tests taken from 21 January 2026: 4.5 overall with a minimum of 4 in each skill”
Band D covers most Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences courses (Electronic Engineering, General Engineering and Quantitative Mathematics are Band B) plus some named life-science courses.
Postgraduate taught (Band B, incl. King's Business School and Law)
“TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Editions Institution code: 0394 Tests taken before 21 January 2026: 100 overall with a minimum of 25 in writing and 23 in each of the other skills Tests taken from 21 January 2026: 5 overall with a minimum of 4.5 in each skill”
Band B covers Social Science and Public Policy, King's Business School (except one distance MSc), the Dickson Poon School of Law, Informatics and other listed programmes. No postgraduate programme currently uses Band A. Band C (most Arts and Humanities) is also 100 or 5 but with lower Speaking and Listening minimums.
Postgraduate taught (Band D, e.g. Life Sciences, Dentistry, NMES)
“Tests taken before 21 January 2026: 92 overall with a minimum of 23 in writing and 20 in each of the other skills Tests taken from 21 January 2026: 4.5 overall with a minimum of 4 in each skill”
Band D covers Dentistry, most Life Sciences and Medicine programmes, and Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences except Informatics. IELTS: 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each skill.
What else King's says about English tests
- King's TOEFL institution code is 0394. (source)
- King's does not accept TOEFL MyBest scores; all elements must be achieved in one test. (source)
- TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted. (source)
- Tests must be taken within two years of the 1st day of the month in which the course starts (e.g. within two years of 1 September 2027 for September 2027 entry). (source)
- Applicants who need a UK student visa can use only the tests and qualifications in sections 1 to 4 of King's list; section 5 options are only for applicants who do not need a student visa. (source)
How the new 1 to 6 scale applies to King's
Since January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT scores are reported in bands from 1 to 6. Each band covers a range of old scores, so the same old minimum can sit anywhere inside a band.
- For Undergraduate (Band B, most faculties), King's asks for 100 on the old scale. On the ETS comparison, 100 falls in band 5.0 (which starts at 95; CEFR C1). King's itself publishes band 5.0, which matches.
- For Undergraduate (Band D, Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences), King's asks for 92 on the old scale. On the ETS comparison, 92 falls in band 4.5 (which starts at 86; CEFR B2). King's itself publishes band 4.5, which matches.
- For Postgraduate taught (Band B, incl. King's Business School and Law), King's asks for 100 on the old scale. On the ETS comparison, 100 falls in band 5.0 (which starts at 95; CEFR C1). King's itself publishes band 5.0, which matches.
- For Postgraduate taught (Band D, e.g. Life Sciences, Dentistry, NMES), King's asks for 92 on the old scale. On the ETS comparison, 92 falls in band 4.5 (which starts at 86; CEFR B2). King's itself publishes band 4.5, which matches.
| Band | Old score (from) | CEFR |
|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 114 and above | C2 |
| 5.5 | 107 and above | C1 |
| 5.0 | 95 and above | C1 |
| 4.5 | 86 and above | B2 |
| 4.0 | 72 and above | B2 |
| 3.5 | 58 and above | B1 |
Source: ETS score scale update. This is the ETS comparison, not a university requirement. Convert your own scores with our TOEFL score converter.
What score should you aim for?
Our advice (not an official King's rule): treat the published number as a floor. Aim half a band above the minimum for your program, so for a band 5.0 requirement plan for 5.5 on your practice tests, so one weaker section on test day does not take your overall score under the line. Check section minimums too: an overall band can hide a low Speaking or Writing score.
King's compared with similar universities
| University | Program | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | Undergraduate | TOEFL not accepted |
| LSE | Undergraduate (standard) | band 5.5 or 100 on the old scale |
| Edinburgh | Undergraduate (standard, e.g. LLB Law, 2027 entry) | band 4.5 or 92 on the old scale |
All universities: TOEFL requirements by university.
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By Jaclyn Caruana, MBA, co-founder of Epic Exam Prep. Requirements change: always confirm on the official pages linked above before you apply.