Academic requirements
A minimum of a Second Class Honours degree (2:1 preferred) in a relevant subject or equivalent is required. If you don’t have these formal qualifications, but have significant relevant work and life experience, we still encourage you to apply.
We require a sample of creative work as one of the academic requirements for entry. Here are our guidelines for what you need to submit.
Creative work guidelines
If you are choosing to study prose, we require up to ten pages (fiction or creative nonfiction). For poetry, we are looking for approximately eight poems. You can also send us half prose and half poetry as your sample.
Our tutors specialise in literary fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and scriptwriting, and we welcome applicants who share those interests. Please note that journalistic, professional and children’s writing are not taught on the course – so writing in these forms should not be included in your writing sample.
The personal statement is an opportunity for you to share your background, experiences and, crucially, the types of contemporary literature that you like to read and which you aspire to write.
These are some of the things we’re looking for you to demonstrate in the writing sample, across both prose and poetry. The list is not exhaustive or prescriptive, and should be used as a guide rather than a checklist.
Prose
- A degree of consistency and persuasiveness of setting, character and point-of-view (in creative fiction) and subject matter, theme and tone (creative non-fiction)
- Evidence of essential aspects of technique and form such as narrative point-of-view, dialogue, physical description and narrative time
- Clear and fluent expression, avoiding predictable, clichéd or expositional language
- Good editing and presentation skills, including a command of spelling, grammar and punctuation
Poetry
- A good command of register and tone
- A willingness to engage with aspects of technique and form such as metre, rhyme, imagery, metaphor and simile (although not all of these need to be present)
- Expression that is lucid and focused, without reliance on abstractions
- Clear evidence of editing and presentation skills, including a command of spelling and punctuation.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.5 with a minimum of 6.5 in reading and writing and 6.0 in speaking and listening
- Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) 176 overall with a minimum of 176 in reading and writing and 169 in speaking and listening
- Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) 180 overall with a minimum of 180 in reading and writing and 169 in speaking and listening
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 62 overall with a minimum of 62 in reading and writing and 60 in speaking and listening
- IBT TOEFL 80 overall with a minimum of 19 in reading, 24 in writing, 21 in speaking and 19 in listening
- IBT TOEFL Special Home Edition Test 80 overall with a minimum of 19 in reading, 24 in writing, 21 in speaking and 19 in listening
- Trinity ISE II Pass overall with a minimum of Merit in speaking and listening and distinction in reading and writing, ISE III Pass overall and in all sub-skills, ISE IV Pass overall and in all sub-skills
- Aptis (4 skills) CEFR B2 overall and B2 in all sub-skills
- Duolingo 105 overall with a minimum of 105 in reading and writing and 95 in speaking and listening
- LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator - High Pass with a minimum of 152/200 overall including 38 in reading and writing, and 33 in speaking and listening
Undergraduate
Direct Entry to 1st Year:
Year 12 Grade – cumulative score of 65% and above from the following state boards:
- CBSE
- ISC/ICSE
- Metro state boards (Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal)
Students from other state boards will require Year 12 Grade – cumulative score of 75%.
Advanced Entry to 2nd Year:
Year 12 Grade – cumulative score of 75% and above from the following state boards:
- CBSE
- ISC/ICSE
- Metro state boards (Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal)
Advanced entry is possible on a range of courses. Student applications will be considered on a case by case basis.
Please note that advanced entry options for students who have scored 35 in the International Baccalaureate or GCE A-Levels ABB in one sitting will also be considered on a case by case basis.
Postgraduate
Students who score 70% in English in Year 12 from the following exam boards won't be required to submit IELTS, if studied within 5 years of our course start date:
- CBSE
- ISC/ICSE
- Metro state boards (Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal)
Students from other state boards will either need 80% in English if studied within 5 years of the course start date, or a UKVI SELT, IELTS Academic or PTE Academic, depending on the state board, taken within 2 years of our course start date.
Students who meet the above criteria, but Year 12 scores are between 6 and 10 years old, will also be required to submit an official letter from their university or college, stating that the medium of instruction (MOI) was in English, and confirming graduation is within 5 years of our course start date.
