Overseas Students

Places on all our courses are offered after successful application and audition or interview.

All our offers are conditional until we have received the relevant entry requirements as specified in your offer letter.

The academic qualifications we require from you are equivalent to those required for UK students.

These are likely to be either:

• a school leavers certificate if applying for an undergraduate course

or

• an undergraduate degree if applying for a postgraduate course.

At the point of an offer the NSCD admissions team check your qualifications with ECCTIS to confirm equivalence.  You do not need to submit this qualification with your application or before your audition but if you are offered a place it will be conditional upon you submitting it by the end of the academic year; usually by June/mid-July at the latest.

If you have any questions regarding academic qualifications please get in touch via admissions@nscd.ac.uk 

Places on all our courses are offered after successful application and audition or interview.  All our offers are conditional upon receipt of the relevant Academic and English Language entry requirements for the specific course.

If your first language is not English you will need meet the minimum English language entry requirements in order to enrol on any of our courses. This is set at CEFR level B2 for undergraduate courses and high B2 or C1 for postgraduate courses.

This usually means passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider; IELTS for UKVI, LanguageCert International ESOL SELT or PTE Academic UKVI.

As NSCD is a Higher Education Provider (HEP) we can assess your level of English through an alternative qualification providing it meets the required level. This is assessed on a case by case basis.

To enrol on an undergraduate course your English language qualification must be equivalent to the examples below:

IELTS for UKVI with an overall band of 5.5 with no less than 5.0 in each component skill.

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT with 33 – 38 score per skill.

To enrol on a postgraduate course your English language qualification must be equivalent to the examples below:

IELTS for UKVI with an overall band of 6.0 with no less than 6 in Reading and Writing and no less than 5.5 in Speaking and Listening.

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT with 33– 37 per skill for Reading and Writing, 25-32 per skill for Speaking and Listening. 38 – 50 per skill to achieve 6.5 across all skills.

You may find this webpage useful: IELTS | Compare IELTS

Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English?

• You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’ve completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in one of the following countries, or are from one of the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, USA.
• You also do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you proved your level of English in a previous visa application.
• In certain countries English subjects studied at school are comparable to B2 standard, provided these subjects have been taken and successfully passed in the final examinations with the required grades where stated. If you are offered a conditional place, after your audition, qualifications that you have gained, including grades that you believe are comparable to the B2 level should be submitted to the admissions team for them to check with NARIC (The National Recognition Information Centre). You will then be notified whether you are exempt from taking additional English language tests for entry. Equally, if you studied/are studying recognised qualifications in English at an International School, or took a GCSE English as a first or second language, you may be exempt.

Applying for a Student Route Visa is only relevant once you have:

1. Attended in-person audition or submitted a video audition
2. Received a Conditional Offer
3. Submitted Entry Requirements (listed in your offer letter)
4. Received an Unconditional Offer from the Access & Admissions Manager, which includes your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Study)

Apply for a Student Route Visa using this link: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/apply-online (You will need your CAS to apply along with other documents as listed on the website)

Once you have received an outcome from UKVI regarding your Student Route Visa you must do the following:

1. Email NSCD with your ShareCode to prove your Visa Status.
2. Read and complete the Student Visa Responsibilities Declaration.
3. Book your accommodation and travel arrangements.

Once you have got your Visa you can enter the UK on or after the start date as stated on your Visa.

You must not enter as a tourist with the view to switch to your student visa internally as this will cause complications.

When travelling to the UK ensure you bring any documentation (paper or digital) with you in case you need to present this to Border Control.

Once you have arrived in the UK you must send send your flight ticket/boarding pass to NSCD

NSCD will be in touch with you about Induction Week and Enrolment.

All Overseas students are required to apply for a Student Route Visa unless they have a British Passport, Right to Remain (or another  immigration status which allows you to live, study and work in the UK without restriction) or EU Pre-Settled or Settled Status.

If you are unsure whether you need a visa or not you can check here.

NSCD requires all students who are on a Visa to be Over 18 at the start of their course.

For more information on the EU Settlement Scheme please see the link: EU Settlement Scheme

If you are offered a place on one of our courses at NSCD you will be asked to provide confirmation of your settled or pre-settled status as evidence that you are not required to apply for a Student Route Visa.

Current holders of a Student Route Visa will need to apply for a new Student Visa to start a new course in the UK. Your new course will need to lead to a higher level qualification than your last course to show the required progression.

No, MA Contemporary Dance Performance: Professional Placement Scheme is only open to Home Students (British National, Right to Remain) and those with either EU Pre-Settled or Settled Status due to Visa restrictions.

If you are offered a place on any of our courses at NSCD the Admissions Team will support your transition to enrolment by guiding you through the Student Visa process and helping you find local accommodation.

Throughout your course our dedicated Student Services Team provide a full range of support which includes Health and Well-being support, Injury support and English Language support. You will find out more information about these services during the Induction Week.

Further information is available at: Student Life