University of Sussex（萨塞克斯大学）entry requirements for Chinese students — minimum average mark, university list tiers and programme extras
萨塞克斯大学（University of Sussex） reviews Chinese bachelor's holders for 2025 taught master's entry through a three-tier university list. The weighted-average minimums for a 2:2 offer are 65% for Tier 1, 70% for Tier 2 and 75% for Tier 3. The figures below come from Sussex's own 2025 entry guidance; where a detail is not spelled out here, check the university's own pages, which take precedence.
Minimum average mark by UK degree class
Sussex maps UK degree classes onto Chinese weighted averages. The 2025 material states the bands for a 2:2 offer:
| China university tier | Weighted-average minimum (2:2) |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 — 985 / 211 / Double First-Class | 65% |
| Tier 2 — other undergraduate universities listed on ENIC, outside 985/211/Double First-Class | 70% |
| Tier 3 — ENIC-recognised specialist college + 1–3 years' work experience, considered case by case | 75% |
These percentages are the floor for a 2:2 offer. The material does not list the bands for a 2:1 or higher class, so check the university's own pages, which take precedence.
The three university list tiers
Tier 1 covers 985, 211 and Double First-Class universities. Tier 2 covers the remaining undergraduate universities that appear on ENIC, outside the 985/211/Double First-Class group. Tier 3 covers ENIC-recognised specialist colleges, where 1–3 years of work experience lets Sussex consider the application case by case.
The material defines each tier by category and does not name individual Chinese institutions within a tier. It also does not count how many universities fall into each tier, so treat the tiers as definitions rather than a checklist of schools.
Accepted qualification routes
Beyond the standard bachelor's, Sussex states it accepts several non-standard routes for direct master's entry:
- Top-up, self-study, distance/online, correspondence, TV university and evening-university bachelor's degrees — accepted when both certificates are held and the award is verifiable on CHSI (学信网).
- A college diploma plus several years of work experience — submit a CV; Sussex reviews the application case by case.
- An HND plus a Top-up bachelor's — accepted for direct master's entry, assessed on the final degree awarded.
A bachelor's degree earned in a UKVI-recognised country within the last two years (including 2+2 and 3+1 formats) is exempt from the English-language requirement.
Programme-specific extras
The 2025 material does not itemise per-programme extras such as a GMAT score, portfolio or interview. These are set programme by programme on Sussex's own pages, so check the university's own pages, which take precedence. The same applies to any study mode not listed above: confirm it directly with Sussex rather than assuming it is accepted or declined.
English language requirement
For direct entry (most courses from September 2024), Sussex lists:
- IELTS Academic: 6.0 overall, 5.5 in each component. Direct entry accepts standard Academic IELTS; the in-person pre-sessional course requires UKVI IELTS.
- PTE Academic: 59 overall, 59 in each component.
- TOEFL iBT: 80 overall (Listening 17, Reading 18, Speaking 20, Writing 17).
- LanguageCert International ESOL SELT: B2, with no component below 36.
Where to verify each figure
Every threshold above is taken from Sussex's published 2025 entry guidance. Before you apply, open the relevant course page on sussex.ac.uk to confirm the band for your target programme and degree class, because course pages take precedence over the summary figures here.