USG English Proficiency Requirements
Applicants whose native language is not English must provide proof of academic English language proficiency. English language proficiency can be met by utilizing one of the approved methods listed below. All USG institutions must accept all methods of English language proficiency listed, however, institutions may set higher required scores than those listed.
The minimum and recommended scores acceptable for admission:
| Minimum Score for Admission | Recommended Score for Admission | |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (includes Computer Based, Home Edition, My Best, & Paper Edition) | 69 | 79 |
| IELTS Academic (including IELTS Online and One Skill Retake) | 6 | 6.5 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section Score | 480 | |
| ACT English | 17 | |
| EIKEN | Pre-1 | |
| MET (Michigan English Test) | 55 | 59 |
| Cambridge English Scale Score - which can be demonstrated in B2 First (First Certificate in English -FCE), C1 Advanced (Certificate in Advanced English - CAE) or C2 Proficiency (Certificate of Proficiency in English - CPE) | 169 | 177 |
| Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) IGCSE and “O” Level “English” exams | “D” or Better | |
| UK GCSE “English” exam | “C” or Better | |
| UK GCE A-Level “English” exam | “C” or Better | |
| EdExcel International A-Levels and IGCSE English exams | “D” or Better | |
| Pearson (PTE) Academic (conventional and online) | 53 | 58 |
| Completion of an approved USG campus-based ESL program of study. | Per USG approval. | |
| A waiver of the English proficiency requirement can be applied to students who have successfully completed academic instruction in English. Successful completion can be demonstrated by one of the following methods: 1) Proof of degree at the secondary or collegiate level either outside or inside the U.S. where English is the official language of academic instruction. 2) Proof of completion of the equivalent of English 1101 and/or 1102 with a grade of C or better in one or both courses, at an accredited U.S. institution. | Per USG campus review. | |
| Students who are placed directly into college-level English with no required corequisite based on testing (i.e., Accuplacer, WritePlacer, SAT, or ACT). | Per USG campus review. |
All admissions and placement criteria apply to international applicants.
Institutions should develop procedures to determine whether there is a need for placement in Learning Support English and/or ESL courses for admitted students who meet the minimum English proficiency test scores. Academically admissible non-native English-speaking applicants who do not meet any of the English proficiency methods cannot be granted regular admission. If an institution has an approved USG campus-based ESL program of study, then the student should be directed to and admitted into that program. Successful completion of a USG campus-based ESL program of study meets the English proficiency requirement for all institutions. USG campus-based ESL programs of study used under this provision must first receive approval from the USG Programs Stakeholder Committee for designation as outlined in Section 2.3.6.3.
U.S. Immigration Regulations
Federal regulations place significant responsibilities on students and universities in the administration of the U.S. laws pertaining to F-1 or J-1 non-immigrant students. Institutions are required to follow certain record-keeping and reporting requirements of the U.S. government.
Institutions enrolling international students are required to determine the English proficiency, academic admissibility, and financial resources of applicants prior to the issuance of the immigration document I-20 or DS-2019.
Only a Designated School Official appointed by the institution’s president and registered with the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) may sign form I-20 and other F-1 student immigration-related documents. Only a Responsible Officer or Alternate Responsible Officer approved by the U.S. Department of State and SEVP may sign form DS-2019. For more information, see SEVIS.