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Home » Application Instructions » IV. International Applicants » Test Information

English Proficiency Requirement for Admission

All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit the results of the TOEFL or IELTS as evidence of English proficiency. Official scores are required to be submitted directly from TOEFL/ETS or IELTS (please see instructions below for Submitting Official Scores regarding our institution code and program number).

  • Graduate applicants may be exempt from providing a TOEFL or IELTS score if one of the following criteria is met:
    • Completion of at least two years of post-secondary full-time study, as defined by the home institution, in a country where English is the primary language and at an institution where English is the primary medium of instruction, within five years of the proposed term of initial enrollment at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

OR

  • Completion of a graduate degree in a country where English is the primary language and at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction, within five years of the proposed term of initial enrollment.

IMPORTANT: Please note that this exemption is for admission purposes only. This may not necessarily provide an exemption for international teaching assistants. For more information, please see the English Proficiency Requirement for International Teaching Assistants.

Please click here for a list of countries that qualify for an exemption from the admissions requirement.

Minimum Score Requirements for Admission*

The following chart provides minimum score requirements for admission*:

English Proficiency TestMinimum scoreLimited status admission and English as a Second Language Placement Test required**Full Status Admission
TOEFL iBT7979-102greater than 102
TOEFL CBT213213-253greater than 253
TOEFL PBT550550-610greater than 610
IELTS (academic exam)6.5 with a score of 6 or higher in all sub-sections6.5 with a score of 6 or higher in all sub-sectionsgreater than 6.5

* Please note: TOEFL or IELTS scores must be less than two years old from the first day of class at the proposed term of entry in order to be valid. In addition, individual academic programs may require a higher score, or evidence of spoken English language proficiency; contact your proposed program of study office for the minimum TOEFL, TSE, or IELTS requirement for admission.

** If the scores on the TOEFL or IELTS are acceptable, but indicate the need for further English study (scores of 550-610 Paper, 213-253 CBT, or 79-102 iBT, inclusive), an English as a Second Language Placement Test (EPT) will be required upon arrival at the University. On the basis of the ESL EPT results, applicants are generally required to enroll in non-credit "English as a Second Language" courses and take a reduced academic load beginning the first semester at the University.

Test Information and Instructions for Requesting Official Scores

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

Website: www.toefl.org

TOEFL Services at Educational Testing Service (ETS):

  • Requesting Official Scores: Applicants who have already taken the TOEFL should request the Educational Testing Service send scores to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign using our institution code number 1836.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

IELTS is jointly owned by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL), British Council and IDP Education Australia: IELTS Australia.

Website: www.ielts.org

Requesting Official Scores: Applicants who have already taken the IELTS should upload their score report forms directly to the online application.