English Proficiency Requirements

Acceptable Methods to Demonstrate English Language Proficiency

• 1. Completion of a qualifying academic program.

  1. Completion of a qualifying academic program

  U.S. high school: Graduation from an accredited U.S. high school or U.S. Department of Defense School overseas. Must have attended for at least consecutive three years.

  U.S. degree: Completion of a regionally accredited associate's degree
  International baccalaureate (IB): Successful completion of the full IB Diploma Programme in English.

  U.S.-based Intensive English program completion: will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

  Degrees outside of the U.S. that qualify: High school (secondary school) diploma and/or citizenship from one of the following English-speaking countries:

  American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Cameroon (southwest, northwest only), Canada (except Quebec) , Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Denmark, Dominica, England, Eswatini (Swaziland), Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, The Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grand Cayman Islands, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Islands, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Scotland, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sweden, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Virgin Islands, Wales, Zambia, Zimbabwe

  Back to top

• 2. Achieve a qualifying score on a recognized English language proficiency test.

  Qualifying scores must have been obtained within the last two years. SAT and ACT scores are accepted within 5 years of submission. The only exceptions are for applicants who submit scores for a test taken more than two years ago is if the student has been continuously studying at a post-secondary institution or employed professionally within the U.S.

  English proficiency exam: The below chart outlines the minimum score requirements on accepted English proficiency exams for regular admission to undergraduate (Bachelors) and graduate (Masters) degree programs

  • All scores below refer to composite scores or overall score bands unless otherwise indicated.
  • IPS reserves the right to extend conditional admission to applicants with a qualified overall score who exhibit signifigant disparities between subscores. 

  Exam	Undergraduate	Graduate
  TOEFL iBT	70	81
  TOEFL pBT	70	81
  TOEFL ITP Only accepted from students from partner institutions.	527	550
  IELTS Academic	6.0 overall band  no sub score lower than 5	6.5 overall band no sub score lower than 5
  Cambridge English Qualifications	169	177
  STEP-EIKEN	2A	PRE-1
  iTEP Academic	4.0	4.5
  PTE Academic	50	58
  Duolingo English Test	105	115
  Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)	700	750
  SAT (March 2016 or later)	500 & up on evidence-based reading & writing section	N/A
  ACT	21 & up on the English section	N/A
  ELS	Level 112	Level 112
  Burlington VTest	B2.1	B2.2
  Skills for English	B2 (Pass)	B2+ (Pass with Merit)
  Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE)	B2	B2
  Oxford ELLT – English Language Level Test	6	7

  Back to top

• 3. Complete qualifying courses, degrees or diplomas.

  If a student completes a specific curriculum or course/level within curriculum then we will use it as demonstration of the mandatory English Language Requirement.

  • Student has taken a full year of high school in the U.S.A. and earned a C grade (or better) in one year of standard English (not ESL). This must be shown on your transcripts.
  • International transfer students transferring from a college or university in which English is the medium of instruction and have completed an English Composition (not ESL) class with a “C” letter grade or higher.
  • GCSE or GCE Score of “C” or better on the English language exam
  • You have earned a passing score on the O Level/IGCSE of the GCE (General Certificate of Education).
  • You have passed the first year of IB English (SL or HL) with a score of 4 or higher.
  • Ethiopian General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (EGSECE) or Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Examination (EHEEE): English section minimum result of A or 75.
  • WAEC (West African Exam Council) score of C6 or better. 
  Back to top