Minimum English Proficiency Requirements
For Admitting Nonnative Speakers of English & International Students
to KU Graduate Studies
The following are acceptable means for verifying English proficiency for purposes of admitting non-native speakers of English and/or international students to Graduate Studies:
- Graduation with a baccalaureate degree (or higher) earned in residence from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education, or from such an institution whose medium of instruction is English. This does not apply to degrees earned online.
- Receipt of official copy (not student's copy) of applicant's TOEFL scores achieved not more than two years prior to the semester of admission. *Please see the information in red below.
- Receipt of official copy of the ACADEMIC format of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) administered by the University of Cambridge ESOL achieved not more than two years prior to the semester of admission. *Please see the information in red below.
| TOEFL (paper) | TOEFL (CBT) | TOEFL (iBT) | IELTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Admission* | ||||
| All part scores at least 53 | All part scores at least 20 | Reading, Listening, and Writing part scores at least 20** | Minimum overall score 6.0 with no part score below 5.5 | |
| Provisional Admission* | ||||
| All part scores 51-52 | All part scores 18-19 | Reading, Listening, and Writing part scores 18-19** | Minimum overall score 5.5 with no part score below 5.0 | |
| Delay Admission & Recommend Applying to Applied English Center - Deny Admission | ||||
| One or more part scores below 51 | One or more part scores below 18 | One of these part scores below 18: Reading, Listening, or Writing** | Overall score below 5.5 or one or more part scores below 5.0 | |
*Admitted students will take the Applied English Center English Proficiency Test and may be required to enroll in one or more Applied English Center courses if they have:
- Any part of the paper-based TOEFL below 57 or an essay score below 5;
- Any part of the computer-based TOEFL below 23 or an essay score below 5;
- Any part of the internet-based TOEFL below 23;
- An IELTS overall score below 6.5 or any score below 6.0.
** The iBT speaking score is not required for admission, but GTA applicants must have a minimum iBT speaking score of 24 or a TSE score of 50 to hold a GTA appointment.
Graduate Studies policy on English proficiency:
Board of Regents statement on spoken English proficiency: