All international students are required to submit English proficiency scores that meet the University’s minimum requirement for admission consideration (see table below). Previous ESL or English composition courses, even when taken in the United States, will not satisfy this requirement. Students enrolled in a U.S. or Canadian high school or college are still required to submit official exam scores to fulfill the English proficiency requirement.
- Exception. Non-U.S. citizens whose primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, or the U.S. are exempt from this requirement. Students who were born in any of these countries but educated elsewhere, however, will be required to satisfy the English proficiency requirement.
- Official scores. All exam scores must be sent directly from the testing agency. UW-administered MLT scores will be reported directly to the Office of Admissions. Always use your legal name when you take the exam and report any name discrepancies to the UW. Only the exams listed in the table below may be used to satisfy this requirement.
- Plan ahead to take the English proficiency exam. Test dates and locations are limited, so be sure to register for a test date early. Spaces fill quickly so do not wait to take an exam. Late test scores will not be accepted. December is the last month to take an exam before the January 15 application deadline.
- Applicants who have not met the minimum English proficiency requirement by the application deadline or have not taken one of the English proficiency exams will not be considered for admission.
SUBMITTING TEST SCORES
- Plan ahead to take the English proficiency exam. Test dates and locations are limited, so be sure to register for a test date early. Spaces fill quickly so do not wait to take an exam. Late test scores will not be accepted.
- Be sure to select an examination date that will allow the results to reach the Office of Admissions by the application closing date. December is the last month to take an English proficiency exam in order for the UW to receive scores by the January 15th application deadline.
- Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to the UW. Score reports provided to you by the testing agency (such as examinees’ copies, student copies, high school copies, etc.) or photocopies of score reports will not be accepted.
- Make sure that the name on your score report matches exactly the name you give on your admission application form. Even a slight difference in the name will prevent scores from being matched to your application file. If there are any differences, be sure to notify UW Admissions.
- TOEFL scores are only valid for two years from the exam date. If scores are more than two years old, new exam scores will need to be submitted. Institutional TOEFL exams administered by other colleges/universities will not be accepted.
- UW’s Institution code for the TOEFL is 4854.
TEST SCORE REQUIREMENTS
| Test Title | Minimum Requirement for Admission | Minimum for Admission Without AEP Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL Internet-based | 57* Reading, Writing, & Listening sections only | 70* Reading, Writing, & Listening sections only |
| TOEFL computer-based | 207 | 237 |
| TOEFL paper-based | 540 | 580 |
| UW Administered Michigan Language Test (MLT) | 85 | 90 |
| International English Language Testing System (IELTS) | 6 | 7 |
*For the internet-based TOEFL only, the minimum scores required are based on the combined total of the Reading, Listening, and Writing sections. We will not include the Speaking portion of the test in our admission review at this time.
ACADEMIC ENGLISH PROGRAM (AEP) FOR UW ENROLLMENT & GRADUATION
Students who meet the minimum English proficiency requirement for admission consideration but have scores lower than those listed in Column 3 of the table above will be required to enroll in the Academic English Program (AEP). Such students will be required to complete a sequence of one to five remedial courses beginning with their first quarter at the UW. The AEP requirement will be removed if, before registering for classes at the UW, students submit higher scores that exempt them.
A diagnostic exam is available to determine the appropriate level at which to start AEP course work within the five-course sequence. Students who choose not to take the diagnostic exam will automatically begin with the first course in the sequence. An extra fee is charged for each AEP course in addition to regular tuition. At least one AEP course will be required each quarter until all mandatory AEP classes are satisfactorily completed. Students required to take AEP must register first for AEP to be eligible to register for their other classes.
