English Proficiency Requirements

Proficiency in usage, both written and oral, is essential to pursue graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during the undergraduate degree was other than English must furnish evidence of proficiency in English, prior to admission. Normally, this evidence is an acceptable score on one of the following: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency (MELAB), or the Carleton Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment.

Minimum TOEFL scores are as follows:

• TOEFL iBT: minimum score of 89, with minimum skill scores of 21 in each of the skills tests (speaking, writing, reading and listening); 
• Paper-based- TOEFL: minimum of 573.

Other tests of English language proficiency accepted include IELTS (minimum score of seven), Michigan Test (minimum score of 90) and Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL) (minimum score of 70 is required). These tests are offered in Canada, the United States and many other countries.

Applicants must make their own arrangements to write the test by contacting:

Test of English as a Foreign Language, PO Box 6154, Princeton, New Jersey, USA 08541-6154
http://www.ets.org/toefl/

International English Language Testing System, The British Council, Medlock Street, Manchester, England M15 4AA
http://www.ielts.org/

The English Language Institute, Testing and Certification Division, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA 48109-1057
http://www.lsa.umich.edu/eli/melab.htm

Canadian Academic English Language Assessment, 220 Paterson Hall, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Carleton University, Ottawa, K1S 5B6
http://www.cael.ca/

The applicant (student) is responsible for having the test results sent to the university in time for admission. Individual programs may have additional language requirements. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ascertain the nature of these requirements and to fulfill them.