English Proficiency

DU's English Language Center (ELC)

Undergraduate students (first-year and transfers)

English Proficiency Requirements: The University of Denver accepts either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) tests to prove English proficiency. Before they may enroll in University classes, students whose native language is not English either must present an acceptable test score or successfully complete Level Five (college preparation) at DU’s English Language Center ( ELC). In this case, no test score will be required.

TOEFL: Students must present a minimum score of 525 paper- based, 193 computer-based or 70 Internet-based TOEFL. Those students with TOEFL scores between 525 PBT/193 CBT/70 iBT and 570 PBT/230 CBT/88 iBT will be required to take an additional English test on the day of orientation. The results of this test will determine whether an additional writing course (4 elective credits) will be required prior to enrollment in the First-Year English Sequence. No institutional TOEFL scores will be accepted.

IELTS: The minimum score required to enroll at the University of Denver is 5.5.  Students who score less than 6.5 will be tested and may need to take additional English courses.

Exemptions: Students are generally exempt from an English-test requirement if they have any of the following:

• Secondary/high school diploma from a school where the language of instruction is English
• SAT verbal score above 500
• GSCE grade of A,B or C on the English examination
• HKCEE grade of A,B or C on the English examination,syllabus B
• ACT English subscore of 22 or higher

Conditional Admission: Any student who successfully completes Level Five at the University of Denver’s English Language Center prior to enrolling in a degree program will not be required to present a TOEFL/ IELTS score. Completion of an intensive English program other than the University of Denver’s English Language Center does not satisfy this requirement.

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Transfer students

Students who have taken at least a year of credit (30 semester hours/45 quarter hours) from a U.S. college or university will not be required to prove their English proficiency.  This is also true for those transferring from universities where English is the universal language of instruction and examination.  Other transfers should take the TOEFL or IELTS.  Those who present a TOEFL score below 570 paper based/230 computer based/88 internet based or an IELTS score below 6.5 will be required to take an additional English test and follow the recommendations of the English Language Center (ELC) regarding English classes.  

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Graduate students

Those whose native language is not English are required to submit a TOEFL score. The minimum score accepted by the University of Denver is 550 paper based/213 computer based/80 internet based for most departments. (See Graduate English Proficiency requirements for a detailed description of requirements by department). In some cases, students with a TOEFL score of 550 paper based/213 computer based/80 internet based and above may be asked to take and pass ELC 0091 Advanced Writing for International Students, if improvement in writing skills is considered necessary. Students with a bachelor's degree or master's degree from institutions where English is the language of instruction and examination are generally exempt from TOEFL (but not TSE, see below) requirements. In such cases, proof of the language of instruction and examination should be submitted with the application.

NOTE: Any graduate applicant, regardless of his or her educational background, who wishes to be considered for a teaching assistantship during any year of study in any graduate department at DU must demonstrate fluency in spoken English by scoring at least 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or 26 on the speaking subsection of the Internet based TOEFL or a 8.0 on the IELTS Speaking subtest. Teaching assistants are not eligible for conditional admission.

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Graduate-Level Conditional Admission Option

To insure that graduate international students will be well prepared for advanced study at the University of Denver, international students may be conditionally admitted to certain degree programs pending proof of English proficiency. This option is available to applicants only in certain departments who are academically admissible and who haves sufficient proof of financial support. In order to begin a degree program, students must either present the minimum TOEFL/IELTS score or complete the University's English Language Center's full-time intensive language courses, which may take between 10 weeks and 18 months, depending on placement test results and the students' individual progress. Academic courses may not be taken while students are enrolled at the English Language Center. Determine which programs will accept students under this option.