English Language Proficiency
Date Implemented: November 14, 2006
Date Revised: October 1, 2024
St. Thomas policy requires international students to prove a minimum level of English proficiency for university-level studies.
Demonstration of English language proficiency must be completed before qualifying for an I-20/DS-2019 or being allowed to register for classes. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to document English language proficiency early in the admissions process.
English Proficiency Requirements
Applicants may demonstrate proof of English Language Proficiency (ELP) in one of three ways:
- By earning an appropriate score on one of the following approved exams. (Scores can be no more than two years old and must be sent directly from the testing site to St. Thomas.)*
- overall score of 80 (school code: 6110)
- with a minimum of 180
- overall score of 105
- with a minimum score of 3.5
- (Academic) overall score of 6.5
- overall score of 53 or higher
- level 112 (only available in the following programs: Education, Engineering, Theology, Software, Law, Social Work)
- score of 53. The score report must be accompanied by an official letter from the testing coordinator.
- with a verbal score of at least 22
- with a verbal reasoning score of at least 146
- Or by documenting completion of a college degree, or by documenting citizenship, legal permanent residence, or employment for at least 3 years, in one of the following countries:
- Anguilla
- Antigua
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- British Guyana
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Canada (except Quebec)
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guam
- Guyana
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Liberia
- Macedonia
- Malawi
- Micronesia
- Montserrat
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nepal
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- St. Helena
- St. Kitts & Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent
- Tanzania
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Islands
- Uganda
- United Kingdom - England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland
- United States of America
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Or by documenting completion of a college degree, whether undergraduate or graduate, in a country not listed above, by:
- Demonstrating the instruction of their undergraduate or other graduate coursework was in English (as documented by submission of transcripts); or
- Demonstrating the instruction of their undergraduate or graduate coursework was in English through a course-by-course degree evaluation; or
- Demonstrating the instruction of their undergraduate or other graduate coursework was in English by having the school send a letter to St. Thomas confirming the language of instruction was in English.
Applicants who are meeting the ELP requirement in the third way, above, should work with a specific school/college to which they are applying. Paperwork must be approved by the dean of the school/college to which the students are applying. This paperwork should be retained in the student's file, the Dean's office of the school/college to which the student is applying, the Office of Academic Affairs, and the Office of International Admissions.
*Please note that some programs have specific score requirements that differ from the above list, including the and the . Please visit your individual program's website and connect with the corresponding program's admissions team to understand the requirements.