Graduate Studies

English Language Proficiency Requirements

Western Illinois University requires all international applicants to demonstrate satisfactory proficiency in English. English proficiency requirements must be met before your application will be considered for admission. There are a number of ways in which applicants can demonstrate proficiency in English.

Applicants from the following countries are exempt from the English proficiency requirement:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Canada, The Cayman Islands, Dominica, eSwatini, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, The Philippines, St. Helena, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines,  Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Non-native English speaking applicants must submit satisfactory English proficiency scores on one of the following exams: TOEFL, IELTS, ITEP, Duolingo, or PTE Academic. (Use school code 1900 for WIU). 

Scores must be less than two years old at the time of matriculation at WIU.

Undergraduate students:

Program TOEFL IELTS PTE iTEP Duolingo
Music 79 6.5 53 3.8 110
Nursing 83 6.5 56 3.9 110
  • TOEFL score of at least 73
  • IELTS score of at least 6.0
  • ITEP score of at least 3.7
  • PTE Academic score of at least 49
  • TOEFL Essentials score of at least 8.0
  • Duolingo score of at least 105

For applicants who have been educated in an English medium of instruction in a non-English country, SAT Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing score of at least 580 or ACT English score of at least 22.  Although WIU is test optional for SAT and ACT, international students receiving their education in an English medium may use SAT or ACT scores to meet the alternative to TOEFL. SAT and ACT scores will be considered to meet the English proficiency requirement only.

Freshmen

You do not have to submit proof of English proficiency if you meet one of the following criteria:

  • You studied at least two years at a state recognized U.S. high school and earned at least a 2.5/4.0 GPA in in an academic core curriculum.
  • You completed a minimum of two academic years of full-time study at the post-secondary level in a country where English is the primary language (not merely the language of instruction), immediately prior to the proposed date of enrollment.

Transfer students

You do not have to submit proof of English proficiency if you meet one of the following criteria:

  • You have studied at least two years at a regionally accredited U.S. post-secondary institution and completed a minimum of 48 semester hours of college coursework immediately prior to matriculating at WIU.
  • You have earned an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of General Studies degree within two years of your matriculation date at WIU.

Graduate students (unless otherwise stated in the academic department admission requirements)

Program TOEFL IELTS PTE iTEP Duolingo
Accountancy 79 6.5 53 3.8 110
Business Administration 79 6.5 53 3.8 110
Communication 92 6.5 62 4.2 115
English 100 7.5 68 4.7 120
Museum Studies 100 7.0 68 4.7 120
Music 79 6.5 56 3.9 110
  • TOEFL score of at least 73
  • IELTS score of at least 6.0
  • ITEP score of at least 3.7
  • PTE Academic score of at least 49
  • TOEFL Essentials score of at least 8.0
  • Duolingo score of at least 105

You do not have to submit proof of English proficiency if you meet one of the following criteria:

  • Completing a bachelor’s degree from an American institution with four years in residence, and within two
    years of matriculation at WIU.
  • Successful completion of one year of full-time study at the graduate level (18 semester hours or more) in residence at a U.S. institution immediately prior to matriculating at WIU.