Augustana College English proficiency requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English must meet one of the following English proficiency requirements for admission.

Scores may be self-reported to be issued an admission decision, but if the student receives an offer of admission, official documentation will be required for full admission and matriculation.

1. Completion of a qualifying academic program

U.S. high school: Graduation from an accredited U.S. high school or U.S. Department of Defense School overseas. Must have attended for at least consecutive three years.

U.S. degree: Completion of an accredited associate's degree

International baccalaureate (IB): Successful completion of the full IB Diploma Programme in English.

Intensive English program completion: must be accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA).

Degrees outside of the U.S. that qualify:  High school (secondary school) diploma and/or citizenship from one of the following English-speaking countries.

Please note that students with U.S. citizenship or citizenship from one of the nations below, but who have completed secondary education elsewhere, will be required to satisfy the English requirement through options 2 or 3 listed below (if English is not the applicant’s first language).

American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Cameroon (southwest, northwest only), Canada (except Quebec) , Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Dominica, England, Eswatini (Swaziland), Falkland Islands, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grand Cayman Islands, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia,  Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Scotland, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, Virgin Islands, Wales, Zambia, Zimbabwe

2. Achieve a qualifying score on a recognized English language proficiency test

Qualifying scores must have been obtained within the last two years. The only exception is for applicants who submit scores for a test taken more than two years ago is if the student has been continuously studying at a college or university within the U.S 
**All scores below refer to composite scores or overall score bands unless otherwise indicated.

3. Complete qualifying courses, degrees or diplomas

Curriculum/examination 

• International Baccalaureate (IB) English A: Language & Literature with a minimum grade of 5 or letter grade equivalent. 

• Advanced Placement (AP) English Language & Composition with a minimum score of 4 on the exam and/or a grade of B in the class. 

• British Curriculum (I)GCSE (O levels) English First Language with a minimum result of C (letter scale) or 4 (number scale).

• British Curriculum GCE (AS/A levels) English Language and/or English Language & Literature with a minimum result of B

• Ethiopian General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (EGSECE) English section minimum result of A. 

College level English courses

Applicants who have successfully completed with a “B” or higher in Composition 1, Composition 2, and a Speaking course at an accredited college or university in the U.S., or one of the English-speaking countries listed above. To qualify a student must be enrolled at the time of application and must have maintained continuous enrollment prior to their transfer to Augustana College to meet this requirement.

Earned college hours

Applicants who transfer with 60 credits and a GPA of 2.00 or better on a 4.00 scale from an accredited college or university in the U.S. or one of the above listed English-speaking countries. To qualify a  student must be enrolled at the time of application and must have maintained continuous enrollment prior to their transfer to Augustana College to meet this requirement.