English Proficiency Requirements

All international applicants must meet a minimum standard of English proficiency. Graduate departments set their minimum English proficiency requirements, as shown in the table of Minimum Scores Required.

Providing Score Reports

International applicants are required to provide a Verifiable English Proficiency Score Report for the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo exam with their application. The test date must be within two years of the intended admission term for consideration. Verifiable Score Reports should contain the following information:

• TOEFL Score Report: Applicant Name, Appointment Number, Date of Birth, and MyBest® Scores as of date.
• IELTS Score Report: Applicant Name, Test Report Form Number (TRF), Date of Birth, and Test Date.
• Duolingo Score Report: Applicant Name, Secure link to the Duolingo Certificate, and Test Date.

Other Ways to Demonstrate English Proficiency

The English proficiency requirement can also be satisfied under either of the following conditions:

1. Your studies at a previous university-level institution met ALL the following criteria:
   1. The institution is in the U.S. or a Qualifying Country from the table below.
   2. You have completed at least one year of full-time ACADEMIC study at that institution.
   3. The date you completed your studies (or left the institution) is within two (2) years of your desired admission term,
      1. Example 1: Your desired admission term is Fall 2025. Studies that ended in the Spring (April – June) of 2023 would meet the criterion.
      2. Example 2: Your desired admission term is Fall 2025. Studies that ended in the Fall (October – December) of 2022 would not meet the criterion.
   4. You provide transcripts for the institution that verify ALL the criteria have been met.
   5. IMPORTANT! The following departments DO NOT ACCEPT condition #1 (university study) above and require verifiable English proficiency test scores for those international applicants: Economics PhD and Music (Please review the College of Music English proficiency waiver policy and application).
2. You are a citizen of a qualifying country.

International applicants who are citizens of a qualifying country from the table below are not required to provide proof of English proficiency and do NOT need to submit a Verifiable English Proficiency Score Report.

Enrollment in an English language program, including within the USA, does not fulfill the English proficiency requirement.

We do not accept Medium of Instruction (MOI) letters as proof of English proficiency.

Minimum Scores

Admitted students must achieve a score that meets or exceeds the requirements of their program. Please use the “Minimum Scores Required” table below to determine the passing score your program requires. Minimum score requirements may be higher for students offered assistantships.

Providing “Official” Test Scores

Applicants and admitted students must submit a Verifiable Score Report with the application. If an applicant cannot provide a Verifiable Score Report, “Official” valid (unexpired) test scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to the University of Colorado Boulder. To submit official scores, follow these instructions:

• Official TOEFL test scores are only valid for two years from the test date. Login to your ETS Account and request your TOEFL score to be sent to the University of Colorado Boulder. Our school code 4841. If prompted for a Department Code, please use 99.
• Official IELTS test scores are only valid for two years from the test date. Please request your IELTS test center report your score to our school using the information below (IELTS does not use school codes).
  • University of Colorado Boulder - Masters & PhD, 3100 Marine Street, Suite A122, UCB 65, Boulder, CO 80303
• Official Duolingo test scores are only valid for two years from the test date. Log in to your account and ‘Send Results’ from inside the Duolingo application. Choose, “University of Colorado Boulder – graduate” when prompted.

Minimum Scores Required

* Additional Economics TOEFL score minimums: 75 overall; 23 speaking for admission consideration; 24 speaking for funding consideration

Qualifying Countries

• Australia
• Belize
• Botswana
• Canada (except Quebec)
• Commonwealth Caribbean
• Ghana
• India**
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Singapore
• South Africa
• United Kingdom
• Zimbabwe

** Applicants from India to the Engineering Management program are required to submit English Proficiency Scores.