English Proficiency Requirements

All international applicants are required to meet a minimum standard of English proficiency. This requirement can be met if:

1. You are a citizen of a country listed on the “​TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo Not Required for Citizens of these Countries” table below, or
2. You have completed at least one year of full-time academic study at a U.S. institution (or at an institution in a country listed on the “​TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo Not Required for Citizens of these Countries” table below) at the time you apply, and within two years from your desired admission term. Enrollment in an English language program, including within the USA, does not fulfill this requirement. This can be confirmed by your transcripts.
   

   • We do not accept Medium of Instruction (MOI) letters as proof of English proficiency. Please note that is NOT enough to meet our requirement even if the program was taught in English; the school at which you studied must be in a country listed on the “​TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo Not Required for Citizens of these Countries” table below. 

   • Note** The College of Music, the Business PhD Program and the Department of Economics require the TOEFL whether or not you have previously studied at a U.S. institution and regardless of length of attendance. Please click here for College of Music English proficiency score waiver policy. 

3.  You take an English proficiency test and “report passing official scores” or “submit passing unofficial scores” from the following test agencies:

   • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) - online version of TOEFL offered by ETS through Proctor U
   • IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
   • Duolingo

Test Scores Details

Passing Scores - You must receive a score that is equal to or higher than your program’s requirements. Please use the “Minimum Scores Required” table below to determine the passing score your program requires.

“Official” test scores – Valid (unexpired) test scores must be reported directly from the testing agency to the University of Colorado Boulder. Use the “Minimum Scores Required” table below to determine if your program requires official scores for application review. If your program requires official scores, please make sure to:

1. Fill in the requested information on your graduate application in the “Test Score” section.
2. Follow the reporting directions for the agency you tested with:
   
   •  Official TOEFL test scores are only valid for two years from the date of taking the test. Please Request that ETS report your TOEFL score to our school code 4841.
   •  Official IELTS test scores are only valid for two years from the date of taking the test. 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 date of taking the test. To report your official Duolingo scores, please click ‘Send Results’ from inside the Duolingo application, and then choose, ‘University of Colorado Boulder – graduate.’

“Unofficial” test scores – Valid (unexpired) test scores you receive from the testing agency can be submitted by you the applicant. Use the “Minimum Scores Required” table below to determine if your program accepts unofficial scores for application review. If your program accepts unofficial scores, please make sure to:

1.    Fill in the requested information on your graduate application in the “Test Score” section.
2.    Follow the submitting directions for the agency you tested with:
   • Unofficial TOEFL test scores are only valid for two years from the date of taking the test. Please email your “Score Report” to intlgrad@colorado.edu
   • Unofficial Duolingo test scores are only valid for two years from the date of taking the test. Please email your “Certificate“ to intlgrad@colorado.edu
   • Unofficial IELTS test scores are only valid for two years from the date of taking the test. Please upload your “Test Report Form” to your application in the “Test Score” section.

​TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo Not Required for Citizens of these Countries:

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

Note: Paper-Based TOEFL scores will no longer be accepted after October 1, 2019.

Minimum Scores Required

IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.