Required English Proficiency

NC State requires all international students to submit proof of English proficiency. The only exceptions are for students whose native language is English or students who have completed at least one year of a university degree where English is an official language and the language of instruction in higher education.

Students participating in the TASSEP program are not required to take the TOEFL or Cambridge First Certificate exam. For proof of English Proficiency, TASSEP students are required to submit a letter from their home institution certifying English Proficiency.

Permitted Exams:

For students who want to study abroad at NC State University, the following exam scores will be accepted as proof of English proficiency:

1. TOEFL (Effective Fall 2008, institutional TOEFL scores will NOT be accepted.)
2. IELTS
3. Cambridge First Certificate

For students wanting to study abroad in the graduate MBA program, only TOEFL scores will be accepted as proof of English proficiency. No other tests of English proficiency will be accepted.

Required Scores:

Cambridge First Certificate exam: C 
OR
IELTS: International English Language Testing: Band score of 6.5 
OR
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language (see grid below)

* Effective Fall 2008, institutional TOEFL scores will NOT be accepted.

English Language Courses:

All students with TOEFL scores lower than 590 (paper), 243 (computer), or 97 (internet), or an IELTS score of 7 or below, or less than an A on the Cambridge First Certificate exam, will be strongly encouraged to take English language coursework in addition to courses in their field of study.