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English Language Proficiency Requirements

Like most universities in the United States as well as many universities in other English-speaking countries, the TOEFL and IELTS exams are used by admissions officers to asses the English language ability of non-native English speaking applicants. Institutional policy as well as federal regulations require proof that students admitted to the University of Missouri - St. Louis have the English language ability demanded by university study. Undergraduate students must receive a score of 500 or better on the paper-based TOEFL exam (173 computer-based, 61 internet-based). Graduate students who have spent less than two of the last three years in an English-speaking country are required to submit scores from an internationally accepted standardized examination (typically TOEFL or IELTS) before a decision is made on admission.

Exceptions

In general, students cannot be exempted from the English language proficiency requirement. The requirement may be waived for applicants who:

  • Are Citizens or Permanent Residents (green card holders) of the United States.
  • Are Citizens of a Native English-Speaking Country Listed Below.
  • Are Nonresident Aliens in the US on a Work Visa (H-1B or L1).
  • Completed Secondary Education in the US or a Country Below.
  • Earned a Bachelor's Degree from an Institution in the US or a Country Below.
  • Have Completed 30 (thirty) or More Credit Hours in an Officially Accredited Institution in the US or a Country Below.

 

    • Recognized Native English-Speaking Countries:
      • Anguilla
      • Antigua
      • Australia
      • Bahamas
      • Barbados
      • Barbuda
      • Belize
      • British Virgin Islands
      • Canada (except Quebec)
      • Dominica
      • Grand Cayman Islands
      • Grenada
      • Guyana
      • Irish Republic
      • Jamaica
      • Montserrat
      • New Zealand
      • St. Kitts & Nevis
      • St. Lucia
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
      • Trinidad & Tobago
      • Turks & Caicos Islands
      • United Kingdom: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, & Wales

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