purdue university english proficiency test

Undergraduate Admissions

English Proficiency

International undergraduate applicants whose native language is not English will be evaluated for English language proficiency during the application review process. 

The most common and preferred way for applicants to provide evidence of their English proficiency is through an English proficiency exam.  Select the options below to review the minimum scores and guidelines:

In general, applicants have a 110 or better.

Purdue requires the submission of DET subscores along with the overall result. Please request to have your results submitted to: Purdue University Undergraduate Admissions .

In general, applicants have an overall score of 6.5 or higher with at least a 6.0 in each section.

Request to have official scores sent to  "Purdue University - Office of International Students and Scholars" or alternatively, you may report your results in the online application portal by submitting the ‘Updates to Self-reported Test Scores’ form located within the Profile and Application Updates tab.

Purdue accepts the IELTS Academic Test and the  IELTS Indicator version of the exam.  Purdue  does not accept  the   IELTS General Training Test. 

In general applicants must have a 26 or higher on the English section.

The Purdue University code to submit official ACT scores is 1230

Generally, applicants must have a 600 or better on the Evidence Based Reading & Writing (EBRW) section. 

The Purdue University code to submit official SAT scores from College Board is 1631

Applicants that have been academically successful in a complete English-speaking curriculum, which demonstrates that they have a strong command of the English language, may be considered. In general, we expect the following:

• Enrolled in an English taught curriculum for at least three full years.
• The equivalent of a B or better in all English courses
• Strong overall academic performance

If an applicant in an English-Speaking curriculum has taken a traditional English proficiency exam (i.e., TOEFL, IELTS or DET), they are encouraged to submit the results to support their demonstrated English ability.

Please be aware:  Score results must be from a  test taken within the past two years. If self-reported scores are used at time of application review, official scores must be provided if the student is admitted and accepts their admission offer. Official test scores must be  received directly from the testing organization .  Applicants are required to submit all the standardized test results indicated on their application. Meeting the minimum English proficiency score  does not guarantee admission.  A student's complete application is holistically reviewed before a decision is made.

English proficiency test results may be used for English course placement upon enrollment.  Students admitted without a formal English proficiency exam (i.e., DET, IELTS, or TOEFL) may be subject to an English placement exam upon enrollment.

English Proficiency Requirements - School of Industrial Engineering - Purdue University

English Proficiency Requirements

International degree-seeking applicants whose native language is not English are required to  provide proof of English proficiency via a Graduate School approved mechanism . Current testing options include  T est of English as a Foreign Language ( TOEFL ) or International English Language Testing System ( IELTS ),  or Duolingo English Test  for admission to the Purdue University Graduate School.

The minimum Internet-based test scores required for admission to the Purdue University School of Industrial Engineering are the following:

TOEFL Only official TOEFL scores received directly from Educational Testing Service are acceptable. For further information, visit  ETS TOEFL . Due to long delays for score submissions, upload a copy of your PDF score report and attach it as a miscellaneous document to your application.

Purdue University West Lafayette's code for the TOEFL application is 1631.

*Applicants must meet or exceed each of the four sections in TOEFL.

• Minimum Internet-Based Test (IBT) Overall Score Required: 90
• Reading: 19
• Listening: 14
• Speaking: 18
• Writing: 18

TOEFL: Essentials: Minimum Overall Required Score: 9.5

• Listening: 8
• Speaking: 8

The Graduate School also accepts valid* International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores (Academic Module). 

IELTS (Academic Module): Minimum Overall Required Score: 6.5

• Reading: 6.5
• Listening: 6.0
• Speaking: 6.0
• Writing: 5.5

For more information, visit  www.ielts.org . The official test score report can be uploaded to the online application under Miscellaneous Supporting Documents, sent electronically to the Office of International Students and Scholars , or the hard copy score report can be mailed directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions .

The Graduate School accepts the Duolingo English test. To learn more about this test option visit   https://englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants.  

Minimum Duolingo English Test Score Required by the Graduate School for Admission is a total score of 115 and 115 on each subscore.

*To be valid for admission, English proficiency test scores (TOEFL and IELTS) must be no more than two years old at the time the recommendation for admission is received at the Graduate School. 

See  FAQ  for additional questions.

English proficiency test exemption policy.

The Purdue Graduate School will routinely waive the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE for applicants who have received a Bachelor's degree, a graduate degree, or a professional degree within the last 36 months from a school where English is the primary language of instruction in a country/location where English is the native language. If the test score expires before end of March for fall admission and end of October for spring admission, you are not eligible for test exemption and must retake the test.

Official English-speaking countries/locations, in addition to the U.S., include:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Christmas Island
• Cook Islands
• Isle of Man
• New Zealand
• Norfolk Island
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Pitcairn Islands
• Republic of Ireland
• Sierra Leone
• South Sudan
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Vincent and Grenadines
• South Africa
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• United Kingdom

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Catalog Contents

English proficiency requirement.

All Purdue Global students must demonstrate English proficiency (reading, writing, and speaking) appropriate to our academic environment and the level of study. Meeting the English proficiency requirement does not guarantee admission. 

English proficiency may be demonstrated by any of the following methods. 

Prior Education

• Completion of a high school diploma, GED, or its equivalent from an accredited U.S. high school or a secondary school in a country where English is the language of instruction (see below).
• A transcript showing completion of a post-secondary degree at an accredited college or university in the United States.
• Completion of the equivalent of 12 semester credit hours or 18 quarter credit hours of college-level credit with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0 or higher (or equivalent).
• Completion of a college-level writing/composition course equivalent to CM107 🌐 College Composition I or CM220 🌐 College Composition II with a grade of “C-“ or higher.
• A transcript showing a credit recommendation for a college-level writing/composition course or external exam equivalent to CM107 or CM220 from an approved testing agency (College Board or DSST) or articulation partner.

Examinations

Examinations must have been taken within 2 years of application. Official test scores must be received by Purdue Global directly from the testing organization.  

Qualifying professional licenses must be active at the time of application.

• FAA private pilot’s license (for School of Aviation, Bachelor of Science in Professional Flight applicants only)
• U.S. nursing license (for School of Nursing applicants only)
• U.S. teaching license

Recognized Countries of English Instruction

• Antigua and Barbuda
• British Virgin Islands
• Canada (Except Quebec)
• Cayman Islands
• Christmas Islands
• Great Britain
• Isle of Man
• New Zealand
• Norfolk Island
• Pitcairn Islands
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks and Caicos
• United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales)
• United States

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English proficiency for admission to Purdue University differs from oral (spoken) English proficiency for Teaching Assistantship positions . A graduate teaching assistant (GTA) must be certified in oral English to hold a TA position that has contact with undergraduate students. This certification requires higher oral English scores than required for admission to Purdue.

For information on English proficiency requirements for admission, please see our webpage on graduate admission requirements.

To be certified in oral English for TA positions, a student must have a TOEFL speaking score of 27 or higher OR an IELTS speaking score of at least 8.

The following are NOT accepted for oral English certification for TA positions:

• English proficiency waivers or student has received a degree from an English-speaking institution
• TOEFL computer or paper-based test
• Test of Written English (TWE)
• SPEAK or other screening procedure at another educational institution
• Duolingo test scores

Graduate student with oral English scores below the minimum TA certification standards may request an Oral English Proficiency Test (OEPT) administered by the Oral English Proficiency Program. CS students needing to take the OEPT should contact  Shelley Straley  well in advance to register for the test. Availability of OEPT tests is limited and wait times may be several months. Non-CS students should contact their Graduate Coordinator to arrange a test.

OEPT Scores and Certification

 A score of 50 or 55 on the OEPT means automatic TA English certification.

A score of 45 allows a grad student to hold a GTA position only if they also are able to take English 62000 concurrently. Availability of English 62000 is limited and wait times may be a semester or more. Students receiving a score of 45 should respond immediately if offered to be placed in English 62000.

A score of 40 precludes a student from holding a GTA position that has contact with undergraduate students. Availability of English 62000 is limited and wait times may be a semester or more. Students receiving a score of 40 should respond immediately if offered to be placed in English 62000. Only after passing the course, is a student with an OEPT score of 40 eligible to hold a GTA position with undergraduate student contact.

A score of 35 indicated that additional English practice is needed, and that the OEPT should be retaken in a year. A score of 40 or 45 is the prerequisite for English 62000.

Passing English 62000 will certify a student in oral English. Students can only take English 62000 after taking the OEPT and permission to register must be requested through the Graduate Office.

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What is the Oral English Proficiency Program?

What does the oepp do, how are students certified, do students earn credit by taking engl 620, how many credit hours are international graduate students required to take each semester, if a student was certified by purdue's math or foreign languages department, does this certify them to work in other purdue departments, if a student has received a degree from an american college or university, do they still have to take the oept to be a ta, what about students who are u.s. citizens or resident aliens, but grew up speaking a language other than english are they still required to take the oept in order to be a ta, what is the oral english proficiency test, what do the oept scores mean, when is the oept offered, how do i sign up to take the oept, how can students prepare for the oept, what happens if a student is not certified by the screening, how soon can a student take the oept again if they are not certified, how do students register for engl 620, what other resources exist in the community for english instruction, how are test scores interpreted.

The  Oral English Proficiency Program (OEPP)  is the administrative unit on campus that implements the University's policy  on oral English proficiency for international teaching assistants or instructors.

The OEPP provides oral English proficiency screening services to all departments on campus employing international teaching assistants or instructors whose first language is not English, certifies the oral English proficiency of teaching assistants/instructors whose first language is not English, offers English as a second language instruction to prospective ITAs; and monitors departmental compliance with the University policy  on oral English proficiency.

Students may be certified either on the basis of their score on one of the following:

• the speaking sub-section of the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)
• the speaking band of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic)

Those students who are admitted but have not met the required speaking score minimums for ITA certification are required to take

• the  Oral English Proficiency Test (OEPT) ,

Those who do not pass the OEPT are required to enroll in at least one semester of

• ENGL 620, "Classroom Communication in ESL for International Teaching Assistants,"  an English as a second language course in oral communication exclusively for international TAs in order to become certified

See the chart below for the scores that are accepted for certification.

*Scores shown are for oral English certification only.  Cut-off scores for admission  have been established separately by the Graduate School and individual departments.

ENGL 62000 is a 5 credit hour course. However, because the grade for this course is either S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory), these credits do not count towards a plan of study or factor in to a student's GPA. These credits are counted towards the minimum credit hours required of international graduate students per semester.

Students on an F-1 Visa with teaching assistantships or research assistantships are required by the  Office of International Students & Scholars (ISS)  to take a minimum of 6 credit hours. Students without such funding are required to take 8 hours. Graduate students on a J-1 Visa are required to take a minimum of 6 hours if they have a teaching or research assistantship, and 10 hours if they do not have funding. Individual academic programs may have additional requirements, so students should always check with their graduate advisor or graduate studies office before registering. Links to more detailed information on requirements for international students can be found on the  News for Current Students  page of the ISS website.

No. The math department and the School of Languages and Cultures use approved alternative departmental screening procedures that meet the unique needs of their departments. Therefore, students certified through these departments are certified only to be teaching assistants in the department conducting the screening. Students who wish to be TAs in other University departments must be certified by one of the methods shown on the chart above.

Yes. Students who do not speak English as their first language must be certified in oral English proficiency in order to hold a position as a classroom instructor, lab instructor or recitation leader. Receiving a degree from an educational institution where English is the language of instruction, in the U.S. or any other country, does not exempt students from this requirement. Because of the requirements for admission and certification are different, this policy applies even if the student was exempted from the TOEFL requirement for admission by the Graduate School.

The University's policy is not based on citizenship or resident status, but instead on the student's first language. If the student did not grow up speaking English in the home as their first language, he or she is required to be certified before holding a TA position that involves the direct instruction of undergraduate students.

The OEPT is a computer-based test used by the OEPP to screen prospective ITAs for English language proficiency. While taking the test, candidates respond to a variety of questions, present information and speak extemporaneously on a range of topics. The responses are recorded and evaluated by at least two trained raters. A score of 50 or higher is required for certification.

A score of 50 or 55 means a student is certified for oral English proficiency at Purdue University. A score of 35, 40 or 45 means the student is not certified. Those who score 40 or 45 are recommended to be enrolled in ENGL 62000. Those who score 35 may retest after six months and are encouraged to take advantage the other resources available to them.  To view the OEPT scale, click  here .

The OEPT is offered throughout the year. Notices of testing dates are sent to departments prior to each screening period. The  schedule  is also available on our website.

If your department wishes to hire you as a teaching assistant, the department will contact the OEPP secretary to schedule a time for you to take the test. Contact the graduate studies office of your department for more information. More information on test registration can be found on the OEPT  schedule  page.

It is very important for students to prepare for the OEPT by using the  OEPT on-line tutorial  and practice test. Students who are newly arrived on campus should be given at least 48 hours to rest and recover from jet lag prior to being scheduled for the test. If the student is unable to access the tutorial and practice test on their computer, they may take the practice test in the OEPP lab on the 8th floor of Young Hall.  Click  here  to view or download a copy of the OEPP's brochure on how to prepare for the OEPT.

Students who score 40 or 45 are encouraged to enroll in  ENGL 620 . At the end of the semester of instruction, reconsideration for certification is made on the basis of the student's performance in the course.  Students who score 35 may retake the test after six months.

Students who score 40 may retake the OEPT after one year. Students who score 35 or 45 may retake the test after six months.  Please see the  OEPT Retest Policy  page for more information.

Space in ENGL 62000 is limited, so the OEPP works with department liaisons to identify the students who most need to be enrolled in  ENGL 620 . Click  here  for complete registration instructions.

Visit our  Community Resources  page for more information. Students may also wish to consider  private tutoring . The OEPP maintains a list of private tutors who offer ESL instruction for a fee.

Visit our  test score frequently asked questions page for more information.

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TOEFL score for Purdue University | A comprehensive guide!

Are you thinking about applying to purdue university but not quite sure if you have the necessary toefl requirements for acceptance well, you’ve come to the right place keep reading to know all about the toefl score for purdue university, table of contents, toefl score for purdue university | why choose purdue.

• What is the required TOEFL score for Purdue University?

An overview of the TOEFL exam

Why is toefl important, key takeaways.

Public Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and serves as an academic study and research center. As Purdue is among the best colleges in the world, it is necessary that you must know the minimum TOEFL score for Purdue University in order to enroll in their MBA program. Its engineering school is highly regarded and consistently ranks among the top public universities in the country in key rankings. Moreover, the admittance rate for Purdue University–West Lafayette is significantly not so high.

What is the required TOEFL score for Purdue University ?

Applicants for the graduate program are expected to have a TOEFL score for Purdue University that meet the university’s minimum requirement. Applicants from countries where English is not the first language must demonstrate proficiency to complete the Purdue application process. Undergraduate applicants from outside the United States who are required to present evidence of English proficiency should submit at least one of the following items under “ English Proficiency ” on the application checklist.

International students applying for undergraduate admission are encouraged but are not required to submit a TOEFL score for Purdue University. On top of that, if English is not your first language, you are strongly encouraged (but not necessary) to take the TOEFL. Also, unlike SAT Writing and ACT Plus, the TOEFL score cannot be used in place of these other tests.

Moreover, the TOEFL minimum score ranges from 80 to 88 overall, with a minimum of 20 in each section. The minimal TOEFL score needed for graduate admission at Purdue University is detailed here. Also, even if you meet the TOEFL score for Purdue University , you may still be denied entry into a particular program because of its more stringent standards. The minimal score required to enroll at Purdue University and the TOEFL scores accepted by the school are provided.

85 iBT / 550 PBT

Purdue advises applicants to score higher for a better chance of admission, even though they are not required to receive a higher score than the minimum requirements to be accepted.

95 iBT / 580 PBT

No matter what grades you aim for, all that matters is that you pass the TOEFL exam with a score of 85 or 95, which you can get with various section scores. For instance, if you want a 95, you could aim for 24, 26, 22, 25, and 21 in each of the four areas.

If you want to enroll at Purdue University, you’ll need a TOEFL score of 85 or above. Review the following sections of the TOEFL exam so you can maintain your level of preparedness:

1. Listening

This section evaluates the candidate’s ability to critically analyze the ideas and data offered in a discussion or reading. Taking notes is highly recommended, as you can only listen to the recording once.

The TOEFL reading section is both the longest and the easiest. It is due to the illustrative character of the reading assignments. There are no linguistic hurdles in these passages either.

3. Speaking

The TOEFL speaking section includes six exercises. You may need to act on the spur of the moment to complete certain tasks. It’s more of an exercise in self-expression and idea dissemination.

The writing portion of the TOEFL consists of two independent tasks. While one activity is more or less self-contained, the other requires you to synthesize what you heard into your own words to complete it.

A high TOEFL score is essential for international students because many schools still use it as a criterion for admission. While there is no universally required minimum TOEFL score, applicants to the most competitive institutions in the United States and Canada must achieve a certain score.

It is common practice for universities to consider TOEFL scores when determining which candidates are awarded scholarships. You may qualify for scholarships and other recognition if you do well on the tests. Students from all around the world use the exam to get admission to the world’s top universities. For instance, a high TOEFL score for Purdue University can help you land a coveted internship with a well-known company.

As one student may have a greater degree of English proficiency than the others, the TOEFL score is compared to make the final decision even in research projects when persons of equivalent talent are reviewed.

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is the only English language exam that focuses solely on academic content, meaning the types of questions you’ll see on test day will be identical to those you’ll see in a university setting.
• Official and recent IELTS Academic or TOEFL scores are required for admission to Purdue University.
• Creating and sticking to a comprehensive study plan will greatly increase your odds of achieving the required TOEFL score for Purdue University.
• In both undergraduate and graduate programs, about 50% of applicants are accepted at Purdue.

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog. In case of any queries, reach out to us or drop a comment below!

Liked this blog? Then read: How English quiz can help you with your language skills

Q1. How can I access my TOEFL score?

Answer- Once you have completed the TOEFL exam, your score report will be sent to the email address you provided within six days. The official ETS account also allows you to view your TOEFL scores online and download a copy of your TOEFL score report within eight days of taking the exam.

Q2. Does a good TOEFL score affect admission?

Answer- TOEFL scores are a requirement for entrance to many foreign universities. However, the specific TOEFL score you’ll need for admission will be determined by the school to which you’re applying.

Q3. Which TOEFL exam should I take to be considered for admission to Purdue University?

Answer- The TOEFL iBT test is accepted by over 9,500 universities and institutions worldwide and is the most widely used English proficiency test for work, study, and immigration.

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