English Language Proficiency Requirements

You will be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores if you do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or from one of the English speaking countries (below).  If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with international credentials, you will still be required to submit English test scores if you do not hold a degree from one of the countries on the list at the bottom of this page.

Options for providing evidence of English proficiency include:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) Score

• For the University of Maryland to receive your TOEFL score, please use the reporting code 5814.

Pearson (PTE Academic) Score

• PTE test takers can send their score reports to the University of Maryland through their Pearson Account.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) Score

• The University of Maryland downloads IELTS scores that have been transmitted to our e-download account.  IELTS test takers should contact their IELTS test center directly to request electronic test scores be sent to the following IELTS e-download account:

University of Maryland College Park

The Graduate School

2123 Lee Building

College Park

Maryland, 20742

Please note: The Graduate School will not accept paper IELTS test report forms.

The Graduate School accepts current/valid scores from TOEFL iBT Home Edition, the IELTS Academic Online, the IELTS Indicator (Academic), and the PTE Academic Online. The Graduate School also accepts the IELTS One-Skill Retake.

If your TOEFL/IELTS/PTE score falls within the range for conditional enrollment, the Graduate School may admit you with an English language condition. If so, you will be notified of this requirement in your official admission letter issued by the Graduate School.

New iBT TOEFL requirements will take effect starting with Fall 2020 admissions (see chart below). No change will be made to the IELTS and PTE requirements. Beginning in August 2019, we will accept iBT TOEFL Superscores from ETS for purposes of meeting iBT TOEFL subscore requirements. If more than one valid IELTS or PTE score is submitted we will also consider the highest sectional scores from across all exams when determining whether requirements for full enrollment have been met. Please note that superscoring can only be done with the same types of test. For example, we will not superscore between an IELTS and a TOEFL exam. Please note that superscoring two PTE exams means one PTE with 68+ overall, and one PTE with 68+ writing.

iBT TOEFL Requirements

Please note that if the scores fall in the range of needing one of the English courses, one of the following will apply:

Intensive English:

• Graduate students whose English test scores are in the range of Intensive English must enroll in and successfully complete the Intensive language course at the Maryland English Institute. This is usually a semester-long course.*  
• While enrolled in Intensive English, students are not permitted to undertake academic coursework.  
• *Students whose total TOEFL score is in the low 80s, or who have an IELTS score below 6.0 or a PTE score below 56, run a higher than normal risk of needing to spend more than one semester in Intensive English. There are five semester-long levels of Intensive English and the students with Intensive English placement are given a test at the beginning of the semester to determine their level. Students with these lower scores are at a higher risk of not placing into the highest level of Intensive English and thus needing more than one semester in the program, which would postpone any academic coursework for at least one academic year. 

English Bridge Program:

• Graduate students whose English test scores are in the range of the English Bridge Program must enroll in and successfully complete the Semi-Intensive language course at the Maryland English Institute during their first semester.
• They can take up to two academic courses in addition to this English study. 

Advanced English Writing Class:

• Graduate students whose TOEFL or IELTS meets the sectional score requirements for full admission, with the exception of the writing score, will be admitted with the condition that they successfully complete the Advanced English Writing Class at the Maryland English Institute in their second semester of study.

Exempt from Submitting TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Scores:

• Students who have received a degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or a nationally recognized university in one of the countries on the subsequent list do not need to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores.  This exemption also applies to students who are currently studying for a degree at an institution in the U.S. or one of the countries on the list, but will receive their degree before enrolling at the University of Maryland.
• Note that you must have studied in the country and not in an online program nor at a foreign branch campus to be granted the exemption.  Students who have done a dual degree Bachelor’s program and earned a degree from an institution in a country on the list and a degree from a country not on the list, must have spent at least 2 years studying in the country on the waiver list to be eligible for an exemption from submitting an English score.
   
• Students who have transferred into a Bachelor's program at an institution in a country on the list must have spent at least 2 years studying in the country on the waiver list to be eligible for an exemption from submitting an English score.

Please be advised:

• The School of Music will only allow an applicant to the M.M. or D.M.A. to be exempt from submitting a TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score if they have earned an undergraduate degree from an institution in the United States or another country on the waiver list.  Any applicants required to submit an English score must have a TOEFL score of at least 88 to be scheduled for an audition.  However, an English score sufficient for full admission must be received in order for admission to be processed.  Those applying to the M.M. are only required to score a 20 on the writing section of the TOEFL to qualify for full admission.
• The same TOEFL, IELTS and PTE requirements apply for applicants to online and hybrid programs (programs which are partially online and partially on campus), however, the scores must meet the requirements for full admission.  We can’t admit students to online and hybrid programs whose scores fall in the range of needing English study as they will not be on campus to attend the necessary English course.
• The same TOEFL, IELTS and PTE requirements apply for applicants to programs on the 12-week term calendar, however, the scores must meet the requirements for full admission.  English courses take place on the semester-based calendar, and students cannot be enrolled in courses on the semester-based calendar and the 12-week term calendar simultaneously.
• English language requirements for ITAs (international teaching assistantships) are managed separately from the English language requirements listed on this page for admissions. For more information on ITA English requirements, please see the following:
  • Graduate School policy in the Graduate Catalog
  • More details about the course requirements on MEI's website

NOTE:  These are the general TOEFL, IELTS or PTE requirements that have been established by the Graduate School.  Individual programs reserve the right to hold their applicants to more stringent requirements, including only considering applicants whose TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores meet the requirements for full admission.  We recommend that you check with the program that you are applying to in order to make sure that they do not have additional requirements above and beyond what is listed here.

Exemption from the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (English-Speaking Countries)

Antigua

Australia

Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Bermuda

Botswana

Canada (English-speaking, i.e. not Quebec)

Cayman Islands

Dominica

Gambia

Ghana

Grand Turks and Caicos Islands

Grenada

Guyana

Ireland

Jamaica

Kenya

Lesotho

Liberia

Malawi

Montserrat

Namibia

New Zealand

Nigeria

Sierra Leone

Singapore

South Africa (English-speaking, i.e. not Afrikaans)

St. Lucia

St. Vincent

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)

Tanzania

The British Virgin Islands- St. Kitts-Nevis, Anguilla

Trinidad and Tobago

U.S. Virgin Islands- St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John

Uganda

United Kingdom

Zambia

Zimbabwe