English Language Proficiency Requirements

Accepted scores

WVU accepts the following exams and minimum scores. WVU does not section or sub-score requirements for regular undergraduate admission when the overall or total score is met.

TOEFL iBT (Home Edition is accepted): 79
Academic IELTS: 6.5
TOEFL Essentials: 9.0
Duolingo English Test: 105
PTE Academic: 53

WVU does not accept expired scores, scores we can’t verify, General IELTS or institutional TOEFLs (TOEFL ITP).

Qualifying exempt countries

If you are a citizen of the following countries, you do not need to submit scores to meet the English language proficiency requirement:

Anguilla
Antigua
Australia
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
British Virgin Islands
Canada
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Liberia
Montserrat
Nepal
New Zealand
Nigeria
Pakistan
Republic of Ireland
South Africa
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent
The Bahamas
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos
United Kingdom
United States and its territories

Credential and medium of instruction exemptions

If you have any of the following credentials, you do not have to submit scores for English proficiency.

IB Diploma
GCSE or GCE English exam from an approved UK exam board – Letter grades A, B or C, or numerical grades 4-9.
24+ transferable* undergraduate credit hours at a recognized university in a qualifying country.
24+ transferable* undergraduate credit hours at a recognized university with English as the sole medium of instruction demonstrated by a medium of instruction certificate.
Average grade of B (3.0) or higher in two introductory English composition courses including coursework on research and the writing process approved by WVU.
Meets academic admission requirements while pursuing or having earned a diploma from an accredited U.S. high school.

Bachelor’s degree in a qualifying country.

*Developmental, vocational or intensive English language coursework will not count toward 24 credit hours for English proficiency.

Tips for submitting scores and documents

In the WVU application, you can provide information that will let us know how you plan to meet the English proficiency requirement. In all cases, there is a manual review process to update the English proficiency item on your checklist, which may take 1-2 weeks.

Citizens of qualifying countries – Report your citizenship in the application.
Students educated in qualifying countries – Upload your unofficial transcripts in the application when you report your educational history.
Students providing a medium of instruction certificate – Send your certificate along with your official university transcripts, which are required for review.
GCSE/IGCSE/GCE English or IB Diploma holders – Upload your unofficial transcripts in the application when you report your educational history.
TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Duolingo test takers – WVU will email you a form to submit your score verification information. You should receive the email within 2 weeks of submitting your application. If WVU can verify your scores, then you will not have to send official results. If there are problems verifying your scores, you will need to send scores directly from the testing agency.
SAT or ACT test takers – Send scores directly from the testing agency. WVU’s institution codes are:

SAT: 5904
ACT: 4540

Intensive English Program conditional admission

WVU offers Intensive English Program (IEP) conditional admission consideration for many undergraduate applicants. Not all applicants are eligible.

Applicants to online programs may not apply for IEP conditional admission.
Applicants to the WVU Morgantown campus may apply for IEP conditional admission.

Admission to the WVU IEP does not guarantee admission to an academic program.

IEP courses may not be available during Summer terms.

How to apply for IEP conditional admission

In the WVU application, begin an application for your academic program. When you get to a question that asks if you intend to enroll in WVU’s Intensive English Program, please answer yes.

How to move from IEP conditional admission to regular admission

You must either 1) successfully complete all English language programming or 2) submit one of the approved scores.

If you schedule a test to submit new scores to WVU, please schedule early. WVU cannot guarantee regular admission to the next term if we don’t receive the scores well ahead of the start of classes.

Undergraduate English Language Pathways Program

WVU offers admission to the English Language Pathways Program (ELP Program) for undergraduate students who still need some English language support, but are ready for some academic university coursework. Students will take limited general education courses that will count toward their degree completion and English language courses. The ELP Program is one or two semesters long depending on placement by the coordinator. Admission is based on both academic criteria and meeting one of following score requirements.

TOEFL iBT (Home Edition is accepted): 61-78
Academic IELTS: 5.5-6.0 (no section scores below 5.5)
TOEFL Essentials: 8.0-8.5
Duolingo English Test: 90-104
PTE Academic: 44-52
ACT English: 19-23
SAT EBRW: 490-560

Alternative English proficiency documentation

Occasionally an applicant may demonstrate English proficiency by means not listed on this page. Applicants may submit a request for review of alternative English proficiency documentation.

Examples of who should submit this form:

Applicants with a medical license approved by a U.S. medical board.
Applicants with residency (but not citizenship) in an approved country.
Applicants with expired scores that have continued to live in a qualifying country since the score expiration.