English Language Proficiency

Update as of March 16, 2020: 

In response to the closure of IELTS and TOEFL test centres in different parts of the world due to the COVID-19 situation, The Faculty of Engineering is currently accepting the Duolingo English Test as an alternative to IELTS and TOEFL for graduate admissions.

The minimum acceptable score for admission to a graduate degree program in the Faculty of Engineering is an overall score of 115 from the Duolingo English Test.

Western University and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies receives scores from Duolingo directly. When completing the Duolingo English Test, please select “Western University-Graduate Studies” from the Institution list to ensure your results are made available to the Admissions team.

Applicants may only be exempt from the TOEFL, IELTS or test of English proficiency requirement if they have at least two full-time years of post-secondary education in an academic degree program, in an English speaking institution which is located in a country whose primary language is English.

You must provide proof of your proficiency in English by successfully completing one of the following English Language Proficiency examinations:

  • The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum acceptable score is 86, with no individual score below 20 for the internet based version (iBT); 213 for the standard electronic version; or 550 for the paper and pencil version, although some programs require a higher minimum score. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
  • The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS Academic). The minimum acceptable score is 6.5 out of 9, with no section score below 6.0. The IELTS is offered in 6 test centres in the US and 3 in Canada.
  • The Duolingo English Test.  Applicants must attain a minimum overall score of 115.    
  • The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL Assessment). The minimum acceptable score is 60. The CAEL Assessment is offered in several countries throughout the world as well as Canada.
  • Fanshawe College’s EAP Program. The requirement is graduation from Level 10, English for Academic Purposes, with a minimum 80% in all components.
  • Western English Language Centre. Western English Language Centre (WELC) is Western's official language centre. This program allows academically eligible students interested in pursuing a graduate degree at Western the opportunity to receive a conditional offer of admission to graduate studies without successful completion of an English language proficiency test. The condition is that the student must, in lieu of such a test, successfully complete a WELC program (either the Academic English Program: High Advanced level or the English Boost Program) before beginning their graduate degree. For more information, please contact WELC at welc@uwo.ca.

Applicants who are required to present evidence of proficiency in English must make their own arrangements to write the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, or CAEL and to have the official results sent directly to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies by the testing agency. Those graduates from Fanshawe College’s EAP Program must provide official proof of graduation.