English Language Proficiency Requirements
Accepted scores
WVU accepts the following exams and minimum scores. WVU does not section or sub-score requirements for regular admission* when the overall or total score is met.
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TOEFL iBT (Home Edition is accepted): 79
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Academic IELTS: 6.5
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TOEFL Essentials: 9.0
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Duolingo English Test: 105
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PTE Academic: 53
WVU does not accept expired scores, scores we can’t verify, General IELTS or institutional TOEFLs (TOEFL ITP).
Graduate programs may set higher score requirements that can be found by checking with the program contact in the graduate program database.
*Admission is based on overall scores; however, Graduate Teaching Assistants will need to demonstrate English speaking skills.
Qualifying exempt countries
If you have citizenship or a bachelor’s degree from one of the following countries
then you do not need to submit scores to meet the English language proficiency
requirement.
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Anguilla
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Antigua
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Australia
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Barbados
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Belize
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Bermuda
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British Virgin Islands
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Canada
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Cayman Islands
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Dominica
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Ghana
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Grenada
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Guyana
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India
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Jamaica
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Kenya
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Liberia
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Montserrat
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Nepal
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New Zealand
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Nigeria
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Pakistan
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Republic of Ireland
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South Africa
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St Kitts and Nevis
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St Lucia
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St Vincent
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The Bahamas
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Trinidad and Tobago
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Turks and Caicos
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United Kingdom
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United States and its territories
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.
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Students educated in qualifying countries – Upload your unofficial transcripts in the application when you report your educational history.
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Citizens of qualifying countries – Report your citizenship in the application.
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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.
Intensive English Program conditional admission
WVU offers Intensive English Program (IEP) conditional admission consideration for many applicants. Not all applicants are eligible.
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Not all graduate programs review IEP conditional applicants. Please use the graduate program database to find your program’s program contact and ask them if the program allows IEP conditional admission.
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Applicants to online programs may not 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 all 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 enroll in the WVU IEP until you submit one of the approved scores. After submitting an approved score, you may join classes the next available term. Some graduate programs don’t start during all terms, so you may need to return to your home country for some time.
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.
English proficiency for Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) eligibility
English proficiency for admission is based on overall ability. International students who seek a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) may need to meet additional requirements regarding their spoken English skills.
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Applicants who were exempt from the requirement to submit English proficiency test score for admission are considered eligible for GTA positions.
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Applicants who submitted TOEFL or IELTS scores may meet requirements based on their speaking section scores (22 TOEFL speaking, 7.5 IELTS speaking).
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Applicants who submitted PTE or Duolingo scores and applicants who have TOEFL or IELTS speaking section scores that don’t meet the GTA requirements must pass an interview conducted by a WVU administrator.
For details, please review English proficiency for GTAs provided by WVU’s Office of Global Affairs.
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:
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Applicants with a medical license approved by a U.S. medical board.
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Applicants with residency (but not a bachelor’s degree or citizenship) in an approved country.
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Applicants with expired scores who have continued to live in a qualifying country since the score expiration.
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Applicants who have at least one year of full-time study in an English medium institution.