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Proof of English Proficiency

To study at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), it will be necessary for you to fully understand lectures in English from the first day of classes. 

If your primary language is English, you must take the SAT, ACT or Michigan test in order to fulfill NKU’s English proficiency admission requirement.

If  your primary language is not English, you must do at least one of the following:

1. Submit an official score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) taken within the last two years.  The minimum TOEFL scores to be considered for Admission are:
1. Computer Based: 173 (undergraduate)
2. Paper Based: 500 (undergraduate)       
3. Internet Based: 61 (undergraduate)  
2. NKU's TOEFL code is #1574.
3. Submit an official score from the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) taken within the last 2 years. The minimum IELTS scores to be considered for admission are:
1. Band of 5.0 (undergraduate students)
4. Submit a score of 19 or higher in the English portion of the ACT exam, or 480 or higher in the English portion of the SAT exam.
1. ACT: 19 (undergraduate)        
2. SAT: 480 (undergraduate)    
5. Present documentation of having satisfactorily completed Freshman Composition at an American college in the United States and have an overall acceptable grade point average. You may still be asked to take the TOEFL if it has been several years since you have taken the English courses and/or if you have returned to our home country .
6. Present documentation of having successfully completed Level 109 at an ELS Language Center in the United States (Undergraduate).
1. After acceptance and upon arrival at NKU, all international undergraduate students will be required to take an English placement test on NKU's campus.
7. Successful completion of  the American English Language Program/ English as a Second Language Classes.
1. Undergraduate students who are unable to show proof of English proficiency may be conditionally admitted to a degree seeking program at NKU.
2. In order to be conditionally admitted you must enroll in the AELP Intensive English Program and:
1. Attend a minimum of 16 weeks
2. Receive a certificate of completion and a minimum passing grade.
3. Achieve the minimum passing score of 500 on the NKU English proficiency exam (Institutional TOEFL). 
4. NOTE: Students who achieve a TOEFL score below 550 will also be required to enroll in ENG 111 and ENG 113 before moving into freshmen composition or ENG 101. 

Graduate students must show proof of English proficiency when applying. Conditional admission is not an option for graduate students.