International Student English Proficiency Requirements

***"Native or primary speakers of English have been raised in an English speaking environment for no less than the past six years. They may speak a language other than English in the home, but speak English exclusively outside the home in social and educational contexts."

For Non-Native English Speakers

The prescribed method for demonstrating English proficiency is the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL is required for freshman, non-native English speaking applicants who do not meet the above definition, who completed secondary school outside the U.S. Secondary School System, or those who completed high school in the U.S., but fail to make the minimum SAT or ACT scores for regular admission to Augusta State University. The TOEFL is also required of the transfer applicants who have not completed College Composition I (ENGL1101) with a grade of C or better. A minimum total score of 173 on the computer based TOEFL (500 on the paper based or correlating score on the web-based test) is and a 45 on the Listening, Writing, and Listening Comprehension sections of the internet based TOEFL required for admissions consideration.

If your native language is not English you must demonstrate a level of English proficiency appropriate to the level of instruction at ASU. You may do this by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL is required of non-native English speakers for admission to Augusta State University.

If you completed secondary school outside the U.S. secondary school system we will require the TOEFL. Instruct the testing service to send your official scores to the ASU Office of Admissions to complete your admissions requirements.

If you have attended school in the U.S. for less than six years and your first language is not English we will require the TOEFL. Instruct the testing service to send your official scores to the ASU Office of Admissions to complete your admissions requirements. We will also require the Math College Placement Examination (CPE), which we will arrange for you to take on the Augusta State University campus.

If your computer-based TOEFL score is 250 (600 paper based) or correlating web-based score, you will be admitted to Augusta State University and will enroll in ENGL1101Z, a special section of Freshman English for non-native speakers. When you have successfully completed ENGL1101Z, you should proceed to the second required college composition course, ENGL1102 along with native English speaking students.

If your computer based TOEFL score is 173-247 (500 to 599 paper based) or correlating web-based score, you will be admitted to Augusta State University and required to complete four prerequisite courses in ENGL0090 and READ0090 followed by ENGL0091 and READ0091, before enrolling in the required college composition courses, ENGL1101-FL and ENGL1102.

If your computer based TOEFL score is below 173 (below 500 paper based) or correlating web-based score, your English proficiency is below our level of instruction, and you will be denied admission to Augusta State University. You may appeal this decision only if you retest with a score of 500 or higher.

The TOEFL requirements can be waived...

If you have attended school in the U.S. for the last six years and meet all of our specific regular freshman requirements for admission, we will waive the TOEFL requirement. You must instruct the high school or school board in the county where you graduated to send your final and official transcript and SAT or ACT scores to the ASU Office of Admissions to complete your admissions requirements.

If you are a transfer applicant, and you have earned transfer credit for ENGL1101 we will consider your level of English proficiency to be adequate, and the TOEFL will be waived. If you have completed ENGL1102 (College Composition I) with a grade of "C" or higher at a regionally accredited academic institution as defined by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers publication, Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Institutions, we will award transfer credit for ENGL1101. You must instruct each college or university attended to send final and official copies of your transcripts to the ASU Office of Admissions to complete your admissions requirements.

If you are a transient applicant we will waive the TOEFL requirement. You must instruct your home institution to send a transient letter of permission to the ASU Office of Admissions showing that you are a student in good standing and eligible to return, in order to be accepted for transient enrollment. A form for transient permission is available in the Office of Admissions.

If you wish to appeal your TOEFL requirement on some other basis you must submit a written appeal to the Director of Admissions and provide adequate documentation to support your appeal. The Director of Admissions and the Admissions Appeal Committee will review each appeal on an individual basis.