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English Proficiency

York University's Faculty of Education reserves the right to request a language proficiency test result. Details of this requirement:

  • An English language proficiency test score is required for applicants who do not have English as their first language.
  • The language proficiency test requirement will be waived only for applicants whose mother tongue or first language is English or who have studied full-time for at least two years (or equivalent in part-time studies) at an accredited university where the language of instruction and examination is English and which is located in a country where the first language is officially English.
    • In countries such as India or Pakistan, where students may study in English at university, English is considered their working language, but not their official language; these applicants are still required to submit English language proficiency test results.

If you are not from one of the countries listed below, you are required to write an English language proficiency test:

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Botswana
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Jamaica
  • Montserrat
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Republic of Ireland
  • Saint Kitts-Nevis
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Africa
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uganda
  • US Virgin Islands
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

When registering for an approved language test, be sure to register for all required components. Partial results from an approved language test cannot be combined with partial results from another approved language test. The results of an English language proficiency test must be no more than two years old as of December 1 (the year of application).

The Faculty of Education accepts the following tests as proof of English language proficiency:

  • TOEFL, iBT – A minimum overall score of 103, with scores of at least 23 in Listening, 24 in Reading, 28 in Writing and 28 in Speaking. Email: toefl@ets.org; Telephone: 1-800-468-6335.
  • IELTS – An overall score of at least 7 on the IELTS (academic test only), with scores of at least 6.5 in reading and listening and scores of at least 7 in writing and speaking.
  • YUELI – A level 9 completion is required. Telephone 416-736-5353
  • DUOLINGO – A score of 130