International Office

English Language Proficiency Requirements

The language of instruction at The University of Winnipeg is English. That means you must have a level of ability in English that allows you to participate in all aspects of university study, including lectures, reading, writing, and discussion.

If English is not your first language, you must show that you are ready to study here by meeting one of the following requirements. No applicant will be admitted until this requirement has been met.

1) International applicants whose previous schooling has been outside Canada and whose mother tongue (first language) is not English must submit:

• A minimum TOEFL* score of 550 (paper based) or 213 (computer-based) or 80 (internet-based) with a minimum 19 in listening, reading and writing; or
• Graduation from a Canadian high school with a minimum grade of 70% in senior 4 (Grade 12) English; or
• CanTest: Average score of 4.5 in Listening and Reading; a score of 4.0 in Writing. Applicants with a 3.5 in Writing may be admitted, depending on their proposed program of study, and provided they register in Academic Writing Extended (ESL), or
• A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 based on Module A,B or C (the General Training Module is not acceptable); or
• Successful completion of Academic Level 5 of the English Language Program offered through the Division of Continuing Education of The University of Winnipeg; or
• A score of C on the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) exam; or
• A minimum score of 80% on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB); or A minimum score of 60 on the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL).

Note: Tests taken more than two years prior to application will not be considered. A waiver for TOEFL may be granted for students if evidence can be provided of four or more years of education in a recognized secondary and/or post-secondary institution in which the language of instruction is English.

* The University of Winnipeg designated Institution (DI) code is 9379. Information on TOEFL is available at www.ets.org.

2) Transfer students must have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours (5 full courses) in Arts and Science and have achieved at least a C grade average to be considered for admission. A TOEFL score of 550 or a CanTEST score of 4.0 must also be submitted except by students transferring from the University of Manitoba or Brandon University. Students transferring from the University of Manitoba or Brandon University will be considered for admission if they have successfully completed at least 15 credit hours (2.5 full course).

Back to International Home