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English Proficiency

If your native language is not English, you will be required to demonstrate your ability to undertake advanced academic work in an English-speaking institution through English language proficiency tests such as the TOEFL, the IELTS, and UNL's English Placement Exam (EPE).

Exemptions for the English proficiency requirement are granted for non-native speakers who have received a bachelor's or more advanced degree either from an accredited U.S. institution or from a university outside the U.S. at which English is the official language of instruction.

TOEFL and IELTS

When applying to graduate programs, English proficiency is demonstrated by providing either TOEFL or IELTS scores. Scores must meet minimum requirements for both Graduate Studies and the student's intended academic department.

Send your official TOEFL scores to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln by going to the TOEFL website and following the instructions for score reporting. The institution code for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is 6877.

TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years. If your scores are more than two years old, you may be required to retake the test.


Test Minimum Scores Required for Admission
1. Graduate Studies 2. Academic Department
Internet TOEFL 79 Minimum score requirements vary by department. Some departments require scores higher than Graduate Studies minimums. Refer to your department's program summary or website.
Paper TOEFL 550
IELTS 6.0


English Placement Exam (EPE)

As a new international student, you may be required to take the English Placement Exam upon your arrival in Lincoln. Please check your Certificate of Admission from the Office of Graduate Studies to confirm whether you are required to sit for this exam.


Exam schedule

Test dates and times are listed in the EPE Registration Form.

You are encouraged to sit for the English Placement Exam at the earliest test date, depending on your arrival schedule and any department commitments. The sooner you complete the exam, the sooner you may finalize your registration for the semester.


Results and course placement

Based on your English Placement Exam score, you may need to register for one of these courses:

  • English 886 — 3 credit hours
    Instruction and practice in listening comprehension and speaking skills and an introduction to paragraph and essay writing.
  • English 887 — 3 credit hours
    Instruction in English communication skills with an emphasis on writing complete essays, including research papers.
  • English 888 — 3 credit hours
    Instruction in speaking and pronunciation skills. Your department may require you to take this course. (Enrollment is contingent upon ESL department permission.)

Exemptions

Exemptions from the EPE requirement are granted for non-native speakers who have received a bachelor's or more advanced degree from a U.S. university or a university outside the U.S. at which English is the official language of instruction. Also, if a student has an IBT score of 100 or higher with a Writing score of 25 or higher, no further English tests are required.

For new students with TOEFL scores of at least 100 on the IBT but with a Writing score less than 25, or with a score of at least 600 on the PBT, only the timed writing section of the EPE is required. The timed writing section can be completed in one hour.

All other newly admitted non-native speakers of English must sit for the full English Placement Exam.


Questions

Intensive English Program

The UNL Intensive English Program (IEP) welcomes students from all over the world who want to devote themselves full time to learning English. Applications are encouraged from those who are seeking regular academic admission to Nebraska and feel that they are not yet ready to enroll in coursework with English as the medium of instruction.

The IEP offers five 8-week sessions per year (25 hours per week) to students and their family members over 18 who hold high school or college diplomas. The program offers instruction at several levels of language proficiency. Students who place below the IEP's Advanced level (below TOEFL 500 or IELTS 6.0) may need more than one 8-week session to be prepared for academic work. In addition, students who need TOEFL scores above 500 may need more than one 8-week session to meet their TOEFL requirements.