English Language Proficiency Admission Policy - For Undergraduate Transfer Admissions - Northern Michigan University

Transfer Admissions

If transferring from a U.S. institution of higher education, there is no need for further proof of English language proficiency if the following conditions have been met:

• Applicant has earned a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in 12 or more college-level semester credit hours from a U.S. institution of higher education. Credits must include college-level English composition and/or speech with grades of C or higher.

However, if transferring from a U.S. institution of higher education and these conditions are not met, applicant must prove sufficient English language in one of the ways listed below in the "For Undergraduate Admissions" section. 

For Undergraduate Admissions

English language proficiency for admission may be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

1. English proficiency tests:

   • TOEFL - minimum score of 61 iBT/173 CBT/500 PBT

   • IELTS – minimum overall band score of 6.0

   • MELAB – minimum score of 69

   • ITEP - minimum score of 3.7 or higher

   • PTE Academic - minimum score of 50

   • Duolingo - minimum score of 95

2. Diploma from a U.S. high school (other proof may be required if courses on transcript are listed as ESL)

3. Diploma from an international school with U.S. regional accreditation (as verified by AdvancED at www.advanc-ed.org)

4. Diploma from IB curriculum school whose medium of instruction is English (as verified by IBO World Schools at www.ibo.org). If an applicant went to an IB school with two or more languages of instruction, the applicant’s transcript must specify that their program was English language.

5. Diploma from high school/secondary education in a country where English is the official language. Transcript must show four years of high school English (composition and literature-based) with C or better grades. List includes:

   • Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada (except Quebec), Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati,Liberia, Micronesia, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, St. Lucia, St. Vincent Grenadines, St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

6. SAT test (prior to 2016) Scores of 500 or higher on both Critical Reading AND Writing sections.

7. SAT test (2016 or later) A score of 28 or higher on the SAT Writing and Language section AND a score of 560 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section.

8. A score of 21 or better on ACT Combined English/Writing

9. Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in 12 or more college-level semester credit hours from a U.S. institution of higher education. Credits must include college-level English composition and/or speech with grades of C or higher.

10. Successful completion of Level 112 in the ELS Language School

*Other proof of English proficiency may be considered on an individual basis.

*If transferring from a non-U.S. institution, applicant must demonstrate proof of English language proficiency in one of the ways listed above in the "For Undergraduate Admissions" section.