English Language Requirements
Having a strong understanding of English is important for success at SLU-Madrid. That's why we want to ensure you can demonstrate English proficiency before attending our campus.
Do I Need to Submit Proof of English Language Proficiency?
You are required to demonstrate English proficiency for admission to SLU-Madrid unless you have:
- Completed four years of study in a U.S.-accredited, International Baccalaureate, or United Kingdom diploma program where English is the only medium of instruction.
- Completed four years of study in an English-speaking country listed on the UK Ministry of Education (see list below) or in the educational systems of these countries (regardless of
location) where English is the only medium of instruction achieved an officially recognized
language qualification (see accepted exams and scores below).
- U.K. Ministry of Education's list of countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, The British Overseas Territories, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, U.K., USA.
- U.K. Ministry of Education's list of countries:
How Do I Demonstrate English Language Proficiency?
Please refer to the chart below to see what exams or coursework will satisfy the English language proficiency.
Because we are a U.S. institution, we recommend you take the TOEFL to demonstrate English language proficiency. SLU-Madrid's institutional code for the TOEFL is 7763.
Before taking the TOEFL, we recommend you prepare using Test Ready.
If you are a transfer student and have completed a course that is equivalent to our ENGL 1500 or higher, then you are exempt from submitting further proof of English.
| English Language Tests | Minimum Score for SLU Admission (admission to the One-Semester Bridge Program) |
Placement into ENGL 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| SLU-Madrid TOEFL ITP + TWE | 500 + 3.0 | 550 + 4.0 |
| Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) | 63 | 80 |
| TOEFL IBT Home Edition | 63 | 80 |
| IELTS | 6.0 with a minimum 5.0 in Reading and Writing | 6.5 with a minimum 6.0 in Reading and Writing |
| IELA | 176 with a minimum of 169 in Writing and Listening | 185 with a minimum of 176 in Writing and Listening |
| PTE | 50 | 54 |
| Cambridge | Advanced Exam (CAE): Grade C or higher | Proficiency Exam (CPE): Level C1 or higher |
| SAT (Evidence-based reading and writing section) | 500 | 550 |
| ACT (English Language Arts) | 20 | 21 |
| AP exam (English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition) | Not accepted | 3 |
| IB English B: Standard Level (Final score) | 4 | 5 |
| IB English B: Higher Level (Final score) | 4 | 5 |
| IB English A: Language and Literature: Standard Level (Final Score) | 4 | 5 |
| IB English A: Language and Literature: Higher Level (Final Score) | 4 | 5 |
| IB English A: Literature: Standard and Higher Level (Final Score) | 3 | 4 |
What Do These Placements Mean?
If you achieve placement into ENGL 1500, you will take the Process of Composition course, which counts for three elective credits. However, we recommend that you take the SLU English Writing Placement Test to see if you are eligible for placement into ENGL 1900 (Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research) or ENGL 1920 (Advanced Writing for Professionals). Information about the SLU English Writing Placement Test will be provided upon confirmation of your admission to SLU-Madrid.
If you achieve the minimum score for SLU admission, you will take the one-semester Bridge Program, which consists of two ESL courses that help you hone your academic English skills. These six ESL credits do not count toward your major, but you may take up to 12 credits in other subjects at the same time. SLU-Madrid's full-time undergraduate tuition rate and merit scholarships are applied. Do not take the SLU English Writing Placement Test if you place at this level.
Learn More About the One-Semester Bridge Program
Students who are placed into the One-Semester Bridge Program do not take the SLU English Writing Placement Test but should take SLU-Madrid's TOEFL ITP on arrival to check whether they can enter ENGL 1500 or whether they are correctly placed in the One-Semester Bridge Program.
When Does SLU-Madrid Offer the TOEFL ITP Exams?
Institutional paper-based TOEFL ITP exams are offered at the beginning and end of every semester for students who have applied and those previously admitted to SLU-Madrid. To register for one of these exams, contact hamish.binns@slu.edu.
Upcoming Dates for the TOEFL ITP Exams
- 8:15 a.m., Wednesday, May 7, 2025 (TOEFL ITP)
- 11 a.m., Thursday, May 8, 2025 (SLUWE)
- 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025 (TOEFL ITP)
- 8:15 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 (TOEFL ITP)
- 11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025 (SLUWE)