Entry-Level English at SLU-Madrid
If you did not attend primary and secondary institutions that follow the U.S. educational system, you must provide SLU-Madrid evidence of your proficiency in academic English. We encourage you to do so through submitting TOEFL IBT exam results to us prior to arrival. SLU-Madrid’s institutional code is 7763. See Placement Scores below for additional ways to demonstrate your proficiency in English.
TOEFL itp at SLU-Madrid
SLU-Madrid offers institutional, paper-based TOEFL exams (TOEFL itp) at the beginning and end of every semester. These official exams are corrected by external examiners; the students who take them receive official score reports from Educational Testing Services (ETS). These reports, however, are valid only for placement at SLU-Madrid. If you would like to take the TOEFL itp with us, please contact hamish.binns@slu.edu.
Upcoming dates for the TOEFL itp and SLU-Madrid's writing placement exams (SLUWE/TWE):
- May 10, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. (TOEFL itp)/ May 12, 2021, at 9:30 a.m. (SLUWE)
- Aug. 30, 2021 at 09:30 a.m. (TWE and TOEFL itp)
Based the evidence you provide, SLU-Madrid will place you in one of three levels of English.
SLU-Madrid's Academic English Program
A pre-university program that prepares you to succeed at any institution where the language of instruction is English. The program consists of 19 hours per week of academic English classes.
- Credits: On successful completion of the course, you will transfer three credits to your SLU degree.
- Tuition: see Tuition and Fees.
- Scholarship Eligibility: If you were awarded a four-year merit scholarship, your scholarship is deferred until your first semester as a degree-seeking student.
For Placement into the Academic English Program
| Test Type | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| TWE/SLUWE | 2.5 |
| Duolingo English Test | 80 |
| TOEFL iBT | 50 |
| IELTS | 5.0 with 5.0 in Reading and Writing |
| IELA | 154 with 147 in Writing and Listening |
SLU-Madrid's One-Semester Bridge Program
Two courses that help you consolidate your academic English skills while taking courses that lead to your SLU degree.
- Scholarships: Your merit scholarship is applied.
- Tuition: SLU-Madrid's full-time undergraduate tuition rate.
- Credits: During your first semester as a SLU-Madrid student, the six credits of English preparation do not count toward your SLU degree. You may take up to twelve credits in other subjects.
For Placement into the One-Semester Bridge Program
| Test Type | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL ITP (SLU Institutional TOEFL) + SLUWE | 520 + 3.5 |
| Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) | 75 with 17 in Reading and Writing |
| IELTS | 6.0 with 6.0 in Reading and Writing |
| PTE | 54 |
| IELA | 176 with 169 in Writing and Listening |
| Duolingo English Test | 100 |
English Writing/Rhetoric Courses at SLU-Madrid
SLU-Madrid's liberal arts core curriculum requires you to take writing courses that award you credit toward your SLU degree: ENGL 1500 The Process of Composition; ENGL 1900 Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research; and ENGL 1920 Advanced Writing for Professionals.
- Credits: 3 credits per course.
- Tuition: SLU-Madrid’s full-time undergraduate tuition rate.
- Scholarships: Your merit scholarship is applied.
Placement Scores
For Placement into ENGL 1500
| Test Type | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL ITP (SLU Institutional TOEFL) + SLUWE | 550 + 4.0 |
| Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) | 80 |
| IELTS | 6.5 with 6.0 in Reading and Writing |
| IELA | 185 with 176 in Writing and Listening |
| Duolingo English Test | 115 |
| PTE | 54 |
| SAT: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score | 520 |
| ACT: Both English and Reading | 19 |
| IB English B: Standard Level | 6 |
| IB English B: Higher Level | 5 |
| IB English A: Language and Literature: Standard Level | 4 |
| IB English A: Language and Literature: Higher Level | 3 |
| IB English A: Literature: Standard and Higher Level | 3 |
| GCSE/ IGCSE: in English (not English as a Second Language) | C |
| GCE A/AS/AICE Level: English or English Language | C |
For Placement into ENGL 1900/1920
| Test Type | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL ITP (SLU Institutional TOEFL) + SLUWE | 630 + 5.0 = ENGL-1900/1920 |
| Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) | 110 |
| IELTS | 8 with 7.5 in Reading and Writing |
| PTE | 80 |
| SAT: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score | 600 |
| ACT: Both English and Reading | 25 |
| IB English B: Higher Level | 7 |
| IB English A: Language and Literature: Standard Level | 7 |
| IB English A: Language and Literature: Higher Level | 4* |
| IB English A: Literature: Standard and Higher Level | 4* |
| AP English | 4 or higher awards advanced placement credit |