English Language Requirements
Having a strong understanding of English is important for success at Saint Louis University-Madrid. That's why we want to ensure you can demonstrate English proficiency before attending SLU-Madrid.
Do I Need to Submit Proof of English Language Proficiency?
English is spoken by millions of native or near-native speakers around the world and is rich in variants that correspond to the cultural or professional contexts in which it is used. Although we celebrate and fully support the diversity of the language, as a U.S. academic institution we need to ensure that students are proficient in the specific academic language that is used in the classroom here.
To that end, even if English is your first language, you are required to demonstrate English proficiency for admission to SLU-Madrid unless you can demonstrate that you have completed any of the following language placement requirements listed in the table below.
If you have not yet taken an exam, we recommend you take the TOEFL as it most closely resembles the U.S. English language that SLU-Madrid prefers. Please use our institutional code for the TOEFL, 7763, so that we receive your results directly.
Before taking the TOEFL, we recommend you prepare at collegeprep.study.com/toefl/toefl-test-prep.html.
| English Proficiency Tests | Minimum Score for Direct Placement | Minimum Score for the One-semester Bridge Program |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (1-6) | 4.5 (4.0 reading and writing) | 4 (3.5 reading and writing) |
| IELTS | 6.5 (6.0 reading and writing) | 6.0 (5.0 reading and writing) |
| PTE | 54 | 50 |
| Duolingo | 110 | 100 |
| Cambridge Proficiency / Advanced | C / C2 (CPE) | C / C1 (CAE) |
| Trinity ISE | ISE III | ISE II |
| Standardized Tests | ||
| ACT English | 21 | 19 |
| SAT ERW | 550 | 500 |
| Gaokao English | 125/150 and middle of Tier 2; interview required | |
| English Preparation | ||
| AP: English Lang & Comp | 3 | 2 |
| International Baccalaureate: English (HL or SL) | 5 | 4 |
| A-Level: English | C or higher | - |
| U.S. or U.K. secondary curriculum | 4 years | 3 years |
| College-level English course with transfer equivalency to ENGL / EAP 1500 or 1900 | C or higher | - |
What Do These Placements Mean?
If you achieve the minimum score for Direct placement, you should take the SLU English Writing Placement Test to see if you are placed in ENGL 1500: Process of Composition, 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 do not take the test, you will be placed directly into ENGL 1500, which counts for three elective credits.
If you achieve the minimum score for the One-semester Bridge Program, you will take two ESL courses that 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.
One or two days before the beginning of each semester, we offer all new students the chance to take SLU-Madrid's TOEFL ITP 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
- 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026 (TOEFL ITP)
- 8:15 a.m., Monday, Dec. 14, 2026 (TOEFL ITP)
- 11 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2026 (SLUWE)
- 9:30 a.m., Friday, Jan. 8, 2027 (TOEFL ITP)
- 8:15 a.m., Monday, May 3, 2027 (TOEFL ITP)
- 9:15 a.m., Thursday, May 5, 2027 (SLUWE)