Language Requirements for International Students

Students entering Northwest are required to have a reading, writing, and conversational knowledge of the English language.

If a student is not a citizen of a country where the official language is English, then he or she is required to meet minimum score requirements on one of the following tests:

* If two scores are listed, the first score is for the MS-ACS program and the second is for all other Graduate programs.

Other conditions that fulfill the English proficiency requirement include:

1. If an applicant has taken the ACT and received a composite score of 21.
2. If an applicant has taken the SAT and received a composite score of 1060.
3. If an applicant has graduated and received a high school diploma from an accredited school in the United States. The transcript will be reviewed and if the student has low grades and/or a low ACT/SAT, additional scores may be required.
4. If an applicant has received an undergraduate (bachelor’s or associate) or graduate degree from an accredited institution in the United States or a country where the native language is English.
5. If an applicant is transferring to Northwest from another accredited, United States institution and has completed the equivalent of Eng 10-111 Composition and Eng 10-112 Composition with a grade C or better.
6. If an applicant has completed the English exam (first language) on the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or O Levels with a grade of B or higher.
7. If an applicant has scored a 5 or higher on the International Baccalaureate (IB) English: Language & Literature HL exam.