In order to be admissible, applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by meeting one of the criteria listed below. Please be advised, an applicant may still be held to the on campus English Proficiency Evaluation (EPE) depending on which criteria is used to meet the English Proficiency Requirement. More information regarding criteria to waive the EPE is listed in the following section.
Criteria to meet English Proficiency Requirement
| Citizen of a Country in which English is the Official LanguageAntigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St. Christopher & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe | |
| Attend a U.S. high school for a minimum of 3 years and will graduate from a U.S. high school | |
| Transfer students who complete 30 s.h. of transferable credit with a minimum 2.50 GPA from a U.S. institution | |
| American Degree Transfer Program (ADTP) transfer students who complete 30 s.h. of transferable credit with a minimum 2.50 GPA | |
| Transfer students who complete the equivalent of the University of Iowa’s Composition I and Composition II at a U.S. institution | |
| TOEFL iBT | 80 (no part score under 17) |
| TOEFL iBT Home Edition | 80 (no part score under 17) |
| IELTS | 6.5 (no part score under 6.0) |
| Duolingo (DET) | 105 |
| ACT | English section score of 21 |
| SAT | Reading score of 29 or an EBRW score of 540 |
| Advanced Placement Exams: English and Composition (Must receive official AP exam result from College Board to be waived) |
Mark of 4 or higher |
| Advanced Placement Exams: Literature and Composition (Must receive official AP exam result from College Board to be waived) |
Mark of 4 or higher |
| Cambridge International Exams: English Literature A Level | Grade C or higher |
| Cambridge International Exams: English Literature AS Level | Grade C or higher |
| Cambridge GCSE and IGCSE Exams: English or English First Language | Grade C or higher |
| International Baccalaureate: HL English A: Literature | Mark of 5 or higher |
| International Baccalaureate: HL English A: Language and Literature | Mark of 5 or higher |
- The College of Nursing requires at a TOEFL score of 100 or above.
- We will accept an ACT English superscore to waive the English Proficiency Requirement.
- We do not allow a SAT or TOEFL superscore.
- We do not accept TOEFL Institutional Test of Proficiency (ITP) or TOEFL ITP Plus China.
English Proficiency Evaluation (EPE)
The on-campus English Proficiency Evaluation (EPE) will be required unless an applicant meets one of the following criteria:
| Citizenship is a Country in which English is the Official LanguageAntigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St. Christopher & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe and your first language is English | |
| Attend U.S. high school for a minimum of 3 years and will graduate from a U.S. high school | |
| Transfer students who complete 30 s.h. of transferable credit with a minimum 2.50 GPA from a U.S. institution | |
| American Degree Transfer Program (ADTP) transfer students who complete 30 s.h. of transferable credit with a minimum 2.50 GPA | |
| Transfer students who complete the equivalent of the University of Iowa’s Composition I and Composition II at a U.S. institution | |
| TOEFL iBT | 100 |
| TOEFL iBT Home Edition | 100 |
| IELTS | 8.0 |
| ACT | English section score of 24 |
| SAT | EBRW score of 600 |
Conditional Admission
Conditionally admitted students must first successfully pass the Iowa Intensive English Program before registering for regular coursework. Apply for conditional admission using the same application as for regular admission.
Applicants determined to be academically eligible but do not meet our minimum TOEFL or IELTS requirements for admission may be eligible for Conditional Admission.
Scores required for Conditional Admission:
- TOEFL 54 – 79
- TOEFL iBT Home Edition 54 - 79
- IELTS 4.5 with no subscore less than 4