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St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

English Proficiency Requirements for Admission

An English proficiency test is required of international applicants whose native language is not English. There are two exceptions:

  1. Students who hold a baccalaureate degree with a 2.75 cumulative GPA or higher, from a university in the United States will be exempt from having to submit an English proficiency test score.
  2. International students who have completed SCSU's Intensive English Center Level 5 program will be exempt.

For all other international applicants, SCSU requires that one of the following language admission requirements be met:

English Placement Examination Requirements upon Arrival for Graduate Students

For details visit www.stcloudstate.edu/esl.

TOEFL

The majority of international students seeking admission to SCSU will take the iBT (internet-based) TOEFL examination.

What is the TOEFL?

The Test of English as a Foreign Language is an English proficiency testing service for international students planning to study in the United States, Canada, or other countries where English is the language of instruction.

Section Scoring
Reading 0-30
Listening 0-30
Speaking 0-30
Writing 0-30

 

What Skills Does the TOEFL Measure?

  • Listening: measures ability to comprehend spoken North American English.
  • Reading: measures ability to read and understand short passages.
  • Speaking: measures the ability to speak English.
  • Writing: measures ability to write in English. You are given 30 minutes to compose one required essay on an assigned topic. Writing focuses on the command of English vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and syntax, all fundamental writing skills.

Most of the questions are multiple-choice. However, there are questions that require selecting a visual (or part of a visual), answering questions with more than one response, ordering items, and matching objects or text to categories.

How Can I Prepare?

Visit: www.scoreitnow.org
ScoreItNow! – Online writing practice.

Visit: www.toefl.org/testprep/cbtutprq.html
Free! View tutorials and questions.

  • Respond to authentic retired essay topics.
  • Get immediate score feedback within seconds from e-rater™, ETS's patented automated scoring technology.
  • Receive general suggestions for improving essay writing skills.

Schedule an Appointment

The TOEFL examination is offered at test centers and institutional testing sites throughout the world. For a site near you, visit www.toefl.org. Appointments are available throughout the year but centers fill quickly, so it is best to schedule your appointment early. You may take the TOEFL test more than once per calendar month.

Cost: $150 U.S. dollars, but can vary by country.

For testing in the United States, Canada, and U.S. territories

  • Call 1.800.468.6335 and use a credit card for payment.
  • SCSU hosts a test center on our campus. Call 320.308.5456, or email cbttesting@stcloudstate.edu.
  • Mail a Voucher Request Form from the TOEFL Bulletin to Educational Testing Service.

For testing elsewhere

  • Call the Regional Registration Center (RRC) for your area or country.
  • Mail or fax a request for an appointment to the RRC for your area by using the International Test Scheduling Form from the TOEFL Bulletin.
  • Mail a Voucher Request Form from the TOEFL Bulletin to Educational Testing Service.

To assure your TOEFL scores are sent to SCSU, list the SCSU code: 6679.

 

IELTS --- an Alternative to the TOEFL

As an alternative to the TOEFL, students have the option of taking the IELTS (International English Testing System) to fulfill the University's language admission requirements.

What is the IELTS?

IELTS (International English Testing System) is internationally available, internationally recognized, internationally focused and internationally owned. It opens doors for you to more than 6000 educational institutions across 120 countries which recognize IELTS scores as a trusted and valid indicator of ability to communicate in English. In every sense, IELTS is a truly global test which can take you where you want to go. Please visit: www.ielts.org

How can I prepare?

Visit : http://www.ielts.org/candidates/find_out_more/free_samples.aspx

Schedule an Appointment

You can take IELTS in over 300 locations throughout the world, up to four times a month, making it one of the most widely available English language tests in the world. You can choose an Academic or General Training module so the test fits your purpose, whether it is for study, migration or employment. You must apply to a test centre to take an IELTS test prior to the test date. The SCSU Testing Center does not offer the IELTS examination. Applications are made on an IELTS Application Form which you can send or take into a test centre, along with the test fee, two passport sized photographs, and a photocopy of your passport/national identity card. You will also need to include your passport number, or in some circumstances a national identity card number, on the application form – check with your test centre. Once you have applied, the test centre will confirm your IELTS test date and time. On the test day, make sure you bring the same evidence of identity as the number entered on the Application Form.

Cost: $170 U.S. dollars, but can vary by country.

Registration Details

Visit: http://www.ielts.org/candidates/how_to_apply/registration_guide.aspx

Test day advice

Visit: http://www.ielts.org/candidates/test_day_advice.aspxhttp://www.ielts.org/candidates/test_day_advice.aspx

After the test (Results)

IELTS results are available 13 days after taking the test. You can have 5 complimentary copies of your Test Report Form sent to the institutions you named on your Application Form*. IELTS uses a unique nine point scoring system to measure and report test scores in a consistent manner – wherever and whenever the test is taken. This scoring system is internationally recognized and understood, giving you a reliable international currency.