Program-level English Language Proficiency Requirements Form

In response to feedback received from Graduate Program Chairs and across graduate programs, Graduate Studies invited interested parties to participate in a working group to review English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements. The group included diverse representation from across programs and administrative units at SFU.

Upcoming GGR Changes

As an outcome from the review performed by the ELP working group, revisions to Graduate General Regulation (GGR) 1.3.3 (Note: this link will be updated in Spring 2025 calendar) were put forward to align the ELP test score minima with peer institutions. The proposed changes were approved by Senate at the meeting of July 8^th, 2024 and are effective for international applicants admitted Spring 2025 onwards. An overview and more information can be found in the Senate documentation under .

Please note that the approved changes mean that the university minima scores will be lowered from previous minima score levels OR from previous minimum score levels, however, graduate programs have the option to select higher English language proficiency requirements.

Approved ELP test score levels

	Duolingo	IELTS (Academic only)	TOEFL iBT (including TOEFL iBT Home Edition)	Cambridge English Qualification	PTE	CAEL
minimum	125 (no subscore below 105*) (approved until 2026)	6.5 (min. 6.0 in each section)	4.5 (no subscore below 4.0) For tests taken prior to January 21, 2026: 90 (no subscore below 20)	180 (on C1 or C2 tests)	65 (no subscore below 60)	70 (no subscore below 60)
Level 1	130 (no subscore below 110)	7.0 (min. 6.5 in each section)	5 For tests taken prior to January 21, 2026: 100	185	70	75
Level 2	135 (no subscore below 115)	7.5 (min. 7.0 in each section)	5.5 For tests taken prior to January 21, 2026: 110	190	75	80

What does this mean for Programs?

If your graduate program would like to opt into a higher score level please indicate your preferred program-level minimum scores in the form below.

In the fall term we will be reaching out to programs who have opted into higher minimum scores regarding the process for adding these to your admissions requirements in the academic calendar.

Graduate programs who choose not to respond by August 30, 2024 will automatically default to the university minima starting Spring 2025.

Your website

To update for the 2025/26 application cycle please provide a response no later than August 30, 2024.

Please Note:
If your application cycle is already open or you've previously communicated admission requirements to potential students for an upcoming admission cycle, you can still complete this form.

In completing this form after August 30 2024, these updates will be effective for your next application cycle. (For example, if you are currently open or recruiting for Fall 2025 or Spring 2026, then these changes will be effective for Summer 2026 or later.)

For questions or concerns, please send an email to gradap@sfu.ca as soon as possible.

First and last name

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Your role

Applicable Program(s) Please only list programs where you will require the same ELP test score levels. Use a comma to separate multiple programs.

Which application term does this come into effect

Please select one of the following: University Minima: All students need to be able to read and understand academic English at a level suitable for grad students and produce academic English Level 1: Our expectation is students in this program will be able to read, understand and produce academic English at a higher level than may be required for other programs. Level 2: Our expectation is students in this program will be engaged in a great deal of writing and speaking and need to be able to understand and use highly nuanced academic language.

If you've seleced Level 1 or Level 2, please provide a briefe rationale for this update. If you鈥檝e selected the university minima, you do not need to provide a rationale.

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Faculty of Graduate Studies