English Language Proficiency Requirements
Sidebar
TOEFL Score Scale Change: Effective January 21, 2026, TOEFL will implement a new 1.0–6.0 score scale. In response, the University of Louisville will require a minimum overall score of 4.0, with minimum sub-scores of 4.0 in each skill area.
In addition to other admissions materials, international students whose native language is not English must submit proof of language proficiency. The University of Louisville currently accepts TOEFL, IELTS, DET and PTE Academic.
Score reports are valid for two years and scores will be considered expired if the test was taken more than two years prior to the application deadline.
| Test | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL | 79 iBT (before January 2026), 4.0 (with 4.0 minimum sub-scores) (after January 2026), 213 cBT, 9.0 (Essentials) |
| IELTS | 6.5 (no sub-score lower than 5) |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | 105 |
| PTE Academic | 55 (no sub-score lower than 53) |
English proficiency requirements are not waived based upon the medium of instruction at a previously attended institution.
Proof of language proficiency is waived for International Students with citizenship from one of the following English-speaking countries:
Countries and Territories | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Samoa | Christmas Island | Grenada | Liberia | Norway | St. Lucia | Virgin Islands |
| Anguilla | Cook Islands | Guam | Malawi | Palau | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | Wales |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Denmark | Guyana | Malta | Papua New Guinea | Sweden | Zambia |
| Australia | Dominica | Ireland (Northern & Republic of Ireland)) | Marshall Islands | Pitcairn Islands | Tanzania | Zimbabwe |
| Bahamas | England | Isle of Man | Micronesia | Scotland | The Gambia | |
| Barbados | Eswatini (Swaziland) | Jamaica | Montserrat | Seychelles | Tonga | |
| Belize | Falkland Islands | Kenya | Namibia | Sierra Leone | Trinidad and Tobago | |
| Bermuda | Fiji | Kiribati | Netherlands | Singapore | Turks and Caicos Islands | |
| Botswana | Finland | Lesotho | New Zealand | South Africa | Tuvalu | |
| Cameroon | Ghana | Marshall Islands | Nigeria | South Sudan | Uganda | |
| Canada (except Quebec) | Gibraltar | Micronesia | Niue | St. Helen | United Kingdom | |
| Cayman Islands | Grand Cayman Islands | Montserrat | Norfolk Islands | St. Kitts and Nevis | Vanuatu | |
Students holding a bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the United States, Canada (except Quebec), the UK and Australia may also be exempt from this requirement.
