International Conditional Admission

Submission of a minimum score of 550 paper based (PB), or 79 internet based (iBT) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required by the Graduate College for all applicants whose native language is not English. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also accepted as verification of English proficiency. One must score a minimun of 7 on the IELTS with no score less that 6 in any section of the test.

Graduate departments can recommend a student for Conditional Admission if the prospective student meets all Graduate College requirements except for the minimum English proficiency requirement. Conditional admission is simply a promise of future admission and students admitted in this manner are required to complete an English training course and provide future English proficiency proof before final admission and attendance in graduate courses.

Conditional Admission requires that the student apply to and enroll at the UA Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) at their own cost (or their sponsor's) with the expectation of achieving English proficiency within one year.

The initial I-20 or DS2019 will be generated by CESL. Once CESL certifies that the student has achieved English proficiency at the TOEFL or IELTS minimum, he or she will be admitted as a regular standing graduate student to pursue graduate studies. At the time the student's admission status changes from Conditional to Regular status, a new I-20 or DS2019 will be issued by the University of Arizona. Under current U.S. State Department Homeland Security requirements, international students cannot attend the university in Non-Degree status.

If English proficiency is not achieved within one year of the conditional admission, students can continue at UA by applying to Undergraduate Admissions (where the TOEFL requirement is 500), or reapplying to the Graduate College after an extended stay at CESL (at an additional cost to themselves or their sponsor).