If your native language is not English, you must prove English proficiency. The chart below shows the English proficiency test scores required for each type of admission:

• FULL ADMISSION: No additional requirements.
• IFIG ADMISSION: Students are fully admitted to the UO and receive academic English support through the International First-Year Interest Group (IFIG).
• CONDITIONAL ADMISSION: Conditionally admitted students are enrolled in the UO’s full-time Intensive English Program. Students begin regular UO courses after they complete this program.

Minimum English Proficiency Requirement

• Test scores must be dated within two years of enrollment at the University of Oregon.
• Meeting score requirements does not guarantee admission.

The Duolingo English Test (DET) is now accepted by the UO as an approved examination for English proficiency. A practice version of this test is available online.

To strengthen your application for admission, we recommend that international applicants from China and other nearby countries consider participating in an interview/writing sample administered by InitialView as an optional part of their application. InitialView will provide a recording of the interview and a copy of the writing sample to us for our review. InitialView does not rate or grade the interview/writing sample, and evaluation is done by our office. If you intend to submit an InitialView report, please notify the Office of Admissions of the date you will interview. We will also consider interviews provided by Vericant.

Your test scores will help us determine your admission status to the University of Oregon.

Exceptions to English Proficiency Requirements

The University of Oregon does not require examination results demonstrating English proficiency from applicants for undergraduate admission who are citizens of the following countries:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (English-speaking provinces only), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, St. Kits and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, United Kingdom

Additionally, international applicants who demonstrate academic achievement through completion of one of the following may have the English language proficiency requirement waived, subject to review by the Office of Admissions:

• A verifiable result of C or higher on an International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) English examination. Official test results must be directly submitted by the testing agency to the University of Oregon.
• Completion of two non-remedial/sheltered (typically 100 level or above) college-level writing or English composition courses at a regionally accredited post-secondary institution located in the US with a grade of C- or better. 
• Completion of three years of non-remedial/sheltered, college preparatory language arts coursework at a regionally accredited high school located in the US, with a grade of B- or better in each course to be counted towards the waiver. Students who fall just short of this threshold but whose language arts course selection clearly demonstrates an extra degree of rigor, such as those earning a C+ in an AP English course, may be eligible to qualify for a waiver on a case-by-case basis.

Students who meet our English proficiency requirements through IGCSE scores or by having completed three years or more of qualifying coursework at a regionally-accredited US high school must complete the University of Oregon's Accuplacer English placement test prior to enrollment. The University of Oregon reserves the right to require proof of English language proficiency from any applicant regardless of their citizenship, if deemed necessary by a university official.

The Academic English for International Students (AEIS) program helps international students develop advanced expertise in English. During the mandatory International Student Orientation, all new international students take the AEIS placement test. Depending on the results of the AEIS placement test, students are required to take anywhere from 0 to 6 AEIS classes. Students enrolled in AEIS classes are at the same time enrolled in regular UO courses of their choice. AEIS classes are credit-bearing courses and count toward UO graduation requirements. The only way to be exempt from assigned AEIS classes is with a qualifying test score from the full admission category listed on the chart above.

Conditional Admission – American English Institute (AEI)

If you do not have the qualifying scores listed above, you will be considered for conditional admission. If you are offered conditional admission to the UO, you will be enrolled in AEI to improve your English language skills. Upon successful completion of the highest level of AEI, you will be fully admitted to the UO. You may also submit a passing TOEFL or IELTS score for consideration for full admission while enrolled at AEI. A passing TOEFL or IELTS score submitted while enrolled at AEI does not guarantee full admission.