English Language Requirements & Information for ESL Students

UBC English Language Admission Standard

ALL prospective students are required to demonstrate a minimum level of English before they are admitted.

There are eight ways to meet UBC’s minimum English Language Admission Standard for an undergraduate program. If you do not meet this requirement, UBC also offers the option of completing one of their academic English development programs (extra fees apply).

1. Complete three or more consecutive years of full-time education in English within Canada immediately prior to attending UBC.
2. Complete four or more consecutive years of full-time education in English in a country other than Canada where English is the principal language. These four years must be immediately prior to attending UBC.
3. Achieve a grade of 70% or better on the provincial examination portion of BC English 12 or English Literature 12 or the equivalent.
4. Achieve a final grade of 4 or better on Advanced Placement (AP) English Language & Composition or AP Literature & Composition; or achieve a final grade of 5 or better on International Baccalaureate English A1 or A2 (higher-level or standard-level).
5. Achieve the competence standard indicated by one of the tests of English language proficiency that evaluates skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing.
6. Successfully complete six credits of post-secondary first-year English studies at a recognized university in an English-speaking country. A transcript showing completion of these courses is due March 15. For students at North American post-secondary institutions registered in English courses in the January to April term, a final transcript showing completion of these courses will be accepted until May 15 if there are spaces left in your program.
7. Graduate from a recognized degree program at an accredited university at which English is the primary language of instruction in a country where English is the principal language.
8. Attend four or more years at an eligible international secondary school that uses English as the language of instruction but operates in a country where the primary language is not English. These four years must be immediately prior to attending UBC. You will need to submit a transcript as soon as possible to the Undergraduate Admissions office.

For students completing the Adult Graduation Diploma, writing the English 12 Provincial Exam is NOW REQUIRED for admission.

SFU English Language Requirement for Admission:

All applicants, regardless of country of origin or citizenship status, must demonstrate competence in the English language in one of the following six ways, depending on where you are completing your education. (Note that enrollment in first-year writing intensive courses requires higher grades than admission grades):

 

1. completion of the last three years of full-time secondary education in English in Canada or another country where the principal language of instruction is English. A minimum blended grade of 60% or C in one of English 12, English Literature 12, or English 12 First Peoples, or their equivalents, is required.
   Note: a final, blended mark of 75% will permit enrollment in a writing-intensive course.
2. completion of the last four years of full-time secondary education in English at a recognized International school where the principal language of instruction in the country is not English. A minimum grade of C or 60% in senior level English is required.
3. completion of IB English A1/A2 or English Literature and Performance (HL or SL) with a minimum grade of 3.
4. completion of a three unit transferable English course or certified W (writing intensive) course with a minimum grade of C-.
5. completion of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum overall band score of 6.5 with no part less than 6.0.)
6. completion of TOEFL IBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test) with an overall score of 88 or better with a minimum score of 20 in each of the four components (listening, speaking, writing, reading).

For more information on SFU literacy requirements, click here.

For Student completing the Adult Graduation Diploma, writing the English 12 Provincial exam is optional.  However, if you apply to SFU for admission and did not write the English Provincial Exam, you will be required to write the LPI and achieve a minimum score of “4” or take the Foundations of Academic Literary (FAL) course and achieve a passing grade.  Please note that this course has tuition fees, but is not university transferable.

Langara College English Language Requirement:

Students must possess a level of English proficiency sufficient to support studies at Langara College.  Typically, International Students applying to Langara are asked to write the IELTS or TOEFL.  Click here for more information about admission requirements and English language proficiency for International Students.

Langara English Test (LET) OR Language Proficiency Index (LPI):

Students planning to enroll in a first-semester English or Communications course or certain Biology courses must meet the English Language Requirement.  Please note that if you are doing a University Transfer program, six credits of English is required for every program.  Please refer to prerequisite information in the course descriptions, which can be found in Programs & Courses.

If you achieve a minimum final, blended grade (course + provincial exam mark) of 80% in BC English 12 (or equivalent), you are NOT required to write the Langara English Test (LET) or the Language Proficiency Index (LPI). 

If you are completing the Adult Graduation Diploma, writing the English 12 provincial exam is optional, however, if you choose not to write the Provincial Exam, then you will need to write the LET or the LPI and obtain an acceptable score.  Please refer to LPI section on this website.

Online application forms:
LET
LPI

Capilano University English Language Requirement for Admission:

If English is not your first language, or you have received your education in another language, you will be required to provide proof of English Language Proficiency in one of the following ways:

English Language Assessment Tests (choose from one of the following):

• TOEFL – 83 (internet-based score)
• ELA – 145 (English Language Assessment Test) Contact: Vancouver Community College, King Edward Campus, 1155 East Broadway
• Academic IELTS – 6.5 overall, and no one score less than 6 (International English Language Testing System)
• CAEL – 70 (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment Test)
• PTE – 56 (Pearson Test of English – Academic)

Other Ways to Meet the English Language Requirement (for a complete list, visit the website):

• English 12 or English 12 First Peoples with a final mark (including provincial exam) of C+ grade or higher AND two years of high school in Canada; or
• Language Proficiency Index Level 4 with an essay score of 26; or
• Capilano University’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) 100 and 101 with a minimum mark of B+ (77%) in each course; or
• Four or more consecutive years of full time education in English in Canada, or in a country other than Canada where English is the principal language; or
• Four or more years at an eligible international high school that uses English as the language of instruction but operates in a country where the primary language is not English
• Graduation from a recognized degree program at an accredited university at which English is the primary language of instruction in a country where English is the principle language.

If you are a Graduated Adult currently upgrading at an Adult Education Centre or if you are completing the Adult Graduation Diploma, writing the English Provincial exam is optional.  CapU will take your final course mark for English 12.    If you choose to write the English Provincial exam, CapU will take the higher of your course mark or blended mark. 

British Columbia Institute of Technology:

English requirements have been established to help students succeed. If you plan to study at BCIT, ensure you meet their English-proficiency standards.

There are two ways to meet the requirements:

1.  Complete both of the following:

• An English 12 course or equivalent at the specified grade for your program
• Two years of full-time education in English in an English-speaking country

If you have English 12 (or equivalent), but NOT two years of English education in an English-speaking country, you can take BCIT’s COMM 0030 course or the COMM 0033 test.

OR

2.  Demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening:

• Complete courses or assessments including ISEP, PELD, PTE Academic, TOEFL, or IELTS

Please note:  For BCIT, the English Provincial exam is not required.  If you choose to write the exam, BCIT will take the higher of the course mark or blended grade.  However, if you are interested in the Civil Engineering program, the program would prefer that you write the provincial exam.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University:

For English 12 and all other provincially examinable courses, KPU will accept the blended grade (classroom grade + provincial examination grade) OR the classroom grade — whichever is higher — for the purposes of university and program admission and for satisfying course prerequisites.  If you are retaking English 12 in adult ed and NOT re-writing the provincial exam, Kwantlen will take your new class mark.

All students must demonstrate their English language proficiency in one of the following ways:

High School Grades:

Effective for September 2015 admission:

• English 12, English Literature 12, English 12 First Peoples (minimum C+)*
• Communications 12 (minimum A)

If you do not meet this minimum, you may still apply to your program and complete any upgrading through your Faculty

*Please note that registration in first year English 1100 requires a min. B.

Testing Options:

• KPU English Placement test with placement into English 1100
• LPI Essay score of 30 Level 5
• Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) score of 88 or higher with no sub-score less than 20 (taken within the last two years)
• IELTS Academic Module overall band score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band (taken within the last two years)

See website for additional options.

Douglas College:

All applicants to the College must demonstrate proficiency in English by providing proof of ONE of the following:

Please note that your program may require a higher grade in English 12 than what is listed below.  If that is the case and you do not meet the minimum English 12 grade required for your program, you can write one of the tests listed below.

High School Grades

• English 12 – minimum final grade “C” *
• English Literature 12 – minimum grade “C”
• Communications 12 – minimum final grade “B” *
• English 12 First Peoples – minimum final grade “C” *
• Technical and Professional Communications 12 – minimum grade “C” *
• AP English Language or Literature – minimum grade 3
• IB English Language A (SL) – minimum grade 3

* based on both the course and provincial exam grades

Testing Options

• Douglas College English Assessment**
• LPI – minimum essay score 4
• TOEFL iBT – minimum score 83
• IELTS – minimum overall band test score 6.5 (academic module only)
• EIKEN Practical English – minimum placement of Grade 1
• CAEL – minimum overall and essay score of 60
• Cambridge English CAE- minimum score 75 or “B”
• Cambridge English CPE – minimum score 60 or “C”
• Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 8 in each of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic – minimum score of 56

**Please note that the Douglas College English Assessment is FREE to write

If you are a student completing the Adult Graduation Diploma and you choose not to write the English Provincial exam, Douglas College will use your final classroom mark.  If you write the provincial exam, they will take the higher of the course mark or the blended mark.  For Graduated Adults who completed the 80-credit Dogwood Diploma and who are re-taking English 12 in Adult Ed to improve their mark, Douglas College requires that the English Provincial exam be rewritten.  If you are a high school graduate from another country and take English 12 in an Adult Education Centre, Douglas College requires that you write the English Provincial Exam.

Vancouver Community College:

Please refer to the website for program-specific requirements for English.

For the University Transfer programs:  

• English 12 with a C+ or greater and English Language Proficiency.

 

All students must meet general college entrance requirements.

1. Grade 12 graduation or equivalent.
2. English 12 with a C+ grade or greater, or VCC 0981 and 0991 with a C+ grade or greater or successful completion of VCC 098 and 099 with a C+ grade or greater in writing 0995. Please check for individual course prerequisites or co-requisites.

For students who do not have English 12 with a C+ grade, the following are recognized equivalencies:

1. VCC English 1101 or 1100 or equivalent.
2. Language Proficiency Exam (LPI) written within last two years, with a 4 score overall, 5 score minimum in English usage and a minimum score of 26 in composition. For admission to most courses, you need a score of at least 26 on the essay section of the test (24 for admission to English 1101).
3. VCC English Language Assessment (ELA) written within the last 12 months, with a score of 145 overall and a minimum score of 16/20 on the essay portion of the composition section.
4. Langara English Test (LET) written within last two years with a 4 score overall.
5. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) written within the last 12 months. Academic version with a minimum 6.5 score overall and no score less than 6.0.
6. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) written within the last 12 months with an 82 score overall on the Internet-based test and minimum scores of 21 in reading and listening and minimum scores of 20 in writing and speaking.

If you are an adult student completing the Adult Graduation Diploma, writing the English 12 Provincial Exam is optional.  If you do NOT write it, VCC will accept your final course mark (without the provincial exam mark).   But if you do write the provincial exam, VCC will take your blended mark.  The same applies to Graduated Adults currently upgrading courses, i.e. VCC will take the final course mark for English 12 if the provincial exam is not written.

 

Emily Carr University English Language Proficiency Requirements:

Applicants whose first language is not English, regardless of immigration or citizenship status, must present one of the following English Language Proficiency tests:

TOEFL iBT Internet-Based Test – minimum of 84 out of 120 total points including a minimum score in each of the four skills; Speaking 20/30, Reading 20/30, Writing 18/30, and Listening 20/30.  The TOEFL institution code for Emily Carr is #0032.

IELTS Academic Module International English Language Testing System – minimum level 6.5 with no band less than 6.0

CAEL Canadian Academic English Language assessment test – minimum level of 70 overall

PEARSON TEST of ENGLISH ACADEMIC (PTE Academic) minimum score of 56

CAE Cambridge English Advanced – minimum scale score of 176 with no individual score less than 169

CPE Cambridge Proficiency Examination – minimum scale score of 176 with no individual score less than 169

MELAB Michigan English Language Assessment Battery – minimum level of 81

CELPIP Academic Test Canadian English Proficiency Index Program – minimum Academic Level 4L

Exemptions:

• Three years of full-time education in Canada, or the equivalent in another country where English is the principle language of instruction, which excludes ESL English studies.
• A final grade of 5 or higher on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level English A1 or A2 course.
• A final grade of 4 or higher on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition or Literature and Composition course.
• Successful completion of six credits of post-secondary first year English studies for which ECU gives transfer credit with minimum grades of C.
• Graduation from a recognized degree program at an accredited university at which English is the primary language of instruction.

For Applicants from BC :

The minimum academic requirement is graduation from Grade 12 secondary school, with five grade 12 subjects, including English 12 with a minimum grade of ‘C’, two other grade 12 academic courses and two grade 12 elective courses.  The minimum overall grade point average required for admission is 2.5 or C+ or 67%.

For students completing the 80-credit Dogwood Diploma, including the English Provincial Exam, Emily Carr will use your final English 12 course mark or blended mark, whichever is higher.   

For students completing the Adult Graduation Diploma where writing the English Provincial exam is optional, if you choose not to write the exam, Emily Carr will take your final course mark.  If you write the exam, Emily Carr will take the higher of your final course mark or blended grade.