Graduate English Proficiency, Waivers, and Conditional Admission

Ball State University recommends all graduate international applicants to submit a TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT, Duolingo, or PTE score if they do not qualify for one of the waivers listed below. If you do not submit a test score and do not qualify for a waiver, or if your scores are below the required proficiency level, you will automatically be considered for conditional admission if your program offers it (please see list below for programs that do not offer conditional admission).

• SAT or ACT scores must be officially submitted to Ball State University (school code 1051).
• Official English proficiency test scores must be sent electronically to Ball State University Admissions by the testing agency (Duolingo, TOEFL, PTE, IELTS). Please have the testing agency send to admissions@bsu.edu.
• English proficiency test scores are good for 24 months. Test scores older than 24 months will not be accepted.

Please note that English proficiency requirements are based on educational history alone, and not on immigration status or status as an international or domestic applicant. Domestic applicants may also be subject to English proficiency standards and admission practices if they do not meet English proficiency requirements or qualify for a waiver as listed on this page.

Required Scores for English Proficiency

• TOEFL — 79
  • Ball State University accepts MyBest™ scores for the TOEFL iBT® test, in addition to TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date.
• IELTS — 6.5 Band
• SAT Critical Reading Section or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing — 500
• ACT English Section — 21
• Duolingo — 110 or higher
• Pearson's PTE — 53
• Successful Completion of International Baccalaureate (IB)

Please note that your academic program department may have different English proficiency requirements. For more information, contact your program department directly.

About Conditional Admission

Conditional admission is available to students who are academically admissible to Ball State but do not meet our required English proficiency scores. Students who are eligible for conditional admission are admitted to the Intensive English Institute program at Ball State and must meet English proficiency requirements before being offered full admission to the University. Eligible students will receive an I-20 for English Language training and may receive an updated I-20 for academic study after receiving full admission. Visit our Frequently Asked Questions About Conditional Admission for more information.

Programs Not Accepting Conditional Admission

All doctoral programs and online programs at Ball State do not offer conditional admission. In addition, the individual graduate programs below do not offer conditional admission:

• Athletic Training
• Biology
• Biomechanics
• Clinical Exercise Physiology
• Clinical Psychology
• Communication Studies: Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Communication Studies: Organizational and Professional Communication and Development
• Counseling
• Educational Psychology
• Emerging Media Design and Development
• English: Creative Writing
• English: English Studies
• English: Literature
• English: Rhetoric and Composition
• Exercise Physiology
• Executive Development and Public Service
• Mathematics Education
• Media
• Physiology
• Public Administration (MPA)
• Public Relations
• Social Psychology and Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Social Psychology
• Speech Pathology
• Sport Administration
• Sport and Exercise Psychology
• Sport Performance
• Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education
• TESOL and Linguistics
• Urban Design
• Visual Arts

IEI Academic Bridge Program

If you receive conditional admission, you will be offered admission to Ball State's Intensive English Institute (IEI). Any student admitted conditionally will take an English proficiency exam upon arrival at Ball State, unless you qualify for admission into the IEI Academic Bridge Program. The English placement exam will determine how many IEI courses you will need to take before beginning a full academic semester of standard classes.

The IEI Academic Bridge Program allows international students who have English proficiency scores slightly lower than the minimum requirement to begin taking academic classes while studying part-time in the final level of the IEI. To qualify for admission to the IEI Academic Bridge Program, students must meet the following English proficiency requirements:

• A Duolingo score of 100 - 109
• A TOEFL score of 75 - 78
  
  • Ball State University accepts MyBest™ scores for the TOEFL iBT® test, in addition to TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date.
• An IELTS score of 6.0
• A Pearson PTE score of 51-52

Proof of English Proficiency

You can meet the English proficiency requirements of Ball State if you have done any of the following in the U.S.:

• earned a high school diploma; OR
• earned a college degree; OR
• have 24 credit hours of credit-bearing academic study at an accredited university.

Applicants can also meet English proficiency requirements if they have earned a high school diploma or have completed 24 credit hours of credit-bearing academic study at an accredited institution from the following native English-speaking countries: