Ball State University requires all applicants with an education history outside of the U.S. to submit a TOEFL, IELTS Academic, SAT, ACT, Duolingo, or PTE score if they do not qualify for one of the waivers listed below.  

  • Official test scores must be sent electronically to Ball State University Admissions by the testing agency. Our school code is 1051 and the email is 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 Academic-6.5
  • SAT Critical Reading Section or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing-500
  • ACT English Section-21
  • Duolingo-110
  • Pearson's PTE-53

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

Academic Bridge Program 

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

  • A Duolingo score of 100 or 105
  • A TOEFL score of 75-78
  • An IELTS Academic score of 6.0
  • A Pearson PTE score of 51-52

English Proficiency Waivers 

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 at an accredited university in the U.S.; OR
  • have a 24 credit hours credit-bearing academic study at an accredited university in the U.S.

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

  • Anguilla 

  • Antigua 

  • Australia 

  • Bahamas 

  • Barbados 

  • Barbuda 

  • Belize 

  • Bermuda 

  • Botswana 

  • British Virgin Islands 

  • Canada (excluding Quebec) 

  • Cayman Islands 

  • Dominica 

  • Fiji 

  • Gambia 

  • Ghana 

  • Grenada 

  • Guyana 

  • Ireland 

  • Jamaica 

  • Kenya 

  • Lesotho 

  • Liberia 

  • Montserrat 

  • New Zealand 

  • Nigeria 

  • Philippines 

  • Sierra Leone 

  • Singapore 

  • St. Kitts and Nevis 

  • St. Lucia 

  • St. Vincent and Grenadines 

  • Swaziland 

  • Tanzania 

  • Trinidad and Tobago 

  • Turks and Caicos Islands 

  • Uganda 

  • United Kingdom 

  • Zambia 

  • Zimbabwe

Students who have completed high school, a university degree, or at least 24 credit hours of post-secondary study at an accredited institution where the medium of instruction is English, and who can provide satisfactory documentation of such, may also qualify for an English proficiency waiver at the discretion of International Admissions.

About Conditional Admission 

Students who are eligible for conditional admission are admitted to the Intensive English Institute at Ball State and must meet English proficiency requirements before beginning study in a degree program. Please note that, beginning Spring 2024, a language test score will be required for conditional admission and/or admission to the Intensive English Institute. The Intensive English Institute offers Academic English courses for students who have the following minimum language test scores:

  • IELTS Academic 4.5
  • TOEFL iBT 42
  • Duolingo 65
  • Pearson PTE 40

Graduate Programs NOT Providing Conditional Admission 

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