English language proficiency

Minimum English language proficiency required for admission

If you do not satisfy one of the conditions listed below, you must write an English proficiency test regardless of your citizenship.

You may upload electronic copies of your English proficiency test results when you submit your application for admission to Concordia. If you are offered admission, you will need to arrange for the test provider to share official test results directly with our Admissions Application Centre.

Your deadline to submit proof of English proficiency

Please keep in mind that we cannot move forward with your file without your English proficiency test scores. If we are missing your test scores, we will send you a letter requesting the scores.

Normally, you will have three weeks to upload a copy of your results from that point. If you are unable to meet that deadline, but you are scheduled to take an English proficiency test, please upload a copy of your scheduled or planned test date.

Proof of language proficiency

Meeting any of the conditions below satisfies the English language proficiency requirement for admission.

However, you may still be required to write a placement exam and complete English as a second language (ESL) courses. In all cases, we reserve the right to require a proficiency test if we consider it necessary.

If you do not meet one of the conditions below, you will be required to write an accepted English proficiency test and achieve the required score to meet our English requirement.

Studied in Quebec in English or French, either:
- The last four years of high school studies and the DES (Secondary V) or
- Completion of the Diploma of Collegial Studies (DEC)
English-medium school: Completion of a minimum of three full years of study in a secondary or post-secondary institution where the sole language of instruction is English.
French-medium school: The last four full years of study in French at a secondary school in Canada.
International Baccalaureate: The course Group 1 English (Language A: Literature, Language A: Language and literature, or literature and performance) Higher or Standard Level.
European Baccalaureate: English as Language 1 or Language 2
Baccalauréat français: The American, Australian or British Option internationale du baccalauréat (OIB) or the baccalauréat français international (BFI).
British curriculum: GCE/GCSE/IGCSE/O-level English Language or First Language English with a grade of at least “C” or “4”. English as a Second Language with a grade of at least “B” or “6”.

Minimum English proficiency test scores for admission

Results must be less than two years old at the time of your application in order to be accepted as proof of language proficiency.

Direct admission

No ESL courses required
TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Special home edition:
Score 90 or higher, with a minimum combined score of 34 for speaking and writing.
ESL courses required with option for credit
TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Special home edition:
Score between 75 and 89 with a minimum combined score of 34 for speaking and writing.

To ensure your TOEFL results are forwarded directly to Concordia University, you must indicate 0956.00 as the “Institution Code” when you write the test. "MyBest Scores" are accepted.

For more information on the test or to register, visit toefl.org.

Direct admission

No ESL courses required
IELTS score of 7 or higher, no component score under 5.5
ESL courses required with option for credit
IELTS score of 6.5 or 6 and in both cases, no component score under 5.5

Candidates must take the “Academic Module.” The IELTS One Skill Retake and IELTS Online are accepted.

The Concordia University Language Test Centre offers the IELTS test.

For more information on the IELTS test, you may also visit ielts.org.

Direct admission

No ESL courses required
DET score of 120 and above with no subscore under 90
ESL courses required with option for credit
DET score between 105 and 119 with no subscore under 90

For more information on the Duolingo English Test (DET), you may also visit englishtest.duolingo.com.

Direct admission

No ESL courses required
CAEL minimum overall score 70 with no part under 50
ESL courses required with option for credit
CAEL minimum overall score 50 with no part under 50

CAEL and CAEL Online are accepted, with the same rating scale.

For more information on the CAEL test, you may also visit cael.ca.

Direct admission

No ESL courses required
C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: min. score 190 with no part under 165
ESL courses required with option for credit
C1 Advanced: min. score 175 overall with no part under 165

For more information on the test or to register, visit cambridgeenglish.org.

Direct admission

No ESL courses required
Minimum overall PTE academic score of 61 with a minimum of 46 in speaking and writing.
ESL courses required with option for credit
Minimum overall PTE academic score of 50 with a minimum of 46 in speaking and writing.

For more information on the test or to register, visit pearsonpte.com.

English second language (ESL) course requirement: The Department of Education offers ESL courses to non-native speakers of English who are accepted by Concordia University but who must upgrade their reading and writing skills.