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DOCUMENT TYPE:
Policy
PURPOSE:
To define the language proficiency guidelines for incoming international undergraduate student applicants for whom English is not their native language.
APPLIES TO:
International undergraduate applicants who are non-native speakers of English.
CAMPUS:
Lawrence
POLICY STATEMENT:
International undergraduate degree-seeking applicants for whom English is not their native language must demonstrate English proficiency in the skill areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. All students who experience challenges doing coursework in English after arrival are encouraged to seek assistance from the Applied English Center (AEC).
Proficiency Bands for Degree-seeking Applicants
The University Kansas (KU) recognizes two (2) proficiency categories for degree-seeking undergraduate students:
- Full Proficiency
- Admissions Proficiency
Applicants may be admitted for degree-seeking undergraduate study to campus-based programs in either of these two (2) categories. Applicants to online and competency-based programs through Jayhawk Flex must achieve Full Proficiency to be eligible for admission.
Full Proficiency
Students who demonstrate Full Proficiency in English through documentation at the time of application may be admitted without a requirement to complete coursework with the Applied English Center (AEC).
Applicants to fully online degree and certificate programs, including Jayhawk Flex, for whom English is not a native language, must meet Full Proficiency for admission.
Admissions Proficiency
Students in the Admissions Proficiency category have English proficiency in the skill areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking necessary for admission to KU, but they must complete coursework with the AEC. Admissions Proficiency students are placed in appropriate English language coursework by the AEC.
Applicants to online and competency-based programs through Jayhawk Flex are not eligible for admission in the Admissions Proficiency category.
Documentation of Proficiency
KU recognizes several mechanisms by which applicants may demonstrate their English proficiency at application. Applicants who fall under criteria II through V below may be admitted with documented information that they will fully meet the criteria for Full Proficiency by the time of enrollment. Final transcripts must be provided prior to enrollment. The following are acceptable means of demonstrating English proficiency for the purposes of undergraduate degree-seeking admission:
I. Official score from an English proficiency standardized test (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo) sent by the testing agency to the University of Kansas. Official scores must be less than two (2) years old at the time that Admissions processes the application.
Scores demonstrate Admissions Proficiency or Full Proficiency in accordance with the established criteria.
II. Completion of four years of college-preparatory English and high school graduation with a 2.5 GPA in the United States of America, The United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, an English-speaking province of Canada, an English-speaking Caribbean country, an English-speaking African country, or a US-accredited school located abroad.
III. Completion of 24 or more transferable semester hours toward a degree earned in residence from a regionally accredited English-medium U.S. college or university or from a foreign university which conducts all instruction in English and which maintains substantially equivalent associate or bachelor's degree requirements with completion of English Composition 1 and 2 with a grade of B or better.
IV. An earned associate’s degree from a regionally accredited English-medium U.S. college or university or from a foreign university which conducts all instruction in English and which maintains substantially equivalent associate or bachelor's degree requirements with a 2.5 GPA.
V. Satisfactory completion of all AEC coursework and designation as meeting Full Proficiency.
Proficiency Band Criteria
Degree-seeking applicants who complete AEC coursework or provide official scores from a standardized test listed here will be placed into a proficiency band according to this chart. Applicants whose documentation falls below standards will be denied degree-seeking admission.
Applied English Center Placement
The Applied English Center (AEC) maintains a placement process for non-native speakers of English. This process serves to confirm each student’s level of English proficiency and determines whether English courses are included as a requirement of the student’s academic program. In order to graduate, students who are required to complete AEC courses must meet KU’s Full Proficiency standard as demonstrated by their performance in AEC coursework.
Students who are admitted in the Full Proficiency band are not required to complete AEC coursework. Students who are admitted in the Admissions Proficiency band shall be reviewed by the AEC and placed in appropriate coursework. Students whose test scores are no longer valid by the date of first enrollment may be required to submit a new exam score prior to enrollment.
EXCLUSIONS OR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
International undergraduate non-degree applicants for whom English is not a native language must demonstrate English proficiency in the skill areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening in accordance with the program to which they are applying. This may be at Full Proficiency, at Admissions Proficiency, or at a lower level for programs where English study is a focus of the non-degree program.
The following degree-seeking and non-degree applicants who otherwise meet requirements for regular undergraduate admission, may be admitted with an exemption from the requirement to submit an official English test score with their application, but may be required to complete testing prior to enrollment for placement purposes:
- Participants in official KU reciprocal exchange programs, short programs, and study abroad programs of one year or less;
- Applicants who are enrolled in the KU Applied English Center at the time of application; and
- Applicants on KU-based scholarship as described in the Admission of Scholarship-Eligible Prospective Students policy.
In exceptional cases, alternative documentation of English proficiency may also be considered for undergraduate admission. The Office of Admissions may petition the Associate Vice Provost for International Affairs to consider alternative documentation of English proficiency. In consultation with the Director of the Applied English Center, the Associate Vice Provost determines whether the alternative documentation demonstrates English proficiency at the level expected for admission for undergraduate studies at KU.
Requests for exemption from the requirement to submit an official test score may also be granted by the Associate Vice Provost for International Affairs in cases of extreme hardship, including but not limited to natural disaster; pandemic; war; political conflict; or family emergency or illness that prevents testing at the time of application. Admitted students in these circumstances are required to complete testing prior to enrollment.
RESPONSIBLE UNIT:
International Affairs
CONTACT:
International Affairs
785-864-6161
intlaffairs@ku.edu
APPROVED BY:
Associate Vice Provost for International Affairs
APPROVED ON:
2017-06-29
EFFECTIVE ON:
2017-06-29
REVIEW CYCLE:
Biennial (Every Two Years)
BACKGROUND:
This policy allows the University to set minimum proficiency for admission and better inform applicants as to additional English language study that may be required.
RELATED RESOURCES:
International Admissions: English Proficiency
CHANGE HISTORY:
10/19/2026: Substantively reviewed and updated to comply with federal requirements and align with current program capacity.
10/03/2025: Updated formatting.
05/15/2025: Updated links.
03/28/2025: Migration to TeamDynamix from Drupal.
07/07/2022: Added clarifying information for online courses.
05/02/2022: Updated policy to align with current practices.
11/14/2018: Updated policy.
06/29/2017: Updated waiver process language, clarified score requirements, and expanded language on allowable tests of proficiency for admission.
01/27/2015: Policy formatting cleanup (e.g., bolding, spacing).
05/12/2014: Updated Contact, minor technical/formatting edits.
11/12/2009: Approved by Faculty Senate.
TITLE:
English Proficiency for International Undergraduate Admission