Language Proficiency Requirements

Before You Begin

• Be applying to a program offered in a language other than your native language (MUST University offers programs in English, Spanish, and Portuguese).
• Check whether you are already exempt: anyone who has already completed a degree at a properly accredited institution whose language of instruction matches the language of the intended MUST program does not need to prove proficiency through an exam.

How It Works

The proficiency requirement applies to anyone who will study in a language other than their own native language and does not yet hold a degree from a properly accredited institution where the language of instruction matches the language of the intended program. In that case, university-level proficiency must be proven through one of the methods below.

The first group of methods consists of exams with different minimum scores for master's and doctoral programs:

In addition to these exams, proficiency can also be proven through any of these alternative methods, which use the same criteria for master's and doctoral programs:

• College Board Accuplacer ESL Exam Series, meeting all of these minimum scores: ESL Language Use, 85; ESL Listening, 80; ESL Reading, 85; ESL Sentence Meaning, 90; ESL Writeplacer, 4; and a combined score across all exams of 350.
• A minimum grade of Pre-1 on the Eiken English Proficiency Exam.
• A minimum English level of B-2 under the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), assessed through recognized ESOL exams, including those from the University of Cambridge.
• A transcript proving the completion of at least 30 semester credits with a "B" average or higher at an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or an accepted foreign equivalent listed in the International Handbook of Universities, in the language of instruction (English, Spanish, or Portuguese) matching the language of the intended program.

The institutional catalog also includes a notice that completing a course or program in a language other than English may reduce employability in professional settings that require English.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to prove proficiency if the program is already in my native language?

No. This requirement only applies to those who will study in a language other than their own native language.

I already have a degree from an institution that teaches in the same language as my program at MUST. Do I still need to take an exam?

No. In that case you are exempt from proving proficiency through an exam, as long as the originating institution is properly accredited.

Is the minimum score the same for master's and doctoral programs?

Not for all exams. Some exams, such as TOEFL, Pearson, and Duolingo, require a higher minimum score for doctoral applicants than for master's applicants. Others, such as IELTS, the Michigan English Test, and ACTFL, require the same minimum score at both levels.

Do I need to submit more than one exam or method?

No. It is enough to prove proficiency through any one of the accepted methods, whether one of the exams with score levels or one of the alternative methods (Accuplacer ESL Exam Series, Eiken, CEFR, or the transcript with 30 semester credits).

Which exam should I choose?

The institutional catalog does not indicate a preference among the accepted exams; the choice is up to the applicant, taking into account availability, cost, and familiarity with each exam's format.

Didn't Work? Do This