Some schools and programs may have higher test score requirements than the university minimum requirements based on the level of English proficiency needed for their respective course of study and/or program. Individuals should consult with the school and/or program to which they are applying to confirm the score requirements for their respective program. 

Individuals may be required by their school or academic department to complete English language placement assessments and/or courses or programming for English communication support.  

Exemptions from the English language proficiency test requirement may be granted for individuals who meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Citizenship from one of the following countries: Australia, Bermuda, Cameroon, Canada, Caribbean Commonwealth countries and British Caribbean territories (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands), Ghana, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe.  
• Earned the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree* or master’s degree (before matriculation at WashU) within the past five (5) years from an institution in one of the following countries: Australia, Bermuda, Cameroon, Canada, Caribbean Commonwealth countries and British Caribbean territories (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands), Ghana, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
• Earned the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree* (before matriculation at WashU) within the past five (5) years at an English-medium institution in one of the following countries: Botswana, Burundi, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Curacao, Eritrea, Fiji, The Gambia, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Namibia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Rwanda, Samoa, Seychelles, Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tuvalu, Vanuatu. 
• Possesses two (2) years or more of continuous full-time work experience in the United States within the last five (5) years.  
• For J-1 exchange visitors: 
  • Earned a minimum Cambridge English scale score of 180 on Cambridge C2 Proficiency (formerly CPE), Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly CAE) or Cambridge B2 First (formerly FCE);  
  • Earned a minimum score of 3.0 on the English3 Interview (applies to J-1 scholars only in the following categories: short-term scholar, research scholar, professor, student intern, specialist);   
  • Partner university confirms that the prospective student has passed an English proficiency test in alignment with WashU English language proficiency requirements (applies to J-1 exchange students only in the following categories: non-degree student).  

Appropriate documentation based on the type of exemption requested will be required. Note that any exemption request from this Policy is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and must be approved by the Senior Vice Provost for Graduate Education and International Affairs after review of the entire record. 

*For joint (dual, 2+2, etc.) programs in which the medium of instruction was English at one institution and the medium of instruction was not English at the other institution, exemptions will be made for applicants whose studies were in English for a minimum of two (2) years (within the past five (5) years) regardless of physical location.