The language of instruction at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ is English. If you don't meet one of the exemptions listed below, you will needÌýto complete an English proficiency test as part of your application.
Proof of English proficiency is an important part of the application process for many applicants to McGill. Determine whether or not you need to submit proof of English ahead of time in order to meet our document submission deadlines.
The Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Office reserves the right to request proof ofÌýEnglish proficiency from any applicant (regardless of citizenship, country of origin or first language) at any time during the review process.
Applicants who don't need to provideÌýproof of English proficiency
If you answer 'yes' to any of the following questions, you do notÌýneed to provide proof of English proficiency:
- Have you lived and attended high school and/or university, for at least four consecutive years, in a country where English is the acknowledged primary language?
List of countries where English is the acknowledged primary language
American Samoa
Gibraltar
Singapore
Anguilla
Grenada
Solomon Islands
Antigua & Barbuda
Guam
South Africa
Australia
Guyana
St. Helena
Bahamas
Ireland
St. Kitts & Nevis
Barbados
Jamaica
St. Lucia
Belize
Kenya
St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Bermuda
Lesotho
Tanzania
Botswana
Liberia
Trinidad & Tobago
British Virgin Islands
Malta
Turks & Caicos Islands
Canada (including Quebec)
Marshall Islands
Uganda
Cayman Islands
Montserrat
United Kingdom
Dominica
Namibia
USA
Falkland Islands
New Zealand
US Virgin Islands
Fiji
Nigeria
Zambia
Gambia
Seychelles
Zimbabwe
Ghana
Sierra Leone
Ìý
- Have you completed a DEC at a French CEGEP in Quebec and the Quebec Secondary V diploma?
- Have you completed a DEC at an English CEGEP in Quebec?
- Have you completed or will you complete the International French Baccalaureate - (Baccalauréat Français International – BFI) (American or British section), or the previous ‘Option Internationale (OIB)’?
- Have you completed or will you complete an International Baccalaureate (IB) Group 1 English (Language A: Literature, Language A: Language and Literature, or Literature and Performance) with a ‘5’ or better?
- Have you completed or will you complete English as Language 1 or Language 2 in the European Baccalaureate curriculum (in the Schola Europaea system)?
- Have you completed or will you complete the British Curriculum A-Level English with a final grade of C or better?
- Have you completed the British Curriculum GCSE / IGCSE / GCE O-Level English, English Language, English First Language, or English as a Second Language with a final grade of B (or 5) or better?
If you answered ‘n´Ç’ to all of the above questions, you will needÌýto provide proof of English language proficiency, even if you:
- Consider English to be your first language, or
- Have been attending a school at an accredited institution (in a non-English country) where English is the main language of instruction.
Acceptable means to demonstrate English proficiency
When a test of English proficiency is required, results must come directly from the examining institution to McGill; applicants are not able upload the results. It is your responsibility to ensure official test results are submitted to McGill.
McGill’s strong preference is to receive results electronically, directly from the issuing organization, when possible.
Note that the Institutional versions of the tests below are not accepted.
McGill Certificate of Proficiency in English – Language and CultureÌýorÌýEnglish for Professional Communication or Bilingual Professional Communication
Certificate awarded.
For further information:ÌýSchool of Continuing Studies website
Cambridge C2 Proficiency (formerly Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE))
Please arrange for electronic results to be sent to McGill directly by Cambridge.
CertificateÌýawarded with a Grade C or better.
For further information:Ìý
Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly Certificate in Advanced English (CAE))
Please arrange for electronic results to be sent to McGill directly by Cambridge.
Certificate awarded with a Grade B or better.
For further information:Ìý
Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL)
Overall band score of 70Ìýor better; individual component scores of 60Ìýor better.
The paper (CAEL-Paper edition), the computer (CAEL-CE) and online (CAEL-ONLINE) tests are accepted.
For further information:ÌýÌýwebsite
Duolingo English Test (DET)
Score of 125 or better (130 for B.Ed. (TESL), B.Com.) (updated September 2022).
For further information:
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)Ìý– Academic version
A band score of 6.5 or better; individual component scores of 6.0 or better.
The regular Academic test and the test for UKVI are both accepted.
For further information: .
Note: Note: McGill does not accept the IELTS One Skill Retake
Note: McGill accepts only scores submitted electronically byÌý, and does not accept paper TRFs (Test Report Forms)Ìýfrom test centres or candidates.ÌýPlease contact the test center where you took the IELTS test and request that your test scores be sent electronically to McGill. You can verify receipt of your results directly in your Applicant Portal; please allow an appropriate delay as McGill receives IELTS results on an ongoing basis.
Important note to applicants considering the IELTS test: We have received several reports from applicants of significantly delayed delivery of scores from various IELTs test centres. If you choose to take the IELTS test, please allow extra time for delivery and make sure that the test centre is clear on the mechanism to send results to McGill.
Pearson Test of English – Academic
Please arrange for your electronic results to be sent to McGill directly by Pearson.
Overall score of 65 or better; individual component scores of 60 or better
For further information:Ìý
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
The following table lists the minimum acceptable TOEFL scores.
Note: Due to testing disruptions during the pandemic, McGill will exceptionally accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition. Test score requirements remain the same.
Please note that, at this time, McGill does not use TOEFL’s MyBest™ scores.
Undergraduate Program |
Internet-based composite score (iBT)* |
Education (TESL), Management |
100* |
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (including Dietetics and Human Nutrition), Architecture, Arts, B.A. & Sc., Education, Engineering, Nursing, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Religious Studies, Science, Social Work |
90* *Ìýminimum component score of 21 in each of reading, writing, listening, and speaking |
Music |
79-80 |
The TOEFL institutional code at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ is 0935-00.
For further information:Ìý
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