English Language Proficiency Requirements
Applicants must meet one of the English language proficiency requirements below to be eligible for direct admission into an undergraduate program at Algoma University.
Meet the English Language Requirement through Proficiency Tests
Programs with Higher English Requirements
(BSc Biology, BA Psychology, BSc Psychology)
| Approved Test | Minimum Requirement |
| CAEL (paper-based, computer, or online) | 60 |
| Cambridge English Qualifications | Overall 176, no band below 169 |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | Overall 110, no band below 95 |
| IELTS Academic (incl. IELTS Online) | Overall 6.5, no band below 6.0 |
| TOEFL (Computer or Home Edition) | 4.5 (ETS Institution Code: 0820) |
| Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic & Online) | 60 |
All Other Undergraduate Programs
| Approved Test | Minimum Requirement |
| CAEL (paper-based, computer, or online) | 60 |
| Cambridge English Qualifications | Overall 176, no band below 169 |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | Overall 110, no band below 90 |
| IELTS Academic (incl. IELTS Online) | Overall 6.0, no band below 6.0 |
| TOEFL | 4 (ETS Code: 0820) |
| Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic & Online) | 60 |
Meet the English Language Requirement Through Academic Study
Accepted Senior-Level High School Curriculum
| Qualification Type | Minimum Requirement |
| Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) | ENG4U (OSSD) or equivalent Canadian/US curricula requirement:
|
| Other Canadian Provinces | Grade 12 academic-level English equivalent to ENG4U with a minimum 70% |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | English A: Literature or Language & Literature (HL or SL) with a minimum Grade 3 |
| British-Patterned Curriculum | O-Level English Language — Grade C |
| AS-Level Literature in English, English Language, Language & Literature, or English as a Second Language — Grade C | |
| A-Level Literature in English, English Language, or English as a Second Language — Grade C | |
| College Transfer (Canada or United States) |
|
Meet the English Language Requirement Based on Country of Study
Applicants may be exempt from submitting an English language proficiency test if all of the following criteria are met:
- Completed their education in English
- Studied in an English-speaking country
- Meet the minimum academic English grade requirements
| Andorra | Guyana | Saint Lucia |
| Anguilla | Ireland (Republic of) | Saint Pierre & Miquelon |
| Antigua & Barbuda | Isle of Man | Saint Vincent & the Grenadines |
| Australia | Jamaica | Samoa |
| Bahamas | Kenya | Sierra Leone* |
| Barbados | Lesotho | Scotland |
| Belize | Liberia | Singapore |
| Bermuda | Malawi | Solomon Islands |
| Botswana | Malta | South Africa |
| British Virgin Islands | Mauritius | Swaziland |
| Cameroon* | Montserrat | Switzerland |
| Canada | Nauru | Tanzania* |
| Cayman Islands | New Caledonia | Tokelau |
| Central African Republic | New Zealand | Tonga |
| Channel Islands | Nigeria | Trinidad & Tobago |
| Christmas Island | Niue | Turks & Caicos |
| Dominica | Norfolk Island | Uganda |
| England | Oceania | United Kingdom |
| Ethiopia* | Pacific Islands Trust Territories | United States |
| Falkland Islands | Papua New Guinea | Vanuatu |
| Fiji | Philippines* | Wales |
| Gambia* | Rwanda* | Wallis & Futuna |
| Ghana | Saint Helena | Windward Islands |
| Grenada | Saint Kitts & Nevis | Zambia |
| Guam | Zimbabwe |
Note: Exemption is not automatic. All applications are reviewed individually to confirm eligibility.
*Countries require an MOI to be eligible
Meet the English Language Requirement through one of our Pathway Programs
Applicants who do not meet the above criteria may satisfy the English language requirement by completing an approved English Language Pathway program with one of Algoma University’s pathway partners.
You can find a list of our Pathway programs here.
English Language Requirements for Graduate Programs
Graduate programs have separate English language proficiency requirements.
Please visit our Graduate programs webpage for program-specific details.