Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must present evidence of competency to pursue studies in the English language prior to being extended an unconditional offer of admission. English language proficiency tests taken more than two years prior to application will not be considered. Unless otherwise stated, the score is the minimum on each part of the examination. Minimum scores must be achieved in a single sitting of the test (i.e., scores across multiple instances of a test may not be used to satisfy minimum component requirements).
Minimum acceptable English language proficiency scores for applicants to programs in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies are:
- CAE (Certificate in Advanced English): B
- CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment): overall 70, with 60 on the speaking sub-test
- CEL (UBC Certificate in English Language): 600
- CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program)
CELPIT-A (Academic Reading and Writing): 4L
CELL (Listening): 4L CELTOP (Speaking): 4L - CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English): C
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System - Academic): 6.5 with no part less than 6.0
- MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery): 85 final score, with 3 in the speaking test
- PTE (Pearson Test of English - Academic): 65 overall score, with 60 reading, 60 writing, 60 listening, and 60 speaking
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
either the paper based test: 55 each for reading, listening, and writing, with 4.0 on the
Test of Written English (TWE);
or the internet-based test: 90 overall score, with 22 reading, 21 writing, 22 listening, and
21 speaking
Individual graduate programs may require higher English language proficiency scores, and may require minimum scores on individual components of the test. Translations between the TOEFL scores shown below and results from other tests will be made by the graduate programs concerned, taking guidance from the tables provided by the respective testing agencies: CAEL, CELPIP, IELTS, MELAB and PTE.
Note: The table below receives regular updates throughout the year and outlines the minimum component score.
TOEFL and GRE Requirements
| Program | Reading/Writing/Listening/Speaking - Component Scores for Internet-based TOEFL | Internet-based TOEFL Overall | GRE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Learning and Education (M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Adult Learning and Global Change (M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Ancient Culture, Religion, and Ethnicity (M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Anthropology (Ph.D., M.A.) | 25/25/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Architecture (M.A.S.A., M.Arch.) | 100 | |||
| Archival Studies (M.A.S.) | 100 | |||
| Archival Studies and Library and Information Studies (M.A.S./M.L.I.S.) | 100 | |||
| Art Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Art History (Ph.D., M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Art History (Critical and Curatorial Studies) (M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Atmospheric Science (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/23 | 100 | Yes1,3 | |
| Audiology and Speech Sciences (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 27/29/27/24 | 106 | Yes5 | |
| Bioinformatics (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Biomedical Engineering (Ph.D., M.A.Sc.) | 93 | |||
| Botany (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Business Administration, Accounting (Ph.D.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Business Administration, Finance (Ph.D., M.Sc.B.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Business Administration, Management Information Systems (Ph.D., M.Sc.B.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Business Administration, Management Science (Ph.D.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Business Administration, Marketing (Ph.D.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Business Administration, Organizational Behaviour (Ph.D.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Business Administration, Strategy and Business Economics (Ph.D.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Business Administration, Transportation and Logistics (Ph.D., M.Sc.B.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Business Administration, Urban Land Economics (Ph.D.) | 100 | Yes2 | ||
| Cell and Developmental Biology (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Chemistry (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 23/22/23/22 | 92 | Yes | |
| Children's Literature (M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Cinema and Media Studies (Ph.D., M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Civil Engineering (Ph.D., M.A.Sc.) | 22/25/22/21 | 100 | Yes1,3 | |
| Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology (M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Classics (Ph.D., M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Community and Regional Planning (M.C.R.P.) | 100 | |||
| Computer Science (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Counselling Psychology (Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | Yes7 | ||
| Craniofacial Science (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 93 | |||
| Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Endodontics (Ph.D./Dip., M.Sc./Dip.) | 93 | |||
| Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Orthodontics (Ph.D./Dip., M.Sc./Dip.) | 93 | |||
| Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Pediatric Dentistry (Ph.D./Dip., M.Sc./Dip.) | 93 | |||
| Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Periodontics (Ph.D./Dip., M.Sc./Dip.) | 93 | |||
| Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Prosthodontics (Ph.D./Dip., M.Sc./Dip.) | 93 | |||
| Curriculum and Leadership (M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Curriculum Studies (Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Economics (Ph.D., M.A.) | 22/22/22/22 | 93 | Yes6 | |
| Educational Administration and Leadership (M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Educational Leadership and Policy (Ed.D.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Educational Studies (Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Electrical and Computer Engineering (Ph.D., M.A.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| English (Ph.D., M.A.) | 104 | |||
| Experimental Medicine (Ph.D., M.A.) | 22/22/22/22 | 96 | ||
| Film Production (M.F.A.) | 100 | |||
| Film Production and Creative Writing (M.F.A.) | 100 | |||
| Forestry (Ph.D., M.Sc., M.A.Sc., M.F., M.I.F., M.S.F.M., M.U.F.L.) | 23/24/23/22 | 100 | ||
| Genetic Counselling (M.Sc.) | 26/28/26/23 | 103 | ||
| Genome Science and Technology (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Geography (Ph.D., M.A., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Geological Engineering (Ph.D., M.A.Sc.) | 22/22/22/23 | 100 | ||
| Geological Sciences (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/23 | 100 | ||
| Geophysics (Ph.D., M.Sc., M.A.Sc.) | 22/22/22/23 | 100 | ||
| Health, Outdoor, and Physical Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Health Science (M.H.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Higher Education (M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Home Economics Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Interdisciplinary Oncology (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/24/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Journalism (M.J.) | 104 | |||
| Kinesiology (Ph.D., M.A., M.Sc., M.Kin., M.H.P.C.T.L.) | 23/24/23/26 | 96 | ||
| Landscape Architecture (M.L.A., M.A.S.L.A.) | 100 | |||
| Language and Literacy Education (Ph.D.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Law (Ph.D) | 25/25/25/25 | 100 | ||
| Laws (Common Law) (LL.M.(CL)) | 25/25/25/21 | 100 | ||
| Laws (LL.M) | 25/25/25/25 | 100 | ||
| Laws in Taxation (LL.M. in Taxation) | 25/25/25/21 | 100 | ||
| Library and Information Studies (M.L.I.S.) | 100 | |||
| Library, Archival and Information Studies (Ph.D.) | 100 | |||
| Literacy Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Mathematics (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Mathematics Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Measurement, Evaluation, and Research Methodology (Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | Yes7 | |
| Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D., M.A.Sc.) | 93 | Yes1 | ||
| Media and Technology Studies Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Medical Genetics (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 24/26/24/24 | 100 | ||
| Microbiology and Immunology (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 25/25/25/25 | 100 | ||
| Modern Languages Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Museum Education (M.M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Music Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Neuroscience (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Nurse Practitioner (M.N.) | 100 | |||
| Nursing (Ph.D., M.S.N.) | 100 | Yes7 | ||
| Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.) | 100 | |||
| Oceanography (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/23 | 100 | ||
| Oceans and Fisheries (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | Yes4 | ||
| Pharmaceutical Sciences (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Pharmacology (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Philosophy (Ph.D., M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Physical Therapy (M.P.T.) | 100 | |||
| Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences (M.P.T./Ph.D.) | 23/23/23/23 | 100 | ||
| Planning (Ph.D., M.A.P., M.Sc.P.) | 100 | Yes1 | ||
| Political Science (Ph.D., M.A.) | 22/25/22/23 | 92 | Yes3,6 | |
| Population and Public Health (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Psychology (Ph.D., M.A.) | Yes7 | |||
| Public Health (M.P.H.) | 100 | |||
| Public Health and Nursing (M.P.H./M.S.N.) | 100 | |||
| Public Health and Diploma in Dental Public Health (M.P.H./Dip.) | 100 | Yes4 | ||
| Public Policy and Global Affairs (M.P.P.G.A.) | 22/22/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Rehabilitation Sciences (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 23/23/23/23 | 100 | Yes7 | |
| Rehabilitation Sciences (M.R.Sc.) | 26/28/26/23 | 108 | ||
| Religious Studies (Ph.D., M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Resources, Environment and Sustainability (Ph.D., M.A., M.Sc.) | 24/24/24/24 | 100 | ||
| School and Applied Child Psychology (Ph.D., M.A, M.Ed.) | 22/22/25/25 | 100 | ||
| Science Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Social Studies Education (M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Social Work (Ph.D., M.S.W.) | 93 | |||
| Society, Culture, and Politics in Education (M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Sociology (Ph.D., M.A.) | 25/25/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Special Education (Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed.) | Yes3 | |||
| Statistics (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 100 | |||
| Teaching English as a Second Language (Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed.) | 22/22/22/22 | 92 | ||
| Theatre (Ph.D., M.A.) | 100 | |||
| Visual Art (M.F.A.) | 100 | |||
| Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/22 | 100 | ||
| Zoology (Ph.D., M.Sc.) | 22/22/22/22 | 97 | ||
| 1 Not mandatory, but strongly recommended. | ||||
| 2 Or GMAT. | ||||
| 3 Ph.D. program only. | ||||
| 4 Applicants from outside North America only. | ||||
| 5 Applicants with a degree from a university outside of Canada and the USA only. | ||||
| 6 Applicants with a degree from a university outside of Canada only. | ||||
| 7 Required for some applicants. See the degree program entry for detailed information. | ||||