Proficiency in English Requirement

Exchange Students whose native language is not English are required to submit official results of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo. 
 
NOTE: We do not accept institutional testing scores and official testing scores should be recent and cannot be more than two years old.

Exchange Students who do not meet the following minimum proficiency requirements will be required to enroll in Academic English courses in addition to two regular USF courses:

  • TOEFL: 80 iBT (Internet-Based Test) with no sub-score below 18
  • IELTS: 6.5 Overall Band Score with no individual band score below 6.0
  • Duolingo: 125

Most exchange students enroll in four USF courses worth 4 credits each or register a total 16 credits during the semester.  It is strongly recommended that exchange students achieve high scores or at least the minimum requirement in order to avoid from having to enroll in the Academic English courses.   Academic English courses can be worth up to 8 credits which means an exchange student will only be able to enroll in at least two regular USF courses worth 4 credits each, therefore earning a total of 16 credits during the semester.   

USF professors can demand heavy amounts of reading and writing, and class participation (listening and speaking), including required presentations, can be factored into a student's final grade. 

 

Center for Global Education

Lone Mountain Main
Room 340 (LMM 340)
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Telephone: (415) 422-6848
Email:studyabroad@usfca.edu

Map & Location