English Proficiency for Vancouver Admissions

Exemptions at Time of Application for Admission

Non-U.S. Institutions

Students who have completed at least two years of study in any of the following countries are exempt from providing an English proficiency test score at the time of admission.

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Botswana
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Canada (except Quebec)
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Fiji
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Malawi
  • Mauritius
  • Montserrat
  • Namibia
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Papua New Guinea
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Uganda
  • United Kingdom
  • Vanuatu
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

FDU English Placement testing (EPT) at the time of enrollment may be required, even for those exempt at the time of application for admission.

Applicants who have previously attended a high school, college or university in the United States, Canada, or other English speaking countries for more than two years and have earned passing grades in English courses may be exempt from an English proficiency exam.

COVID-19 Update

English Proficiency Requirements For Students Affected by Testing Unavailability

Dear students:

If you cannot take an admissions test because test centers have been closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, FDU Vancouver will temporarily approve the use of the Duolingo English Test in place of the in-person TOEFL, IELTS or other standard English proficiency tests listed below.  Duolingo English Tests will be accepted until further notice.

The Duolingo English Test costs $49 (USD) payable at the time you take the test. You can pay using any major credit card (and by Alipay if in China). To take the test, you must have a computer equipped with a camera, speakers and a reliable internet connection.

Fairleigh Dickinson University, Vancouver Campus accepts a Duolingo English Test minimum test score of 100.

The Duolingo English Test contains a series of speaking, reading, writing, and listening tasks.  The exam will take about one hour to complete.  You will need to verify your identity with a passport or other official photograph identity issued by your national or local government.

If you would like to take the Duolingo English Test, please refer to the following links:

Preparing for the test

Sample Questions

Take the Duolingo test

All students, regardless of their Admissions Test Scores, are required to take the FDU English Placement Test, usually during orientation week, prior to registering into their program.

Accepted Tests of English Proficiency

  • TOEFL – Internet-based: 70 or higher
    • FDU Vancouver Campus testing code: 7627
  • IELTS – Overall band score of 6.0 or higher. Min bands in individual scores may be required by specific academic programs. Some applicants may be asked to take FDU English Placement Test prior to arrival.
  • PEARSONS – PTE Academic English Exam: 53 or higher
  • SAT (for first-year undergraduate freshman students only)
    • 420 or higher on the Critical Reading (old testing system)
    • 480 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
    • FDU Vancouver Campus testing code: 5823
  • CAE – Cambridge Advanced English with score = C
  • FCE – Cambridge English First with score = B
  • Step Eiken – Grade 1
  • MELAB – Michigan English Language Assessment Battery = 77
  • CAEL – Canadian Academic English Language Assessment = 65
  • CanTEST – Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees = 4.0
  • GTEC – General Test of English Communication = 1150
  • ACT – English = 22

  • DET – Duolingo Test of English = 100

English Pathway Programs

Fairleigh Dickinson University offers an exciting opportunity for international students with intermediate English language skills who meet the University’s academic admission standards but require additional training in academic English (speaking, listening, and/or writing skills).

All new students are required to take the Academic Writing test once they arrive on campus. Based on the results of the test you may be placed into one of the following:

Our Pre-University and Pre-Masters Programs provide students with highly specialized English language and support courses in the first semester while they study and earn academic credit toward their bachelor’s or masters degrees.

Conditional Admission and Vancouver Campus Partner Language Schools

Students who are academically prepared to pursue a university program but are unable to meet the minimum English proficiency requirement may apply to the intensive English language program offered by our Partner Language Schools in Vancouver.

The language and entrance examination (if required) must be fulfilled in order for a student to matriculate to the University.