TOEFL/IELTS
All applicants whose native language is not English or who have not received their undergraduate education in a U.S. college or university must submit scores from one of two internationally recognized assessments of English language proficiency, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Applicants whose native language is not English but who have received their undergraduate education in an English language speaking country do not have to submit these scores. Non native English speakers who graduate with an undergraduate degree from an institution whose language of instruction is English but not in an English language country must submit scores from either of these tests. All requirements are based on your undergraduate education regardless of any graduate education. The Graduate School does not offer waivers of this requirement.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Educational Testing Service administers the internet-based TOEFL. The Graduate School prefers scores from the iBT TOEFL. Due to the nature of the graduate admission process, the Graduate School has not set a recommended minimum score on the iBT TOEFL.
To provide guidance the following information may be useful. Over the last two admission seasons the average iBT TOEFL combined score for admitted students was 108, with the following average sub-scores: Listening 28, Reading 29, Speaking 24, and Writing 27. Furthermore, data from the University's English Language Program indicates that of newly enrolling internationals students, those who score below 20 on the Speaking subsection of iBT TOEFL are virtually certain to have to take an English language course during their first year of graduate study to bring their spoken proficiency up to a minimum standard.
When registering for the test, you must request that your scores be sent to Princeton University, institution code 2672. Department codes are not used at Princeton, if you are required to select a code choose one closest to your interest. In addition, you can upload a copy of your score report in the additional information section of the electronic application. Please note that copies of scores are NOT official and we still require the official scores sent directly from ETS.
Allow several weeks for test scores to reach the University, the Graduate Admission Office will update your submitted application checklist when the scores are received. To ensure timely receipt of TOEFL scores, applicants are urged to take the test no later than December 1. An application is considered incomplete without these scores.
For more information contact Educational Testing Service at (609) 771-7100 or (877) 863-3456 or on the web.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
IELTS is a testing arm of Cambridge University, United Kingdom ESOL examinations and the British Council. Students who wish to demonstrate English proficiency through the IELTS test should visit their website, for information about the administration of this test and how to have test results reported to Princeton in a timely fashion. Normally test results are mailed out in two weeks from the date of the test by IELTS administration.
In addition, you can upload a copy of your score report in the additional information section of the electronic application. Please note that copies of scores are NOT official and we still require the official scores sent directly from IELTS.
Students must sign up to take the Academic Test version of IELTS. The Graduate School has set a 7.0 on the academic version of IELTS as the minimum to be considered for admission to Princeton doctoral programs. (Note: IELTS test scores of 7.0 and above do not exempt international graduate students who accept Princeton’s offer of admission from the policy and requirements of the Graduate School’s English Language Program.) Scores that are more than two years old are not valid and will not be considered.