English Language Proficiency

All international graduate students must meet minimum English language proficiency standards for admission, registration, and teaching at Texas A&M University.

To achieve admission to a graduate or professional program, international applicants are required to meet English Language Proficiency (ELP) Verification. For eligibility to register for courses, ELP Verification must be obtained. For eligibility to hold a graduate assistantship with instructional or curricular support responsibilities, international graduate students must also achieve ELP Certification.

Eligibility for admission to Texas A&M University requires international applicants to meet minimum ELP standards. This is attainable by

• achieving a minimum required score on an acceptable standardized examination, or
• holding citizenship with an English-speaking country, or
• completion of a Bachelor’s degree or higher at an accredited academic institution within the United States.

Please note: The Graduate and Professional School does not waive the university’s English Language Proficiency Requirements.

Test Scores Accepted by Texas A&M for ELP Admission

If an international graduate applicant does not hold citizenship with an English-speaking country, or has not obtained a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited academic institution within the United States, the following global standardized tests are acceptable to obtain meet the ELP Requirement for Admission:

• a TOEFL-iBT score of at least 80 (550 paper-based) or
• a TOEFL-Essentials overall score of at least 8.5 8.5
• an IELTS overall score of at least 6.0;
• a GRE Verbal score of at least 146 (400 on the old scale); or
• a GMAT Verbal score of at least 22.

International graduate students who met the ELP Requirement for admission through test scores will automatically receive ELP Verification for registration (please see “ELP Verification for Registration” below), and may or may not be eligible for ELP Certification (please see “ELP Certification for Teaching” below).

Please note: Some academic units may establish ELP standards that exceed the University's minimum scores for admission to their programs. Please contact the program’s administrative academic unit for information.

How to Submit Test Scores for Applications

To meet the ELP Requirement during the application and admission process, test scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to be considered official and included with an application.

To report TOEFL (both iBT and Essentials) scores:

• For GraduateCAS (all programs other than engineering and business at Texas A&M University), use code 6003.
• For EngineeringCAS (all programs in the College of Engineering), use code B887.
• For BusinessCAS (all programs in Mays Business School), use code B888.

Please note: Texas A&M University does not accept the MyBest TOEFL score.

To report IELTS scores:

• Texas A&M University only accepts scores submitted electronically by the IELTS testing center. No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted. Please contact the test center where you took the IELTS test and request that a score report be sent electronically to “Texas A&M University (College Station and Galveston)”. 
• As of Spring 2024, Texas A&M University accepts results of an IELTS One Skill Retake for the Speaking Section only (no other IELTS One Skill Retake scores are currently accepted; ), and the One Skill Retake can only be used for ELP Certification (see below). The Office of Admissions is currently unable to receive the score report with a One Skill Retake directly from the testing service. Students who have competed the One Skill Retake, and already requested that the original official score report be sent to the Office of Admissions, should contact their admitting academic unit regarding submission of the score report with a One Skill Retake.

  Please note: Texas A&M University does not accept the IELTS General Test. 

Please note: Texas A&M University does not accept the IELTS General Test.

Please ensure the correct institution is selected as there may be multiple instances of Texas A&M University.

To report GRE scores:

• For GraduateCAS (all programs other than engineering at Texas A&M University), use code 6003.
• For EngineeringCAS (all programs in the College of Engineering), use code 4119. A department code is not required.

To report GMAT scores:

For all programs at Texas A&M University, use code 7B7K957.

Tests should be taken at least eight weeks prior to the appropriate application deadline to ensure timely receipt and processing of results.

For more information about testing requirements or how to submit scores, visit the International Graduate page on the Office of Admissions website.

Citizenship with Certain English-Speaking Countries

International graduate applicants who are citizens of English-speaking countries meet the ELP Requirement for admission process. If citizenship with an English-speaking country is indicated on an application, the applicant will not be required to submit test scores (unless otherwise required by the graduate program).

For the list of recognized English-speaking countries, please see the International Graduate page on the Office of Admissions website.

International graduate students who hold citizenship with an English-speaking country will automatically receive ELP Verification for registration (please see “ELP Verification for Registration” below), but do not automatically qualify for ELP Certification (please see “ELP Certification for Teaching” below).

Please note: Citizens of Canada are required to demonstrate residency in any province except Quebec through the Alternative Verification/Certification process (please see “ELP Verification for Registration” below). Residents of Quebec are required to submit official test scores (as described above) or have completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher at an accredited academic institution within the United States (see below).

Bachelor's Degree or Higher from Academic Institutions within the United States

International graduate applicants who hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited academic institution located within the United States meet the ELP Requirement for admission. If an American bachelor’s degree or higher – with unofficial transcripts – is indicated on an application, the applicant will not be required to submit test scores for admission (unless otherwise required by the graduate program).

International graduate students who met the ELP Requirement for admission through a degree do not automatically receive ELP Verification for registration (please see “ELP Verification for Registration” below), and may or may not be eligible for ELP Certification (please see “ELP Certification for Teaching” below).

English Language Proficiency Waivers for Admission

Under extenuating circumstances, an international graduate applicant may not be able to meet the ELP Requirement necessary to complete the admission process. In these cases, the admitting academic unit may request an English Language Proficiency Waiver for Admission.

Approval of the request will permit completion of the admission process only. The student will still be required to attain ELP Verification through means described above or below in order to register for courses.

Approval is granted by the Graduate and Professional School via request submitted by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs. As of January 2025, requests must be submitted by the academic unit through the English Language Proficiency Waiver for Admission Request Form.

Academic units may utilize English Language Proficiency Waivers for Admission for the following circumstances:

• A student’s test score meets the university minimum to satisfy the ELP Requirement for Admission, but the score has expired since submission of the application.
  • The now-expired test must be indicated with the original test date noted on the form.
  • An unofficial copy of the now-expired test must be provided with the request.
  • A new examination will be completed and submitted to the Office of Admissions before the student’s registration is enabled.
• A student will satisfy the ELP Requirement for Admission through a Bachelor’s degree or higher obtained from an accredited academic institution within the United States, but the degree has not yet been conferred.
  • The current academic institution, degree, major, and expected graduation date must be indicated on the form.
  • The degree must be conferred and an official transcript submitted to the Office of Admissions before the academic unit submits an Alternative Verification/Certification Request on the student’s behalf to enable registration.

The ELP Waiver for Admission Request Form must include the student's full name and UIN (if available), the admitting academic unit, and the student’s enrollment term. Once completed, the form must be signed and dated by an academic unit's designated faculty approver and the college/school’s Graduate Operations Committee Dean, and all supporting documents must be included.

The memo must include explanation as to why the student does not currently meet the ELP Verification Requirement (expired standardized test scores, pending conferral of a bachelor's or master's degree, etc.) and how the student will attain ELP Verification following admission to the university (retake of a standardized English language exam, receipt of a bachelor's or master's degree, etc.).

Requests must be submitted by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs to ELPCompliance@tamu.edu for timely review. The Graduate and Professional School will determine whether to grant ELP Waivers for Admission on a case-by-case basis.

Upon approval, the Graduate and Professional School will submit forward the signed request to the Office of Admissions for completion of the student’s admission process.

Eligibility for registration at Texas A&M University requires that international graduate students must attain ELP Verification.

Verification Attained during Admissions

ELP Verification for registration is attained automatically during the admission process through

• submission of a minimum required score on an acceptable standardized examination (as explained in “ELP Requirement for Admission” above) with a student’s application, or
• citizenship with an English-speaking country (except citizens of Canada).

Please note: If the student met the ELP Requirement for Admission through test scores submitted with an application, an official copy of the score report must be submitted by the testing service to the Office of Admissions following acceptance.

Alternative Verification

ELP Verification for registration is also obtainable through the Alternative Verification process following completion of admission. Alternative Verification is required for all international graduate students who met the ELP Requirement for Admission

• through a bachelor’s degree or higher at an accredited academic institution within the United States, or
• Canadian citizenship.

Please note: International graduate students who met the ELP Requirement for Admission through official test scores or citizenship with an English-speaking country – other than Canada – do not require Alternative Verification and will automatically receive ELP Verification (see “ELP Requirement for Admission” above).

All other requests for Alternative Verification require strong justification.

Approval is granted by the Graduate and Professional School via request submitted by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs. The Alternative Verification/Certification Request Form must include the student's full name and UIN, and must be signed by a faculty approver as designated on the academic unit’s Authorized Signers Form.

Alternative Verification Requests must be submitted by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs to ELPCompliance@tamu.edu for timely review. The Graduate and Professional School will determine whether to grant Alternative Verification Requests on a case-by-case basis.

International graduate students who met the ELP Requirements for admission and registration may or may not also be eligible for ELP Certification (please see “ELP Certification for Teaching” below).

Some funding offers from Texas A&M include graduate assistantships with teaching responsibilities. For eligibility to hold a graduate assistantship with instructional or curricular support responsibilities – such as Graduate Assistant Teacher (GAT) or Graduate Assistant Lecturer (GAL) – Texas State law and Texas A&M University requires international graduate students to achieve ELP Certification. 

The Graduate and Professional School and the Division of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness (HROE) require international graduate students hired for teaching assistantships to qualify for Level 1 Certification or Level 2 Conditional Certification (for one semester only), before submission of hiring documents.

Test Scores Accepted by Texas A&M for ELP Certification

Satisfaction of the ELP Certification Requirement in relation to a teaching position is rated on a scale of 1-3.

A student who achieves a Level 1 certifying score is Eligible for teaching assignments without any restrictions.

Those with a Level 2 rating are Conditionally Eligible for teaching assignments. They may teach for one semester only and must simultaneously enroll in the Texas A&M University Center for Teaching Excellence English Language Proficiency (CTE-ELP) Program. The student must achieve a Level 1 certifying score on the ELPE or the speaking section of a global standardized test (TOEFL-Essentials, TOEFL-iBT, or IELTS) before the hiring date for the next semester. After completion of the semester of conditional eligibility, if the student does not successfully complete a new language examination before the next semester’s hire date, the student will become Ineligible until a Level 1 certifying score is achieved.

Students at Level 3 (Verified only) are Ineligible for teaching assignments. They should participate in spoken language training (such as those offered by CTE-ELP or other independent English language instruction providers) to assist them in meeting English Language Proficiency Requirements. They will remain Ineligible until they achieve a Level 1 or 2 score on the ELPE or a global standardized test, or receive an approved Emergency Deferral of ELP Certification from the employing academic unit. 

Alternative Certification

ELP Certification for teaching is also obtainable through the Alternative Certification process following completion of admission. Alternative Certification is required for all international graduate students who met the ELP Requirements for Admission and Registration through

• an IELTS One Skill Retake of the Speaking Section which meets the Level 1 Certification score requirement (detailed above);
• a bachelor’s degree with all coursework completed at an accredited academic institution within the United States; or
• citizenship with certain English-speaking countries.

Please note: International graduate students who met the ELP Requirement for Certification through official test scores will automatically receive ELP Certification during the admission process (see “Test Scores Accepted by Texas A&M for Certification” above).

International graduate students who are not from certain English-speaking countries and hold a bachelor’s – but did not complete all coursework at an accredited academic institution located within the United States – or a Master's degree from an accredited academic institution located within the United States, are not eligible for Alternative Certification and must submit minimum test scores. Canadian citizens from Quebec may receive Alternative Certification with a bachelor’s degree with all coursework completed at an accredited academic institution within the United States, or must submit minimum test scores.

Approval is granted by the Graduate and Professional School via request submitted by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs. The Alternative Verification/Certification Request Form must include the student's full name and UIN, and must be signed by a faculty approver as designated on the academic unit’s Authorized Signers Form.

Alternative Certification Requests must be submitted by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs to ELPCompliance@tamu.edu for timely review. The Graduate and Professional School will determine whether to grant Alternative Certification Requests on a case-by-case basis.

Emergency Deferral of ELP Certification for Level 3 (Verified Only) Students

Under extenuating circumstances, an academic unit may need to hire an international graduate student in a teaching-related role who has not achieved Level 1 Certification or Level 2 Conditional Certification. In such cases, academic units may initiate a request for Emergency Deferral of the English Language Proficiency Certification Requirement. Approval will provide the international graduate student with a one-time, one-semester-only deferral of the ELP Certification Requirement for employment in a teaching position. 

Emergency Deferrals may not extend beyond the single semester requested, and both the student and academic unit must fulfill set requirements (described below) during the semester of employment.

To receive approval:

• The academic unit must provide justification as to the necessity for hire of a Level 3 Ineligible student. Please note: The standards of justification must be very high for approval of an Emergency Deferral.
  • The following are acceptable justifications:
    • A previously assigned graduate assistant is no longer able to teach an assigned course.
    • An unanticipated student enrollment increase requires the academic unit to create additional course sections.
    • Other unexpected circumstances necessitate the academic unit to hire a Level 3 Ineligible International graduate student for a teaching position.
  • The academic unit must provide information to support the justification and include any relevant documentation (course and section numbers, student enrollment figures, etc.) with the Emergency Deferral Request Form.
  • Please Note: Inability to schedule a TOEFL, IELTS, or ELP Exam is no longer considered an acceptable justification.
• The academic unit must assign a faculty member to supervise the student during the semester of Emergency Deferral.
  • The faculty supervisor must conduct periodic reviews – including in-class observations – of the student’s teaching performance during the semester of deferral.
  • The faculty supervisor must take appropriate actions if the student’s performance is deemed unacceptable.
• The student must participate in the CTE-ELP Program during the period of Emergency Deferral.
  • An intake assessment must be scheduled with CTE before submission of the Emergency Deferral Request Form. 
  • A copy of the registration confirmation must be included with the request.

The form must include the student's name, UIN, and indicate the semester for which the Emergency Deferral will be applied. It must be signed by

• the faculty member assigned to supervise the student during the deferral,
• an academic unit's authorized faculty approver, and
• the appropriate college/school Graduate Operations Committee Dean.

Emergency Deferral Requests must be submitted by colleges/schools, departments, or interdisciplinary degree programs to ELPCompliance@tamu.edu for timely review. The Graduate and Professional School will determine whether to grant Alternative Certification Requests on a case-by-case basis.

Please note: If the student has not achieved Level 1 Certification before the hiring date for the next semester, the employing unit will have the opportunity to move the employee to a Graduate Assistant Non-Teaching (GANT), Graduate Assistant Researcher (GAR), or another non-curricular role. For those students who do not meet the ELP Certification Requirement and are not transferred to a non-teaching position, the Graduate and Professional School will recommend termination to be processed by HROE. The student will then be Ineligible for rehire until Level 1 Certification has been achieved.

Graduate and Professional School

Nagle Hall 205

ELPCompliance@tamu.edu

979-845-3631

Academic units may request ELP Waivers for Admission, Alternative Verification/Certification, and Emergency Deferral of Certification through the forms provided below: