All IVSP students are required to take one or two ESL courses to better prepare them for academic studies in English. These are taught through the English Language School at the University of Alberta, while students receive support and advising from IVSP staff.
Students do not need to present an English Language Proficiency test score to be eligible for admission to the IVSP.
IVSP students presenting one of the following official scores at the start of the program will have direct entry into the corresponding English Foundations (EF) or English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course.
| Course | IELTS™ (Academic) | TOEFL (iBT®) |
|---|---|---|
|
English Foundations I (EAP 101) |
Overall 3.5 Minimum band score: 3.0 |
Overall 22 iBT |
|
English Foundations II (EAP 102) |
Overall 4.0 Minimum band score: 3.5 |
Overall 28 iBT |
|
English Foundations III (EAP 103) |
Overall 4.5 Minimum band score: 4.0 |
Overall 33 iBT |
| EAP 135 |
Overall 5.0 Minimum band score: 4.5 |
Overall 40 iBT Minimum section score: 12 |
| EAP 136 |
Overall 5.5 Minimum band score: 5.0 |
Overall 53 iBT Minimum section score: 14 |
| EAP 137 |
Overall 6.5 Minimum band score: 5.0 |
Overall 90 iBT Minimum section score: 17 |
Students with less than 22 internet-based TOEFL (iBT) or 3.5 IELTS will take a placement test and will start at an English level based on their test result.
Placement Tests: All placement tests will be conducted online.
English Foundations I, II, III and EAP 135 courses are 7 weeks long and students attend classes for 3 hours and 15 minutes each day. These courses are assessed credit/non-credit.
EAP 136 is 13 weeks long and students attend classes for 18 hours a week. This course is assessed a letter grade.
EAP 137 is 13 weeks long and students attend classes for 6 hours a week. This course is assessed a letter grade.
All courses will be listed on the undergraduate transcript.