English Proficiency Requirements

Since English is the primary language of instruction and communication at the U of A, all applicants must be proficient in English prior to admission.

Proficiency is demonstrated by:

  • a satisfactory score on an approved English Language Proficiency examination (see table below), OR
  • possession of a degree from a Canadian institution, OR
  • possession of a degree from a country or school listed on the Faculty of Graduate Studies Exemption List.

The Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences will accept the following examinations (with a satisfactory score) to fulfill English Language Proficiency:

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Score
Minimum score of 100 (internet based), with a score of at least 22 in each individual skills area.
TOEFL Codes: The institution code for the U of A for TOEFL is 0963. The department code is 72 for Mathematics and 59 for Statistics.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Score
Minimum score of 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.0 on each band for admission. The IELTS test must be the academic module.
PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic)
Minimum overall score of 68 points and a minimum of 59 points in each of the categories: listening, reading, speaking, and writing.

Please note: The Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences does not admit applicants who submit scores below the stated minimums or applicants who are required to submit a score but fail to do so. Additionally, the department will only accept scores that reflect a test date that has taken place within the last 2 years.

***IMPORTANT***

For students in a region impacted by Pearson, IELTS, or TOEFL test centre closures due to COVID-19, the department will temporarily accept the Duolingo English Test (taken after February 1, 2020) as one of the ways to meet our English Language Proficiency requirements for fall 2022 admission.  Minimum Duolingo English Test score required by the department is as follows:
  • Minimum overall score of 120, with no subscore below 100.