English Language Requirements

English Proficiency Test

All students for whom English is not their first language are required to take the English Language Support Program’s placement exams, ACCUPLACER ESL and WritePlacer ESL from the College Board. Even if you earn the minimum TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency or PTE scores required for admission, you must take the ELSP exam to re-evaluate your English skills. These placement exams should be taken before arrival on campus, by July 15 for students who will start in the Fall semester and December 15 for students who will start in the Spring semester.

Based on the placement exam results, you may be required to:

• Enroll in ELSP courses
• Take a reduced load of academic courses in order to permit room for ELSP courses.

You must pass your ELSP courses within the first two semesters of your enrollment. Students who do not pass their ELSP courses within their first two semesters or refuse to follow the MU policy by not enrolling in the required courses may be dismissed for not making normal progress. As an international student on an F1 visa, this would also affect your visa status.

The ELSP implements the policy approved by the Council of Deans in 1980 requiring on-campus English language testing of all incoming international undergraduate students for whom English is not a native language and enrollment in English language courses as needed. The program also accommodates individual graduate students, visiting scholars and international staff interested in English language assessment and language training. For more information contact, the English Language Support Program at N52 Memorial Union or elsp@missouri.edu.