English Language Proficiency Requirements

Evidence of English Language Proficiency

Students who are non-native speakers of English must demonstrate evidence of English language proficiency for admission to the University's degree program and English Language for University Studies program unless the student has done the following:

• Two years of study in a U.S.-accredited, International Baccalaureate, or United Kingdom diploma program where English is the only medium of instruction
• Two years of study in an English-speaking country listed on the U.K. Ministry of Education or in the educational systems of these countries (regardless of location) where English is the only medium of instruction

Standardized test scores, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Duolingo, or the Cambridge and Trinity Exams are useful in assessing a student's language capability.

John Cabot University offers an internal English Language Placement Test which may be taken in place of any of the exams listed below. Please contact [email protected] to register for a test.

The University operates according to four application deadlines and applications will not be considered until all supporting materials have been received. Candidates are urged to submit their application and supporting documents early to guarantee a place at the University and to allow sufficient time for passport and visa processing.

If the English proficiency of any applicant is in question, the Admissions Committee will request additional information or documentation. Students who meet the entrance requirements of the University but lack sufficient preparation in written and spoken English may be eligible to enter the University’s ENLUS Program, an intensive English language course that prepares students for study at the university level.

English Composition Placement Tests

JCU Placement Test Policy for Composition classes EN 103, 105, 110 

All students are required to take a placement test in composition on admittance to the University. These tests are administered on specific days and times and students receive notification about test dates by email. Students are responsible for ensuring their attendance at the required time. Those students who fail to take these tests will automatically be placed in EN 103. 

Students who register late as degree-seeking students at John Cabot 

Students who are admitted to the University after the scheduled dates of the Composition placement tests have the choice to either take automatic placement in EN 103 or they can wait to take the placement test in the following semester when it is scheduled. 

Where the student’s failure to take the placement test is due to an administrative error, a placement test can be arranged at the discretion of the coordinator of the exam. 

Please contact [email protected] for more information.