Halifax, Canada
NSCAD University: English test requirements
One international admissions page gives a single set of undergraduate scores and a single, mostly higher, set of graduate scores for each accepted test. Applicants who have not yet met the requirement can receive a conditional offer.
Checked on 2 Nov 2026 against the university's own pages. Universities change their requirements, and some courses ask for more. Always confirm on the university's page before you book a test or apply.
IELTS
UG 6.5
PG 7.0
TOEFL iBT
UG 4.5 / 90
PG 4.5 / 94
PTE Academic
UG 70
PG 70
Duolingo English Test
UG 120
PG 130
Undergraduate
A test is needed if the language of instruction was not English for at least three years of high school or at least one year of post-secondary study. Scores must come directly from the testing service. Applicants below the minimum get conditional admission and may take a partner language school pathway programme.
| Test | Overall | Each part | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.5 | no test less than 6.0 | Accepted |
| TOEFL or TOEFL at Home | 4.5 (1-6 scale) / 90 (1-120 scale) | 1-120 scale: no test less than 20. 1-6 scale: 4.5 in Listening and 4.0 in Reading, Speaking and Writing | Accepted |
| PTE Academic | 70 | no score less than 65 | Accepted |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 | no sub-score below 110 | Accepted |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency | 176 | no test less than 169 | Accepted |
| Oxford ELLT | 7 | no band less than 6 | Accepted |
| CAEL | 69 | no test less than 60 | Accepted |
| MELAB | 82 | no test less than 80 | Accepted |
“Only conditional offers of admission will be made until such scores are received.”
International applications (English language proficiency)
Graduate
Same exemption rule and conditional offer approach as for undergraduates. Graduate pathway partners are Oxford International Halifax (Post Graduate Pathway) and the online Oxford ELLT University Pathway Program.
| Test | Overall | Each part | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS | 7.0 | no test less than 6.0 | Accepted |
| TOEFL or TOEFL at Home | 4.5 (1-6 scale) / 94 (1-120 scale) | 1-120 scale: no test less than 22. 1-6 scale: 5.0 in Listening and 4.5 in Reading, Speaking and Writing | Accepted |
| PTE Academic | 70 | no score less than 65 | Accepted |
| Duolingo English Test | 130 | no sub-score less than 110 | Accepted |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency | 185 | no test less than 169 | Accepted |
| Oxford ELLT | 8 | no band less than 7 | Accepted |
| CAEL | 69 | no test less than 60 | Accepted |
| MELAB | 82 | no test less than 80 | Accepted |
“These test results must be sent directly from the testing service to NSCAD University, Admissions Office, to be considered valid.”
International applications (English language proficiency)
Other tests the university lists
- IB: at least 5 in English A1 or A2 HL
- AP: at least 4 in English Language and Composition or Literature and Composition
- Partner language school pathway programmes (for example ALCC, CLLC, Cape Breton Language Centre, Oxford International Halifax, HLIC, ICEAP, ILI, LSI, Oxford ELLT online)
“Not on the list” means the test does not appear on the university page we checked. It does not mean the test is refused: the course page or the admissions office may still accept it, so ask them.
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