Edmonton, Canada
University of Alberta: English test requirements
Both levels use one university-wide chart. Undergraduate applicants may also need a separate spoken English test for Education and some Health Science programmes. Graduate departments can ask for more than the school-wide minimum.
Checked on 31 Oct 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 from 6.5
PG 6.5
TOEFL iBT
UG from 26
PG 4.5 / 90
PTE Academic
UG 61
PG 61
Duolingo English Test
UG from 120
PG 120
Undergraduate
Table 1 (English Language Proficiency, ELP) applies to all English-language and bilingual programmes. Table 2 (Spoken English Proficiency, SEP) adds a higher spoken-English score for the Faculty of Education and some Health Science-related fields such as Nursing, so those programmes need both. Campus Saint-Jean also requires French proficiency. Results more than two years old are not accepted.
| Course group | IELTS | TOEFL iBT | PTE Academic | Duolingo English Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Proficiency (ELP), Table 1Source for this group | 6.5no band less than 6.0IELTS One Skill Retake not accepted. | 4.5 (new 1-6 scale, tests from 21 Jan 2026) / 90 (0-120, tests before 21 Jan 2026)1-6 scale: no individual band below 4.5. 0-120 scale: no section less than 21TOEFL Essentials and Home Edition not accepted; Home Edition also not accepted for 2027-2028 undergraduate admission. | 61no less than 60 in each communicative skill | 120no integrated subscore below 100Valid through to the 2028-2029 admission cycle. |
| Spoken English Proficiency (SEP), Table 2e.g. Faculty of Education; some Health Science-related fields such as Nursing (required in addition to ELP)Source for this group | Speaking 7.5minimum 7.5 in the Speaking sectionIELTS One Skill Retake not accepted. | Speaking 5.0 (new 1-6 scale, tests from 21 Jan 2026) / Speaking 26 (0-120, tests before 21 Jan 2026)minimum Speaking score onlyHome Edition not accepted for 2027-2028 undergraduate admission. | Not on the listNot listed in the Spoken English Proficiency table. | 140no integrated subscore below 120Valid until the 2028-2029 admission cycle. |
English Language Proficiency (ELP), Table 1, other tests: Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE) 180; CAEL (paper) or CAEL CE (online) 70
“Language test results more than two years old will not be accepted.”
Undergraduate language requirements
Graduate
School-wide minimums from Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, which says it and departments may require further demonstration of English. Scores must be from the last two years. The page marks the TOEFL 1-6 scale requirements as subject to final approval by university governance. Some programmes where spoken English matters ask for Duolingo 140.
| Test | Overall | Each part | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 | at least 6.0 on each band | AcceptedOne Skill Retake not accepted. |
| TOEFL iBT | 4.5 (new 1-6 scale, tests from 21 Jan 2026) / 90 (0-120, tests before 21 Jan 2026) | 1-6 scale: no band below 4.5. 0-120 scale: no section below 21 | AcceptedTOEFL Essentials and Home Edition not accepted. Home Edition will not be accepted for graduate admission during 2027-28. |
| PTE Academic | 61 | minimum band score of 60 | Accepted |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 | no integrated subscore below 100 | AcceptedSome programmes where spoken English is especially important require 140 with no subscore below 120. |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency | 176 | at least 169 on each subscore | Accepted |
| CAEL or CAEL CE | 70 | at least 60 on each subtest | Accepted |
“International applicants must be able to demonstrate English Language Proficiency (ELP) at the time of application.”
Graduate English language proficiency
Other tests the university lists
- Alberta ELA 30-1 at 75% or higher, IB English A (5) or English B (6), AP English (4), and certain GCSE, IGCSE, A-level and other school English results (undergraduate routes without a test)
- NCUK EAP or EAPPU (undergraduate)
- U of A English for Academic Purposes courses EAP 136 and INT D 137 (undergraduate)
- Academic English for Graduate Admission, EAP 500 (graduate)
The page says these are not accepted
- TOEFL Essentials
- TOEFL iBT Home Edition (not accepted for 2027-28 undergraduate or graduate admission)
- IELTS One Skill Retake
- Second Language English IGCSE (undergraduate)
“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.
Practise for your test, free
Fable Tests is an independent guide and is not affiliated with University of Alberta or any test owner. University names are used only to identify them. Test names are trademarks of their owners.