London, Ontario, Canada
Western University: English test requirements
Undergraduate applicants meet one set of minimums, except Nursing, which publishes higher scores of its own. A lower set of scores gets applicants into the English Boost Program followed by a degree. Graduate study has one School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies set of minimums, and programmes may ask for more.
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 4.5 / 83
PG 4.5 / 86
PTE Academic
UG 58
PG Not on the list
Duolingo English Test
UG from 115
PG 115
Undergraduate
One table applies to most programmes; Nursing applicants are sent to the Nursing website for different requirements. Each test also has a lower column for the English Boost Program followed by an undergraduate degree. For fall 2027 entry the test must be written before March 2027, and scores from tests written before 1 January 2025 are not accepted. TOEFL is given for tests before and on or after 21 January 2026. TOEFL institution code 0984. The Nursing page also asks for an acceptable test of spoken English, and says scores for tests written more than two years before applying may not be accepted.
| Course group | IELTS | TOEFL iBT | PTE Academic | Duolingo English Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission to an undergraduate degree (all programmes except Nursing)Source for this group | 6.56.0 in each sectionEnglish Boost route: 5.5 overall, 5.5 in reading and writing, 5.0 in each section. | 4.5 (tests from 21 Jan 2026) / 83 (tests before 21 Jan 2026)new scale: 4.0 in reading, speaking and writing and 4.5 in listening. 0-120 scale: 20 in each sectionEnglish Boost route: new scale 4.0 overall (3.0 speaking, 3.5 reading and listening, 4.0 writing); 0-120 scale 69 overall (18 writing, 15 each section). | 5856 in each sectionEnglish Boost route: 39 overall, 38 in reading and writing, 29 in each section. | 115100 for each subscoreEnglish Boost route: 100 overall, 100 in literacy, 90 for each subscore. |
| Nursing (BScN)e.g. Direct Entry Bachelor of Science in NursingSource for this group | 7at least 6.5 in reading and listening and at least 7 in writing and speaking | 5.0 (tests after 21 Jan 2026) / 92-93 (internet-based total)new scale: at least 5.0 in speaking, 4.5 in writing and listening, 4.0 in reading. 0-120 scale: 22-24 in writing, 26 in speaking, 20 in reading, 20 in listeningThe page gives a range (92-93) for the older scale. | Not on the listNot on the Nursing page, which lists only TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo. | 135Literacy minimum 130 and no other sub scores below 125 |
Admission to an undergraduate degree (all programmes except Nursing), other tests: Cambridge C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency 176; CAEL 60
“We only accept scores sent electronically by the IELTS Test Centre.”
Undergraduate English language proficiency
Graduate
School-wide minimums for applicants whose first language is not English, achieved within the last two years. Programmes at Western may require a higher minimum, and some ask for specific band scores. Applicants with a first language of English, or two full-time years of degree study at an English-speaking institution in a listed country, are exempt. The page's list of countries: Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Canada, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, Zimbabwe (Nigeria is on it; India and Pakistan are not). PTE is not on the page.
| Test | Overall | Each part | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 | no section minimum stated | Accepted |
| TOEFL iBT | 4.5 (on or after 21 Jan 2026) / 86 (before 21 Jan 2026) | new scale: no section below 4. 0-120 scale: no section below 20 | AcceptedWestern TOEFL ID 0984. |
| PTE Academic | – | Not on the listNot named on the graduate English page. | |
| Duolingo English Test | 115 | no subscore minimum stated | Accepted |
| CAEL Assessment | 60 | page says 60 out of 90; no section minimum stated | Accepted |
“Programs at Western may require a higher minimum score than those listed above.”
Graduate international applicants: English language proficiency
Other tests the university lists
- Western English Language Centre, successful completion of the High-Advanced level (graduate)
- Fanshawe College ESL, graduation from Level 10 (English for Academic Purposes) with a minimum 80% in all components (graduate)
The page says these are not accepted
- Paper IELTS Test Report Forms (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.
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