What are the English Language Requirements?

English-Language Ability: Applicants who are not U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents and who are citizens of non-English speaking countries must have a working knowledge of English. To meet this requirement, applicants must achieve the following minimum score on the Duolingo English Test, TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language, or IELTS – International English Language Testing System.

Duolingo
Minimum Score = 130

TOEFL
Internet-based Test (iBT): Minimum Score 100
Computer-based Test (CBT): Minimum Score 233
Paper-based Test (PBT): Minimum Score 577

IELTS
Minimum Score = 7.0

Applicants submitting Paper-based Test scores only must also submit the following individual scores:
TWE (Test of Written English): Minimum Score 4.0
TSE (Test of Spoken English): Minimum Score 4.0.

Applicants are not automatically exempt from taking the TOEFL if they have received a degree in the U.S. or from an institution whose official language is English. Please contact the Office of Admissions at cssw-admit@columbia.edu for more information.