If you did not study in an English-speaking country or if English is not your first language, you must prove your English proficiency through an English language test or the QBridge Language Pathway programs.
If an English Language test score is required, you will find it listed in your To Do List in your Solus student account. If you have been asked to submit an English language test and believe this does not apply to you, you may request a waiver. For more information, see English Proficiency Requirement Waivers below.
Queen’s University reserves the right to request an English language test result from any applicant at any time, when necessary.
Acceptable Proof of English Proficiency
The scores listed below are the minimum English Proficiency requirements for admission to our undergraduate degree programs. We strongly advise you to complete your test and submit your scores to us well before the published deadline. It may take several weeks before your test results are released until they reach Undergraduate Admission & Recruitment. The only acceptable way to submit your test results to Queen’s University is via the testing body.
To match your results to your application, please ensure that you use the same information as your application for admission to Queen’s. This includes first (given), surname (last/family name), date of birth, and gender. We are unable to match the results received with differing information.
| Test | Minimum Scores | Share Your Results With |
|---|---|---|
|
A score of 6.5 on Academic Module with no band below 6.0 |
Queens University – Undergrad Admission through IELTS | |
|
iBT (Internet Based TOEFL)/88 overall: 20 Writing, 20 Speaking, 20 Reading, 20 Listening; Paper Based TOEFL (PBT)/580 (TBC)
|
Institution Code 0949 through TOEFL | |
| Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL) |
Overall band of 70 with no band below 60
|
Queen’s University through CAEL |
| Queen’s School of English | Successful completion of QBridge Programming | |
| Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) |
Overall score of 60
|
Queen’s University through PTE |
| Duolingo English Test |
Minimum score 120 The Duolingo English Test is an online English proficiency test that can be taken on-demand in under an hour for only $49 USD. The test is taken via a computer with a camera. It includes a proficiency score, video interview, and writing sample, which is shared with Queen's University when you send your results. Certified results are available within 48 hours of the test session. |
Queen’s University through Duolingo |
| Cambridge English |
175, with no component below 170
|
Queen’s University through Cambridge |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70, with no individual score below 65 | Queen’s University through LanguageCert Academic |
English Language Proficiency test results are valid for a maximum of two years before beginning studies at Queen's.
If your current test result is below the requirements
You may automatically be qualified for a QBridge language pathway program. To be considered, you should be competitive for admission in all other aspects and submit any available language test scores. Submitting a language test score below the requirement will not harm your application. No separate application is required on OUAC.
QBridge (English Language Bridging Pathway) is an English language pathway to Queen’s University for students who are academically competitive for admission to a Queen’s undergraduate degree program but who do not meet the required admission standard for English language proficiency. The QBridge programs ensure that students are linguistically, academically, and culturally prepared to complete their Queen’s undergraduate degree studies.
- QBridge English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is for students who do not meet the requirements for QBridge Accelerated but are academically competitive for admission. Students accepted to Queen’s through QBridge pathway may be required to complete both the Fall and Winter terms of the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program and to achieve the required standing in the program before progressing to their undergraduate degree studies in the following September). If a student has not reached the required standard in the Winter term, a third term of study may be taken in the Summer.
- QBridge Accelerated is for students with higher standardized English language test scores and is available as a pathway to ALL first-year degree programs. QBridge Accelerated is an intensive 8-week summer course starting in early July. Students must achieve at least a B grade in QBridge Accelerated to progress to their degree program in September of the same year.
QBridge Accelerated is available for all undergraduate degree programs. QBridge EAP is available for undergraduate degree programs in the Faculty of Arts and Science and Engineering and Applied Science. Applicants who are academically competitive for admission to a participating Queen's undergraduate degree program but do not meet the required English language requirements will automatically be assessed for our QBridge Pathways.
| Term | QBridge Accelerated (QBA) | English for Academic Purposes (EAP) |
|---|---|---|
| Fall (September start | Winter (January start) |
Entry requirements:
Graduated Entry-exit requirements:
Exit requirements*:
|
Entry requirements:
Graduated Entry-exit requirements:
Exit requirements*:
|
English Requirement Waivers
You do not need to submit an English language test score if you meet one of the following criteria:
- Completed an IB diploma (completion of SL English B is not sufficient) or
- lived in a country where English is the acknowledged primary language for the most recent three years prior to beginning their university studies or
- attended an education institution full-time where the medium of instruction is English for the most recent three years prior to beginning their university studies
If you have been asked to submit an English language test score and believe that this does not apply to you, please contact admission@queensu.ca , indicating the school(s) that you have attended, the name and contact information of each school’s principal, including the length of time you attend the school. To support your request, please arrange to have your school(s) send official documentation – such as a school profile or a letter from the principal. The documentation must indicate that the medium of instruction at the school(s) is entirely in English.
After we receive this documentation, we will review it and inform you of our decision. If we determine that you still need to provide an English language test score, you must submit an acceptable result by March 31st.