International Admission > Apply to DePaul > Types of Admission > Conditional Admission

Conditional Admission

​​​​​​​​​​​DePaul University offers conditional admission to qualified applicants in select disciplines. Conditional admission may be offered to students who have been educated in a language other than English and whose academic record qualifies them for admission, but whose level of English proficiency, as measured by either the IELTS or TOEFL, is lower than admission requirements.

If you are conditionally admitted, you will attend DePaul's English Language Academy (ELA) to study English. ELA is a full-time intensive academic language program focused on the language and academic skills used in degree programs. Students that earn the University Bridge Certificate meet the English proficiency requirement for DePaul degree programs.

You can read more below about conditional admission based on applicant type below.

For Undergraduate Applicants

As an international student, you may request to be considered for conditional admission in the test information section of the DePaul freshman or transfer online application.

In order to be conditionally admitted, you must apply and meet all international admission requirements, and meet the minimum English proficiency requirement, which can be found by clicking below.

College/School English Proficiency Requirement Conditional Admission English Language Requirement Requirements to move from ELA to Degree Program
Business, Communication, Computing and Digital Media, Science and Health, Education, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

-80 on the IBT TOEFL with no subsection lower than 17
-6.5 on the IELTS

-115 on the Duolingo English Test

 No English test score required University Bridge Certificate
School of Music

-80 on the IBT TOEFL with no subsection lower than 17
-6.5 on the IELTS

-115 on the Duolingo English Test

 -60-79 on the IBT TOEFL
-6.0 on the IELTS		 University Bridge Certificate
School of Theatre

-80 on the IBT TOEFL with no subsection lower than 17
-6.5 on the IELTS

-115 on the Duolingo English Test

 Offered on a case-by-case basis University Bridge Certificate

Students that earn the University Bridge Certificate meet the English proficiency requirement for DePaul degree programs.

For Graduate Applicants

Graduate departments may offer conditional admission if the applicant meets all graduate college requirements and meets the minimum English proficiency requirement, which can be found by clicking below.

College/School English Proficiency Requirement Conditional English Proficiency Requirement Requirement to move from ELA to Degree Program Notes
College of Law (JD) - 90 on the IBT TOEFL - 6.5 on the IELTS Not offered Not available  
College of Law (LLM) - 90 on the IBT TOEFL
- 6.5 on the IELTS		 - 60-89 on the IBT TOEFL
 - 6.0 on the IELTS		 - University Bridge Certificate
- 90 on the IBT  TOEFL
- 577 on the PBT  TOEFL
- 6.5 on the IELTS		  
Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM)

- 80 on the IBT TOEFL 
(miniumum 17 on each section)
- 6.5 on the IELTS  

- 115 on the Duolingo English Test

 No English test score required

- University Bridge Certificate
- 80 on the iBT TOEFL (minimum 17 on each section)
- 550 on the  PBT TOEFL
- 6.5 on the IELTS

- 115 on the Duolingo English Test

  
College of Education - 96 on the IBT TOEFL
- 7.5 on the IELTS		 - 60-79 on the IBT TOEFL
 - 6.0 on the IELTS		 - University Bridge Certificate  
Kellstadt Graduate School of Business (KGSB)

- 80 on the IBT TOEFL
(minimum 17  on each section)

- 6.5 on the IELTS

- 115 or higher on the Duolingo English Test

-53 on the Pearson Test of English (PTE)

No English test score required

 - University Bridge Certificate   
School of Music - 80 on the IBT TOEFL
(minimum 17 on each section) 
- 6.5 on the IELTS		 - 60 on the IBT TOEFL 
(minimum 16 on each section)
- 6.0 on the IELTS		 - University Bridge Certificate Students in ELA are allowed to participate in ensembles and take applied lessons in the School of Music.
College of Science and Health (CSH)

- 96 on the TOEFL OR 7.0 on IELTS OR 125 on the Duolingo English Test for most programs

- 80 on the IBT TOEFL
(minimum 17 on each section) OR 6.5 on the IELTS or 115 on the Duolingo English Test for MS in Applied Mathematics and MS in Applied Statistics and MS Pure Mathematics

Most Programs:

- 80-95 on the IBT TOEFL OR 6.5 on the IELTS or 115 on the Duolingo English Test

MS Applied Mathematics, MS Applied Statistics, MS Pure Mathematics, MS Mathematics for Teaching, and MS Mathematics Education:

- No English test score required

 - Exit for Math/Stats requires completing six ELA courses at or above high-intermediate, OR four ELA courses at or above Advanced, OR three ELA courses at or above Bridge. Offered for MS Applied Mathematics, MS Applied Statistics, and MS in Chemistry. CA may be considered for other CSH non-cohort programs.
College of Communication (CMN) - 96 on the IBT TOEFL 
(minimum 22 on each section)
- 7.5 on IELTS		 - 79-95 on the IBT TOEFL
(minimum 17 on each section)
 - 6.5 on the IELTS		 - University Bridge Certificate Conditional admission is not offered to students in Digital Communication and Media Arts for both the degree and certificate programs. 
Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (LAS) - 96 on the IBT TOEFL
- 7.0 on the IELTS                - 125 on the Duolingo English Test

- 80-95 on the IBT TOEFL
- 6.5 on the IELTS                      - 115 on the Duolingo English Test

 - Program requirements may differ CA may be considered for some LAS non-cohort programs.
School of Public Service (SPS) - 96 on the IBT TOEFL
- 7.0 on the IELTS 		 - meet or are close to the university minimum of 80 on the TOEFL (or IELTS equivalent) - University Bridge Certificate  
The Theatre School (TTS) - 80 on the IBT TOEFL 
(minimum 17 on each section)
 - 6.5 on IELTS		 Not offered Not available  
School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) - 80 on the IBT TOEFL
(minimum 17 on each section) 
- 6.5 on IELTS		   - University Bridge Certificate  

Students that earn the University Bridge Certificate meet the English proficiency requirement for DePaul degree programs.

Frequently Asked Questions about Conditional Admission

No, apply to your degree program and request conditional admission.  

No, you only pay DePaul's application fee (if it applies).

If you are applying for an UNDERGRADUATE course: No, you do not need to submit an English proficiency test score.

If you are applying for a GRADUATE course: Yes, you must submit the minimum conditional admission requirements as listed in the charts above.

Yes, international transfer students may request conditional admission on the DePaul online transfer application in the test information section.

Typically, students that are offered conditional admission study less than one year in the English Language Academy. Students in ELA study until English proficiency is met by completing ELA's University Bridge Level. Specific English language proficiency requirements by program are listed in the charts above.

You will not be allowed to register for academic courses until the English proficiency requirement is met, except for conditionally admitted students for Music.

ELA is located on DePaul's Loop Campus.

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