Skip to main content

Undergraduate English Proficiency

All international applicants are required to demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency. Applicants are able to do so through the English Proficiency form in their applicant portal, after they have submitted an application. The following criteria will allow an applicant to demonstrate English proficiency:

Undergraduate Applicants

  • Attending secondary school in a primarily anglophone country: Australia, Anglophone Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States AND Completing 4 years at a school where the sole language of instruction was English OR
  • Attending secondary school in a primarily non-anglophone country AND Completing 4 years at a school where the sole language of instruction was English OR
  • Proficiency exams. See scores below.

If meeting the English Proficiency requirement through test scores, please submit ONE current score from one of the following testing options; either through the testing agency or your applicant portal:

  • IELTS: 6.5
  • TOEFL (iBT): 90 *SCU does not use MyBest™ test in our review process. 
  • Duolingo English Test: 120
  • SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 630*
  • ACT Reading: 27 and ACT English: 27*

*Note: ACT or SAT test scores are no longer required for admission to Santa Clara University. If a student would like their SAT or ACT scores considered in our holistic admission review, they may also use them for demonstrating English Proficiency.

*SCU does not accept TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition or TOEFL Essentials

*Note: You will have the option to self report your English Proficiency exam scores. Santa Clara University will require an official verified score at a later date from the testing agency. Please note that in general, English Proficiency exams expire two years after the test date. Testing agencies do not send official copies of expired scores so it is important that your scores are current.

First-Year International Student Interview Options

Due to increase in requests from students wishing to sit for an interview Santa Clara partners with InitialView and Vericant as third party video interview companies. We accept these interviews as an optional supplement to your application. Please register directly with InitialView or Vericant for your in-person or virtual interview. Unfortunately, given our limited counseling staff, SCU does not offer in-person interviews on or off campus.

Although the interview is not mandatory, we recommend you sit for an interview, as it will give you an excellent opportunity to showcase your language skills, interests, and professionalism to our admissions team. Our admission committee will review your InitialView or Vericant interview as part of our holistic evaluation process and see the additional effort of submitting an interview as part of demonstrating your interest in Santa Clara.