2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog

Waiver of the English Proficiency Requirement

The following circumstances will waive the requirement of a score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) or other English proficiency tools:

  1. If the applicant's native language is English.
  2. If the applicant has taken the ACT and received a composite score of 21 or the SAT (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing + Mathematics) with a score of 1060.
  3. If the applicant graduates and receives a high school diploma in the United States.  The transcript will be reviewed and if the student has low grades and/or a low ACT/SAT, additional proof of English proficiency may be required.
  4. If the applicant received an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution or a country where the native language is English.
  5. If the applicant is transferring to Northwest from another regionally-accredited institution in the United States and has completed the equivalent of English Composition I (10-111) and English Composition II (10-112) with grades of C or better.
  6. If the applicant intends to be non-degree seeking at Northwest and/or is visiting from another college or university.