OU Navigation Menu
Future Students Current Students Faculty & Staff OU Alumni Visitors & Friends Site Map OU Home page About OU Research Arts OU Athletics OU Library IT Administration Jobs News & Info Academics

OUlogo

 
ESL Center



ESL Proficiency Policy


International applicants, other visa holders, permanent residents, and exchange students whose native language* is not English must provide proof of English proficiency. Information on the TOEFL is available at http://www.toefl.org/. Information on the MELAB is available at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/eli/melab.htm.

Admission
One of the following constitutes proof:
1. TOEFL
  • 550 minimum on paper-based TOEFLa
  • 213 minimum on computer-based TOEFLa
  • 79 minimum on internet-based TOEFLa

2. MELAB
  • 77 minimum

3. 24 transferable credits, excluding ESL coursework, from a U.S. community college or baccalaureate institution.

4. a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university

5. 1 year of study at and a diploma from a U.S. high school

aSome programs at Oakland University may require a higher level of proficiency than listed above. Applicants should examine the program description for their field of study for information about additional English proficiency requirements and furnish proof as part of the admission process (admissions: http://www.oakland.edu; click on 'Prospective Students').


Admission with ESL Coursework
One of the following constitutes proof:
1. TOEFL
  • 520-549 on paper-based TOEFL
  • 190-212 on computer-based TOEFL
  • 68-78 on internet-based TOEFL

2. MELAB
  • 73-76

Students must register for ESL courses as part of their coursework starting in their first semester of registration. ESL placement is done by the ESL Center using the Institutional TOEFL and other assessment tools. Upon completion of the individualized ESL instruction sequence, students' English proficiency will be evaluated using the Institutional TOEFL to determine whether additional ESL coursework is necessary to achieve English proficiency. The individualized ESL instruction sequence designed by the Center is not negotiable.

Satisfactory completion of the individualized ESL instruction sequence is expected within one year, but ESL coursework is required until minimum proficiency is demonstrated.


Admission to Intensive English Program

Prospective students who do not have adequate English proficiency for admission or admission with ESL coursework to the university can be admitted to the Intensive English Program. ESL placement is done by the ESL Center using the Institutional TOEFL and other assessment tools. Upon completion of the individualized ESL instruction sequence, students' English proficiency will be evaluated using the Institutional TOEFL to determine whether additional ESL coursework is necessary to achieve English proficiency. The individualized ESL instruction sequence designed by the CAE is not negotiable.

Upon completion of the Intensive English Program, students may (re)apply for admission to Oakland University; applicants are evaluated using the admission criteria described above.

*A native language is a language that is acquired naturally during childhood and is usually spoken at home, as opposed to a language that is learned later in life, for example, as part of a person's formal education. Students whose native language is not English are encouraged to visit the ESL Center to discuss any language difficulties they may have while attending Oakland University.