International Center
Additional Testing of English Proficiency
Congratulations on being admitted as a student to University of Central Missouri! One of the most important factors in your success as an international student at Central is your ability to communicate effectively in English with your professors and classmates.
When considering a student for admission, the university considers several factors in the student’s application. One factor, which is considered for international students, is their score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum score required by Central is 500/173/61 (paper/computer/Internet) for undergraduates and 550/213/79 (paper/computer/Internet) or above for graduate students.
Although the TOEFL test measures students’ knowledge of English in listening, grammar, and reading comprehension, it does not evaluate their ability to express their own ideas in spoken and written English. Therefore, when a student receives a score of 500 or 550 or above, these scores do not mean that the student has demonstrated all of the language skills in English that are needed to succeed in university studies in the U.S. some students may need additional study in English.
For that reason, many new international students at University of Central Missouri must take two additional tests after arriving on campus. Each test requires students to communicate in English about everyday topics or events. These tests do not examine students’ factual knowledge about the world. The purpose of each test is to evaluate students’ ability to use English to communicate clearly with English speaking students and professors in the United States.
This testing of international students’ spoken and written English takes place during the orientation program for new international students that is held each semester during the week before classes begin. Therefore, it is very important that you arrive in Warrensburg in time to rest up from your trip before you take the tests. The two tests together take approximately an hour and a half. Once you receive your test results, you can enroll in classes.
If you are successful on both tests, you will not be required to take any additional English as a second language (ESL) courses ** at University of Central Missouri. However, if your scores indicate that you would benefit from further ESL study you will be required to enroll in either a three credit course that will help you develop your English conversation and listening skills or a three credit course for developing your English writing skills. You must enroll in these courses during your first semester on campus. Each of these courses is designed to offer you practical assistance in developing your ability to communicate in English. Those undergraduate international students who test out of ESL courses must still satisfy all General Study requirements at the university (for example, the composition and literature courses that all undergraduate students at Central are required to take). Generally English courses taken outside the United States—in countries where English is not the native language—will not satisfy the English General Studies requirements.
Please understand that English courses taken at other universities or the results from other English tests will not be considered in this evaluation of your English language skills.
Some students will be exempt from the additional English testing. Those students include:
1) Students who have earned a TOEFL score or equivalent of 580 (paper-based), or 92 (Internet-based).
2) Students
from countries defined as having English as the primary official language of education.
3) Students who have earned an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree from a university in a country in which English is the native language, including all universities inside the United States.
4) Students who have earned a minimum of 30 regular semester hours (US equivalent) from a US university. Hours earned from an Intensive English Program are not counted toward the 30 hour requirement.
5) Graduate students (Except those majoring in TESL).
| Country | TOEFL Required to Apply | Speak and Essay Test Required at Orientation |
| Algeria | Yes | Yes |
| Angola | Yes | Yes |
| Anguilla | Yes | Yes |
| Argentina | Yes | Yes |
| Australia | No | No |
| Austria | Yes | Yes |
| Azerbaijan | Yes | Yes |
| Bahamas, The | No | No |
| Bahrain | Yes | Yes |
| Bangladesh | Yes | Yes |
| Barbados | No | No |
| Belarus | Yes | Yes |
| Belgium | Yes | Yes |
| Belize | Yes | Yes |
| Bolivia | Yes | Yes |
| Botswana | No | Yes |
| Brazil | Yes | Yes |
| Bulgaria | Yes | Yes |
| Burkina Faso | Yes | Yes |
| Burma | Yes | Yes |
| Cambodia | Yes | Yes |
| Cameroon | No | Yes |
| Canada | No | No |
| Chad | Yes | Yes |
| China | Yes | Yes |
| Colombia | Yes | Yes |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of The | Yes | Yes |
| Croatia | Yes | Yes |
| Cyprus | Yes | Yes |
| Czech Republic | Yes | Yes |
| Denmark | Yes | Yes |
| Ecuador | Yes | Yes |
| Egypt | Yes | Yes |
| Ethiopia | Yes | Yes |
| Finland | Yes | Yes |
| France | Yes | Yes |
| Gambia, The | No | Yes |
| Gaza Strip | Yes | Yes |
| Germany | Yes | Yes |
| Ghana | No | Yes |
| Greece | Yes | Yes |
| Grenada | Yes | Yes |
| Honduras | Yes | Yes |
| Hong Kong | Yes | Yes |
| Hungary | Yes | Yes |
| Iceland | Yes | Yes |
| India | Yes | Yes |
| Indonesia | Yes | Yes |
| Iran | Yes | Yes |
| Iraq | Yes | Yes |
| Israel | Yes | Yes |
| Italy | Yes | Yes |
| Jamaica | No | No |
| Japan | Yes | Yes |
| Jordan | Yes | Yes |
| Kazakhstan | Yes | Yes |
| Kenya | No | Yes |
| Kuwait | Yes | Yes |
| Laos | Yes | Yes |
| Lebanon | Yes | Yes |
| Liberia | No | Yes |
| Malawi | Yes | Yes |
| Malaysia | Yes | Yes |
| Mali | Yes | Yes |
| Mauritania | Yes | Yes |
| Mexico | Yes | Yes |
| Moldova | Yes | Yes |
| Mongolia | Yes | Yes |
| Morocco | Yes | Yes |
| Nepal | Yes | Yes |
| Netherlands | Yes | Yes |
| New Zealand | No | No |
| Nigeria | No | Yes |
| Norway | Yes | Yes |
| Oman | Yes | Yes |
| Pakistan | Yes | Yes |
| Panama | Yes | Yes |
| Peru | Yes | Yes |
| Philippines | Yes | Yes |
| Poland | Yes | Yes |
| Romania | Yes | Yes |
| Russia | Yes | Yes |
| Rwanda | Yes | Yes |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | No | No |
| Saudi Arabia | Yes | Yes |
| Senegal | Yes | Yes |
| Serbia | Yes | Yes |
| Sierra Leone | No | Yes |
| Singapore | Yes | Yes |
| Slovakia | Yes | Yes |
| Somalia | Yes | Yes |
| South Africa | Yes | Yes |
| South Korea | Yes | Yes |
| Spain | Yes | Yes |
| Sri Lanka | Yes | Yes |
| Sudan | Yes | Yes |
| Sweden | Yes | Yes |
| Syria | Yes | Yes |
| Taiwan | Yes | Yes |
| Tanzania | No | Yes |
| Thailand | Yes | Yes |
| Togo | Yes | Yes |
| Trinidad & Tobago | No | Yes |
| Tunisia | Yes | Yes |
| Turkey | Yes | Yes |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | No | No |
| Uganda | No | Yes |
| Ukraine | Yes | Yes |
| United Arab Emirates | Yes | Yes |
| United Kingdom | No | No |
| Uzbekistan | Yes | Yes |
| Venezuela | Yes | Yes |
| Vietnam | Yes | Yes |
| West Bank | Yes | Yes |
| Yemen | Yes | Yes |
| Zambia | No | Yes |
| Zimbabwe | No | Yes |
