Applicants who do not use English as their language of everyday use must demonstrate the ability to be successful in an English-medium academic curriculum. This helps to ensure a student's success both academically and socially. USC Aiken accepts the TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo exams to demonstrate English proficiency for those students for whom English is not their language of everyday use. Students must meet at least one of the requirements to be considered for admission. Score results must be sent directly to USC Aiken Admissions from the testing agency to be considered official. Scores provided by students are unofficial and cannot be used to make an official admission decision.

A waiver for this requirement is automatically granted to students from countries where English is the native language and/or the official language for academic instruction. English proficiency tests are not required if the applicant's native country is one of the following:

TOEFL Paper Based Test (PBT)

Regular Admission - A student must receive a score of 551 or better.

Provisional Admission - Students that receive a score between 500-550 may be admitted but will be required to take English 110, III, or both, English as a Second Language, in their first semester of attendance.  Placement for provisional admission will be based off your Band scores.

TOEFL Internet Based Test (IBT)

Regular Admission - A student must receive a score of 80 or better.

Provisional Admission - Students that receive a score between 61-79 may be admitted but will be required to take English 110, III, or both, English as a Second Language, in their first semester of attendance.  Placement for provisional admission will be based off your Band scores.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Regular Admission - A student must receive a score of 6.0 or better.

Provisional Admission - Students that receive a score between 5.5 - 6.0 may be admitted but will be required to take English 110, III, or both, English as a Second Language, in their first semester of attendance.  Placement for provisional admission will be based off your Band scores.

Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic)

Regular Admission – A student must receive a score of 53 or higher

Provisional Admission – Students that receive a score between 42 – 52 may be admitted but will be required to take English 110, 111, or both, English as a Second Language, in their first semester of attendance. Placement for provisional admission will be based off your Band scores.

Duolingo English Test (DET)

Regular Admission – A student must receive a score of 105 or higher

Provisional Admission – Students that receive a score between 95 – 100 may be admitted but will be required to take English 110, 111, or both, English as a Second Language, in their first semester of attendance. Placement for provisional admission will be based off your Band scores.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

USC Aiken offers two English as a Second Language (ESL) courses (English 110 and 111) for newly admitted and currently enrolled students who would like to improve their language skills.  Some students may be required to take one or both of these classes as a condition of their acceptance.

For those students who must improve their English proficiency prior to enrolling at USC Aiken, an intensive English program is offered by the University of South Carolina English Programs for Internationals (EPI) on the USC Columbia campus.

Intensive English Program Partners

USC Aiken partners with a variety of Intensive English Programs (IEP) in the United States to provide access to a quality higher education experience to international students. As a premier 4-year university, USC Aiken offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, with a primary focus on baccalaureate degrees. International students who graduate from one of our partner institutions at the appropriate level, in all areas of that institution’s curriculum, are eligible to satisfy the English proficiency requirements for admission to USC Aiken in lieu of TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic test scores. USC Aiken has full confidence that graduation from one of our partner institutions has prepared the student with the necessary English language skills to succeed in the classroom at the university level.

 1.  The University of South Carolina- English Program For Internationals (EPI): Columbia, SC

• EPI provides 20 instructional hours per week to students offered at seven proficiency levels.
• http://www.epi.sc.edu
• Required Levels: 5 in Writing/Grammar, Reading/Vocabulary, and Speaking/Listening.

 2.  Agape English Language Institute: Columbia, SC and Greenville, SC

• At Agape, students study six levels of English, from beginner to proficient. Their curriculum is aligned with the Common European Framework Reference of Languages (CEFR).
• http://www.aeliusa.com/
• Required Levels: 5 in Speaking & Listening, Reading & Writing, and Grammar.

 3.  American Language Academy (ALA): Greensboro, NC

• ALA specializes in intensive academic English - Preparatory, Academic and Advanced Academic in seven different levels
• http://www.ala.edu
• Required Levels: 5 in Listening/Writing, Reading/Speaking, and Grammar in Communication.