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:
- If the applicant is a citizen of a country where the recognized language is English.
- 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.
- If the applicant graduates and receives a high school diploma from an accredited school 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.
- If the applicant received an undergraduate degree (bachelor's or associate) or graduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution or a country where the native language is English.
- If the applicant is transferring to Northwest from another college/university with institutional accreditation 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.
- If the applicant has completed the English exam (first language) on International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or O Levels with a grade of B or higher.
- If the applicant has scored a 5 or higher on the International Baccalaureate (IB) English: Language & Literature HL exam.
- If the applicant intends to be non-degree seeking at Northwest and/or is visiting from another college or university.