When should I take the TOEFL/IELTS?

You should take the TOEFL/IELTS in time to be able to have the results submitted at the time of your application. To find out more about when TOEFL/IELTS examinations are scheduled at a test site near you, please consult the TOEFL and IELTS web sites.

I attended a U.S. high school for two years. Do I have to take the TOEFL/IELTS?

Yes, you must take the TOEFL or the IELTS.

I don't have the required TOEFL/IELTS score. Can I retake the TOEFL/IELTS once I arrive in the U.S.?

No. The fulfillment of the English language requirement is a University requirement for admission. If your TOEFL/IELTS score does not meet the requirement, the Office of International Affairs cannot issue you a visa document, and your admission may be revoked, if it was offered conditionally on meeting the requirement. It is imperative that you retake the test right away.

I have taken the GRE/GMAT. Do I have to take the TOEFL/IELTS?

Yes, you do. While the GRE/GMAT may be significant elements of your application to the University of Chicago, they do not specifically address your English language proficiency. So you have to take the TOEFL or IELTS and submit the results along with your other test results, unless you meet one of our waiver requirements.

I have taken the TOEFL/IELTS and have earned the required scores. Do I still need to take the GRE?

If the program you are applying to requires the GRE, yes, you do. The TOEFL/IELTS and the GRE test very different things and are not taken in lieu of each other. That means, if you have taken the TOEFL/IELTS, you must still take the GRE. If you are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS, you must nevertheless take the GRE.

I have worked in the U.S. for more than two years. Does that mean that I am exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement?

No, you must take the TOEFL or IELTS. The University's policy stipulates that individuals who have been in school in the U.S. for at least one year within the past ten years are exempt from having to take the TOEFL/IELTS, but employment does not meet that requirement.

I took the TOEFL in 2021 and I am applying for the fall of 2023. Can I still use those TOEFL results?

Yes, since the TOEFL is valid for two years you can still use those results.

I will complete a one-year, full-time degree granting program in one of the waiver-eligible countries by the time I would start a program at UChicago. Am I eligible for a waiver of the English proficiency requirement?

No. To be eligible for a waiver you must have completed one academic-year in a degree-granting program at a school in one of the waiver-eligible countries by the time you apply.

I still have some questions regarding my English language proficiency. Whom should I contact?

Please contact us at gradadmissions@uchicago.edu.