English Language Exam Score
An official score report for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required of all international applicants. Official score reports must be two years old or less from the time you submit your online application in order to be considered.
Official scores can be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions, grads@sandiego.edu, school code: 4849.
Minimum IETLS Score Requirement
Test Type |
TOEFL Minimum Score |
TOEFL Minimum for PhD in EDSJ* |
Internet-Based |
83 |
91 |
Computer-Based |
237 |
233 |
Paper-Based |
580 |
577 |
Minimum TOEFL Score Requirement
|
IELTS Minimum |
IELTS Minimum for PhD in EDSJ* |
Band Score |
7 |
7.5 |
*PhD in Education for Social Justice Program
Waiving out of the English Language Exam requirement:
The English Language Exam requirement may only be waived if you have earned a 4-year bachelor's degree or 2-year master's degree, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, from an institution where English is the official language of instruction. Waiver requests based on living or working in an English-language context, or based on educational pursuits that resulted in less than the conferral of a 4-year bachelor's or 2-year master's degree, will not be accepted.
Waivers are not automatically applied; all waivers must be requested. Waivers are granted on a one-by-one basis for a specific program and term. Obtaining a waiver is not guaranteed under any circumstances.
To request a waiver of the English Language Exam requirement:
- Submit the Online Application. Your waiver request will not be considered until we receive your Online Application.
- Submit your official transcript or official course-by-course international transcript evaluation showing proof of your bachelor's and/or master's degree having been earned at an institution where English is the language of instruction. Please be aware that if you attended a foreign institution, that institution must clearly state on their website that English is the language of instruction. If no such statement is posted, you will need to obtain an official verification letter from that institution confirming English as the language of instruction, and submit it as part of your application for admission.
- Once you have submitted both your Online Application and your official transcript(s)/evidence of degree earned at an institution where English is the language of instruction, please email the program you are applying to in order to request the waiver. Your waiver request must be supported by the program you are applying to before it can be reviewed.
SOLES Graduate Pathway Program
If your TOEFL or IELTS score is below the minimum required for admission, you can explore the SOLES Graduate Pathway Program - an opportunity for qualified applicants to pursue conditional admission via our partnership with USD's English Language Academy.