CSU is considering changing how international undergraduate applicants demonstrate English proficiency, not whether they must demonstrate it. The proposed policy would replace the system's TOEFL-only rule with a choice of approved measures, while continuing to require applicants to show they can manage coursework taught in English.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Dilcie Perez proposed the admissions-policy amendment, which would affect international applicants across the 23-campus system. Perez said the amendment would neither eliminate nor lower the English-language proficiency requirement, according to the same report. CSU officials told the paper the current TOEFL mandate creates unnecessary regulatory limitations and barriers for applicants, and that it is outdated and no longer reflects current English-proficiency assessment methods.
How Applicants Meet the Current Standard
Under the existing policy, undergraduate applicants educated in a language other than English must take the TOEFL to prove they can read, write and speak the language, per the Sacramento Bee's reporting. Applicants without at least three years of secondary education taught in English must demonstrate proficiency sufficient to participate successfully in and benefit from university-level study. CSU currently sets a minimum TOEFL score of 500 on the paper-based exam or 61 on the internet version for undergraduate applicants.
The system's rationale for requiring English proficiency is that most CSU classes are taught in English, the report says. ETS administers the TOEFL, which is available year-round at testing centers worldwide and recognized by more than 13,500 institutions across 160 countries, according to ETS figures cited by the Bee. The outlet also reported that ETS fees vary by country, ranging from $170 in Ukraine and Nigeria to $475 in Switzerland.
What the Proposal Would Change
If approved, the amendment would let undergraduates choose from multiple English-proficiency measures, including options already used elsewhere, according to CSU officials cited by the Bee. Campuses could set higher minimum scores based on factors such as the availability of English-as-a-second-language instruction and student demand. They could also consider exceptions when applicants provide other evidence of English competence. The proposal's stated purpose is to update the policy and reduce obstacles related to test access and cost.
Some Campuses Already List Alternatives
Cal State East Bay's international admissions requirements list IELTS, Duolingo, Pearson and Michigan English Test scores as options, with separate minimums for undergraduate and graduate applicants. This is a campus-specific policy and does not establish which measures are accepted systemwide.
The 25-member CSU Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on the amendment at its next meeting in November, according to the proposal cited in the report. International students account for about 2.5% of CSU's more than 470,000 students, a proportion that has fallen over the past decade, the Bee reported.
A Separate Testing Debate at UC
The University of California system is separately considering whether to require standardized tests for all undergraduate applicants again, with a decision expected by June, the Bee reported. UC removed the SAT/ACT requirement from admissions in 2020. Critics of reinstating it have said standardized testing could disadvantage students from marginalized communities, according to the report.
UC international applicants already have several ways to demonstrate English proficiency. The Bee reported that these include minimum scores on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate high-school exams, as well as the IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo English Test, ACT or SAT. That range offers a comparison for the options CSU is considering, though UC's policy does not establish what CSU campuses currently accept.
