Tests
Tips for test registration and reporting:
- Register early to maximize the chances of scheduling preferred test dates and times.
- Use your legal name as stated on your passport or birth certificate when registering for your exams and when completing the online application, to prevent a delay in matching your test scores to your application. If you have previously attended the university, make sure that your information also matches with Ann Arbor campus records.
GRE
GRE general test scores are no longer included in the admissions process for Rackham’s doctoral programs. (More information available.)
However, some master’s degree programs do require GRE general test scores. Consult your graduate program website for information about submitting scores. Contact information is listed in our Programs of Study. Each master’s degree program sets its own policy. If GRE scores are required, send them to institution code 1839. Scores are valid for five years from the test date.
TOEFL, ECPE, IELTS, and MET
Rackham English Proficiency Requirements
Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. One way to do so is to meet one of the criteria for an exemption listed below.
If an applicant does not meet one of the criteria below, they may be required by the graduate program to submit scores from tests, like TOEFL, ECPE, IELTS, or MET. Language test scores are valid two years from the test date (example: 12/15/2023 scores are valid until 12/15/2025). The official scores must be received from the testing agency no later than the graduate program application deadline.
Photocopies and/or faxes of English proficiency scores will not be accepted.
| Description of Test | Assessment Provider | Speaking Test | Minimum Overall Score | Submission of Test Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT Including ITP Plus and TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition | Educational Testing Service | Yes | 84 | TOEFL scores are sent by ETS electronically to institution code: 1839 |
| TOEFL iBT Paper Test | Educational Testing Service | No | An overall score is not provided for this test. Minimum section scores: Reading = 23; Listening = 23; Writing = 21 | TOEFL scores are sent by ETS electronically to institution code: 1839 |
| MET | Michigan Language Assessments | Yes | 4-Skill test; minimum Overall score = 59 | Scores are mailed directly to the Rackham Graduate School from the testing agency. Mailing address: Rackham Graduate School, 915 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1070 |
| IELTS Including IELTS At Home | Cambridge English/IDP/British Council, United Kingdom |
Academic version | 6.5 | Official IELTS scores are sent electronically to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. IELTS one skill retake accepted. |
| ECPE | Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments | Yes | Certificate of Proficiency | Scores must be sent directly to the Rackham Graduate School from the testing agency. Mailing address: Rackham Graduate School, 915 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1070 |
Rackham English Proficiency Exemptions
You qualify for an exemption from taking an English proficiency examination if one of the following criteria are met:
- You are a native speaker of English.
- You are an applicant from Puerto Rico.
- You completed all of your undergraduate education and earned an undergraduate degree at an institution where the language of instruction is English only. Undergraduate degree requirements must be completed before the start of classes at U-M.
- You completed all of your graduate education and earned a graduate degree at an institution where the language of instruction is English only. Graduate degree requirements must be completed before the start of classes at U-M.
- You are a current U-M student.
Does not meet an English proficiency exemption:
- A one year graduate degree.
- If you completed a Master’s degree that was strictly research and no academic classes. This type of Master’s degree is generally awarded at a non-U.S. institution.
Applicants self-assess if they qualify for an English exception at the time of application. Applicants that are recommended for admission will have their files reviewed and will be notified if they do not meet an exception.
Applicants are required to upload the front and back of their transcript. Most universities indicate the language of the institution on the back of the transcript. If it is not indicated on the transcript, applicants can submit a letter from the Registrar’s Office, or equivalent, on university letterhead confirming the language of instruction. When applying, please upload documents confirming the language of instruction along with your transcript document(s).
Examples of meeting the English Proficiency Exemption criteria:
- You completed the last three years of your undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan, and in addition, earned a Master’s degree that was one and one-half years in duration at the University of London.
- You completed the last two years of your undergraduate degree at the University of Melbourne, and in addition, earned a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan.
An example of not meeting the English Proficiency Exemption criteria:
- You completed two years of an undergraduate degree program at an overseas institution where the medium of instruction is a language other than English. You then transferred to an institution where all classes are taught exclusively in English and earned a degree from that institution.
Graduate Program English Proficiency Requirements
Some graduate programs require higher language scores than the Rackham Graduate School or English proficiency scores from all non-native speakers of English regardless of their previous educational experience. Consult your graduate program website for any additional test requirements and submission deadlines. Contact information is listed in our Programs of Study.