University of Houston-Victoria


 

ENGLISH REQUIREMENT

English proficiency:    For applicants whose first or native language is not English and/or whose education language of instruction has not been English language only, a valid, official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam score of a minimum 79 iBT exam is required, and must be on file before admission will be approved. Photocopies are not acceptable. You will need to request an official report to be sent directly to the University of Houston-Victoria. The UHV school code for TOEFL is 6917.

Some programs at UHV may require higher TOEFL minimum scores.  Please check with the academic school regarding English proficiency requirements for entry into the program you desire.  Minimum TOEFL score requirement for nursing applicants is 89.

Institutional TOEFL:    The TOEFL exam is administered on selected dates every year at locations around the world. In addition to these international TOEFL exams, individual institutions such as the University of Houston are also authorized to administer the TOEFL exam. This TOEFL is referred to as an institutional or Satellite TOEFL. It is essentially the same in content as the international TOEFL exam but may only be recognized by the institutions that administer them. UHV will recognize institutional TOEFL exams taken at one of the University of Houston System campuses. Interested applicants should contact the UHV Office of Admissions and Records.

Exceptions:    The TOEFL exam minimum score may be waived for students if they:

  1. Have completed nine semester hours of lower division English in an accredited US college or university, three of which must be in composition and three in literature, or
  2. Have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher in an accredited US college or university or
  3. Have completed the equivalent of at least three years full-time study at a recognized secondary school, college or university whose primary language of instruction is English, or
  4. Have completed the highest level of intensive English study, and are recommended for academic study by an English Language Institute recognized by the University of Houston-Victoria.
  5. Have submitted an official score report from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with minimum score of 6.5.

Under certain conditions, applicants who are required to submit TOEFL scores may be tested again.

Applicants who have earned a high school diploma (attending at least three full years), Associates degree (completion of three years full-time study), Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited U.S. high school, college or university are exempted from the English proficiency requirement.  Completion of the GED does not waive the English proficiency requirement.  Exemptions are made by UHV staff on an individual case basis after review of official documents. 

Applicants who have completed the equivalent of a high school education or the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree in one of the following countries are exempted from the English proficiency requirement.
Australia
Canada (except the province of Quebec)
Commonwealth Caribbean Countries

  • Anguilla
  • The Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • The British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Jamaica
  • Montserrat
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent & the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands

New Zealand
United Kingdom:

  • England
  • Northern Ireland
  • Scotland
  • Wales