Information and resources for

Prospective Students

Language

Requirements

All international applicants are required to submit an official and current TOEFL or IELTS score report, with the following exceptions:

• those from a English-speaking country and having an educational background in an English-speaking school system;
• those transferring from an approved U.S. institution with 30 or more credit hours and acceptable GPA;
• those with a degree from an accredited English-language university in the U.S. or another English-speaking country or a diploma from a U.S. high school; or
• those currently enrolled in an approved intensive English program at an American university or language school (any admission in this case would be ‘tentative’ and require the CITE Placement Test and possible placement into English classes upon arrival at NMSU, see 'Tentative Admission,' below).

The required TOEFL scores for regular NMSU admission:

• 61 on the iBT, 173 on the CBT, or 500 on the paper-based test for applicants to undergraduate degree programs.
• 71 on the iBT, 197 on the CBT or 530 on the paper-based test for applicants to graduate degree programs**

**Some graduate degree programs reserve the right to require higher TOEFL/IELTS standards.

The required IELTS scores for regular NMSU admission:

• 5.0 overall for undergraduate applicants.
• 6.0 for graduate applicants.

Applicants may be admitted to NMSU with scores lower than those above, but admission in such cases will be either ‘tentative’ or ‘provisional:’

Tentative Admission (if TOEFL is below 500 PBT, 61 iBT or IELTS 5.0), requiring additional testing (the CITE Placement Test) upon arrival at NMSU and placement into NMSU’s intensive English program (CITE) on a part or full-time basis.

Provisional Admission (if TOEFL is between 500 and 530 PBT or equivalent for graduate students), requiring additional testing (the NMSU Academic English Placement Test, or AEPT) and possible placement into English communication classes, termed ‘Academic English Courses for International Students.’

TOEFL and IELTS Registration Information:

Please view www.toefl.org for testing dates, registration, and other test information. IELTS information can be found at www.ielts.org.