Language Proficiency Requirements
International Students’ Language Proficiency Requirements
Minimum language proficiency requirements
Applicants are required to submit a language proficiency certificate that meets the minimum language proficiency requirements in their degree program applications.
Programs Conducted in Chinese
If you are applying for a program that is conducted in Chinese, you will need to submit a Chinese proficiency certificate at CEFR A2 (Waystage) or above (Chinese Proficiency Test Comparison Chart).
For example:
- Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL): Band A Level 2
- Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK): Level 4
If you have not obtained a Chinese-language proficiency certificate at TOCFL Level 2, you may refer to Conditional Admission.
Programs Conducted in English
If you are applying for a program that is conducted in English (including English-taught programs and programs with sufficient English courses to satisfy graduation requirements), you will need to submit an English proficiency certificate at CEFR B2 (Vantage) or above (please refer to English Proficiency Test Comparison Chart).
Language Proficiency Required by Each Department
The language proficiency required by each department may vary. Specific requirements of each department/graduate institute can be found at Application Requirements for International Degree Students.
Should the applicants meet the minimum language proficiency requirements, but fall short of the department’s or graduate institute’s requirements, the department or graduate institute committee reserves the right to reject admission, grant admission offer, or grant a conditional admission offer.
Chinese conditional admission offer
If an international student accepts a Chinese conditional admission offer, he or she will have to first study a Chinese language program at the Chinese Language Division (CLD) and obtain a Chinese proficiency certificate at the designated level or above in order to be accepted for enrollment. The Chinese conditional admission offer will remain valid for at most 1 year, and will be cancelled if he or she fails to provide such documents within the 1 year time frame.
English conditional admission offer
If an international student accepts an English conditional admission offer, he or she will have to submit an English proficiency certificate at the designated level or above in order to be accepted for enrollment. The English conditional admission offer will remain valid for at most 1 year, and will be cancelled if he or she fails to provide such documents within the 1 year time frame.
Exemption from Submitting Language Proficiency Certificates
Applicants that meet any one of the following criteria are exempted from providing certificates of language proficiency.
Programs Conducted in Chinese:
Applicants applying to a program conducted in Chinese do not need to provide a certificate of language proficiency if:
Programs Conducted in English:
Applicants applying to a program conducted in English (including English-taught programs and programs with sufficient English courses to satisfy graduation requirements) do not need to provide a certificate of language proficiency if:
Overseas Chinese/Hong Kong and Macao Students’ Language Proficiency Requirements
Recommendation by Overseas High Schools
Applicants are required to submit a language proficiency certificate that meets the minimum language proficiency requirements in their degree program applications.
Programs Conducted in Chinese
If you are applying for a program that is conducted in Chinese, you will need to submit a Chinese proficiency certificate at CEFR A2 (Waystage) or above (Chinese Proficiency Test Comparison Chart).
Accepted proofs of Chinese proficiency are as follows:
- Chinese Proficiency Certificates
- Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) Band A Level 2 or above
- Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Level 4 or above
- Graduation Certificates from a Chinese-Medium High School
Besides your graduation certificate, you will also have to provide school-issued relevant documentation stating that Chinese is the medium of instruction of your high school - Self-Statements Written in Chinese
Your self-statement has to be written in Chinese, and should include a description of your daily use of Chinese, learning progress, and LSRW skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing)
If you have not obtained a Chinese-language proficiency certificate at TOCFL Level 2, you may consider applying to Conditional Admission.
Programs Conducted in English
If you are applying for a program that is conducted in English, you will need to submit an English proficiency certificate at CEFR B2 (Vantage) or above (please refer to English Proficiency Test Comparison Chart).
Accepted proofs of English proficiency are as follows:
- English Proficiency Certificates
- TOEFL (iBT) 71 or above
- IELTS 5.5 or above
- TOEIC 750 or above
- Certificates of High School Taught in English
If your high school is fully taught in English, please provide school-issued relevant documentation stating that English is the medium of instruction of your high school. - High School Graduation Certificate
If your high school’s graduation certificate was from an English-speaking country, please provide your graduation certificate. - Passport (for applicants from English-speaking countries)
If you are from an English-speaking country, please provide your passport.
English conditional admission offer
Overseas students who are academically qualified for admission to NTU but with no English language proficiency or below the required language level (CEFR B2) may first be granted conditional admission.
If an overseas student accepts an English conditional admission offer, he or she will have to submit an English proficiency certificate at the designated level or above in order to be accepted for enrollment. The English conditional admission offer will remain valid for at most 1 year, and will be cancelled if he or she fails to provide such documents within the 1 year time frame.
Applications through University Entrance Committee for Overseas Chinese Students (UECOCS)
United Distribution
The united distribution application method does not have any minimum language proficiency requirements.
Individual Application
Overseas Chinese students applying for an undergraduate or graduate program through the individual application can find out more about the language proficiency requirements of each department at the UECOCS application quota webpage.
Mainland Chinese Students’ Language Proficiency Requirements
Requirements vary depending on each department or graduate institute. Mainland Chinese students are advised to refer to the University Entrance Committee for Mainland Chinese Students website to find out more about the language proficiency requirements of each department or graduate institute.