On March 12, 2025, Graduate Council approved the following revisions to section 5a of the Application Requirements policy, updating the conditions under which tests of English proficiency may be waived for admissions purposes.
i. Applicants who have received degrees from non-U.S. accredited institutions in countries where English is not the primary/official language are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Applicants must submit scores on the TOEFL (minimum overall score of 80 with at least 20 on speaking and writing) or IELTS (minimum overall band-width of 6.5, with no single band score below 6.0), or complete Level 6 of the UGA Intensive English Program. i. Applicants who have received degrees from accredited institutions in the US or from institutions in countries where English is the primary language are not required to submit the TOEFL or IELTS.
ii. Students who are currently enrolled and have been enrolled at least one year at a regionally accredited U.S. institution, may have the English language proficiency requirement waived if their work shows a strong quality of performance.
iii. Students who may seek a teaching assistantship while enrolled student must follow UGA TA Policy which has specific requirements for demonstrating English proficiency in order to be eligible to teach or assist with instruction. In addition, some graduate programs may require the TOEFL or IELTS regardless of previous educational experience.
