English Language Requirements
There is no minimum English level required for admission to an academic program (University Transfer/Associate Degree or University Foundation program) at Columbia College. However, all new students must demonstrate their ability in English before they register and start classes, and students with a lower level of English will be scheduled for non-credit English classes before or during their academic studies at Columbia College.
To demonstrate your English ability, you must do one of the following:
- Take the Columbia College Language & Writing Assessment (LWA) on arrival at Columbia College, before you register in classes
- Present minimum external standardized English test scores
- Present minimum required scores in English 12 or Communications 12 in British Columbia
- Present minimum required scores in first-year English taken at another college or at university in British Columbia, listed in the British Columbia Transfer Guide
Students may be placed in university transfer (credit) English, university preparatory (non-credit) English, or (non-credit) ESL on the basis of Columbia College’s Language and Writing Assessment (LWA) or on the basis of acceptable minimum TOEFL, IELTS, CAEL or LPI results. If you take the LWA and also present minimum external test results (as listed below), we will place you according to whichever score is better. We do not accept external tests written more than two years before you register at the college.
To be placed on the basis of an external english test score, new students must present minimum scores in IELTS, TOEFL, or other test listed:
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English 101 & English Literature
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English 100 or English 11 or English 12
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Writing 099
(Placement via C- in English 099 only)
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English 099 or Communications 12
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English 098 or Communications 11
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ESL 097 | ESL <097 |
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IELTS (Academic)
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Overall Band 6.5 and Writing Band 6.0
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Overall Band 6.0 and Writing Band 6.0
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Overall Band 5.5 and Writing Band 5.5
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Overall Band 5.5 and Writing Band 5.0
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CAEL
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≥70 & Writing 65
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60-69 & Writing 60
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50-59 & Writing 50
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40-49 & Writing 45
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LPI
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5
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4, Essay 25/40 & 50% on each of the three components
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3, Essay 20/40 & 50% on each of the three components
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3, Essay 20/40 & 50% on one of the three components
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LWA
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6
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5
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3
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2
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1
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MELAB
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83
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79
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75
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72
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TOEFL CBT
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230 & Essay Rating 4.5
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213 & Essay Rating 4.0
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197 & Essay Rating 3.5
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180
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TOEFL PBT
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570 & TWE 4.5
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550 & TWE 4.0
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530 & TWE 3.5
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510
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TOEFL iBT
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Writing
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21
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19
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16
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14
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12 | <12 | |
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plus two of:
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plus two of:
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plus two of:
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plus two of:
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plus two of: | ||
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Reading
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21
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19
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17
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15
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13 | <13 | |
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Listening
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21
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19
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17
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15
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13 | <13 | |
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Speaking
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21
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19
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16
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14
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12 | <12 | |
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Total
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88
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79
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71
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64
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57 | <57 |
Students placing at English 100, 101 or literature level may take a course load of 3, 4 or 5 transferable (credit) courses. English 098 and 099 and Writing 099 are non-credit university preparatory courses; a student at one of these levels combines non-credit English with transferable (credit) university courses. ESL 097 students take full-time ESL studies or full-time ESL studies with one transferable (credit) university course.
Students with listed minimum grades in English 12 or Communications 12 in British Columbia do not need to take any further English testing before registering in a University Transfer program.
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English 101 & English Literature
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English 100
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Writing 099
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English 12
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Final grade 67% with, 70% without, provincial exam
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Final grade 50% with, 55% without, provincial exam
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—
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Communications 12
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—
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C or better
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C-
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