Exam Requirements
In addition to meeting the same admission requirements domestic students must meet, international applicants must also demonstrate proficiency in English. There are two ways to meet this English language proficiency requirement:
- Prior Education – You have earned, or are in the process of earning, a four-year bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution in a country listed below where English is BOTH the official language AND the language of instruction. Applicants who meet this requirement do not need to submit English Language Proficiency test scores.
- If you are in the process of earning your degree, you must have completed at least one year of full-time study at an accredited institution in a country below where English is both the official language and the language of instruction.
- If you have earned, or are in the process of earning, a four-year bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution in a country where English is not the official language but is the language of instruction, you must obtain official documentation that English is the primary language of instruction of the degree-granting institution. Please have the institution send the documentation directly to [email protected].
- Additionally, the program to which you are applying must also be willing to waive the current English language requirement. Please note that each program at UCSF handles its own admissions and requirements and can require you to submit English language test scores to demonstrate English proficiency for their admission requirements.
- An application waiver of the English language requirement will not necessarily waive the English language requirement for admission to UCSF.
- Exam Score – You have obtained the following minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – administered by ETS – or the IELTS, the International English Language Testing System. Test scores are valid from these institutions for a maximum of two years from the test date. The test scores must be valid on the application deadline date for the program to which you are applying.
English language test results must be received at the time of application. Please send only electronic test results.
Countries in which English is an Official Language
English Language Proficiency Tests
| Test Type | Minimum Score | UCSF Code |
|---|---|---|
| paper-based TOEFL | 550 | 4840 | (No department code is required. All scores sent electronically are submitted to the same account) |
| internet-based TOEFL iBT | 80 | 4840 | (No department code is required. All scores sent electronically are submitted to the same account.) |
| IELTS Academic (also online) | 7 | Select University of California, San Francisco - Graduate Division |
| computer-based TOEFL | Not accepted | |
| IELTS General Training | Not accepted | |
| TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition | Not accepted | |
| MyBest TOEFL | Not accepted | |
| TOEFL ITP Plus for China | Not accepted | |
| Duolingo | Not accepted |
International Transcripts
Unofficial transcripts are permitted during the application phase only. Once you have been granted admission to UCSF, any transcripts you submitted in support of your application from institutions outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by one of the approved evaluators below. All are accredited third-party credential evaluation service.
It is the student's responsibility to provide UCSF with an official transcript evaluation report. Your program cannot do this for you.
| Evaluator | Minimum Requirement |
Price* (as of spring 2023) |
Sending Method | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education Credential Evaluators (ECE) | General with GPA or Course-by-Course | $130-$195+ | Automatically received upon sending to University of California, San Francisco Graduate Division. | Our admission system will automatically receive your evaluation and match your account based on the following data points: First/Last Name, Email, Date of Birth. Please ensure you are using the same credentials on your application account. |
| International Education Evaluations (IEE) |
Document Report or Education Course Report
|
$145+ 3-day turnaround (Special UCSF discount when using the link at the left.) |
Automatically received upon sending to University of California, San Francisco Graduate Division. | Our admission system will automatically receive your evaluation and match your account based on the following data points: First/Last Name, Email, Date of Birth. Please ensure you are using the same credentials on your application account. |
| World Education Services (WES) | Course-by-Course | $170+ | Automatically received upon sending to University of California, San Francisco Graduate Division. | Our admission system will automatically receive your evaluation and match your account based on the following data points: First/Last Name, Email, Date of Birth. Please ensure you are using the same credentials on your application account. |
*Evaluators control evaluation prices which are subject to change without notice to UCSF.
Deadlines: Most programs require the evaluation to be submitted to UCSF by the mid-point of the first term the student is enrolled. Some graduate programs may require an evaluation at the time of application. Take care to consult your individual graduate program's admission requirements and deadlines. If you do not provide UCSF with an official evaluation by the required deadline, you will not be allowed to enroll in subsequent terms.
Submitting your evaluation: Do not email or send physical copies of your evaluation through the mail. We accept electronic transfers only, and each approved service above automatically transmits your evaluation to our admission system after you have made the transfer request.
Translations: International transcripts that are translated into English from another language may be used only to make preliminary admission decisions. UCSF still requires a professional evaluation of your transcript to be performed by one of the approved evaluators listed above.
Financial Support and VISA Requirements
International students who are accepted for admission must provide evidence of sufficient financial resources to support their study at UCSF.
The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) is responsible for providing visa services and advising international students on issues such as immigration and employment. Although international students may be approved for admission based on academic criteria, the ISSO cannot issue a certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant student status until the applicant provides evidence of sufficient financial resources.
Admitted international students are required to complete the "Confidential Financial Statement." A link to this form is provided with the electronic notification of admission. If the financial statement indicates that the student has sufficient resources to attend UCSF, the certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant student status will be mailed to the applicant. Further information for international students may be found on the ISSO website.
