Admissions  

English Language Proficiency

Official language

The official language of instruction at NAIT is English. As such, you will need to meet certain English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements for admission and to be successful in your studies. The Office of the Registrar may require applicants to provide additional documentation during the admissions process to prove English Language Proficiency.

The following details the ways through which you can prove your English proficiency meets NAIT requirements. You can also take this quick self-assessment to check whether you may satisfy ELP.

Take the free self-assessement

Previous academic study

Official transcripts showing previous academic studies in English must be submitted along with your application.

If you have completed 3 years of full-time consecutive academic studies where the language of instruction was in English from a country not included on the exempted country list, then a formal assessment, such as an ELP exam, is required. Please see approved ELP exams and assessments listed below.  

Download the list of exempted countries for the 2023-24 admissions cycle (pdf)

Full-time study for English Language Proficiency purposes is defined as successfully completing 3 courses per term for 6 terms over a span of 3 years.

Current high school students

Current Alberta high school students can request official transcripts and detailed academic reports to use as a proof of enrolment, or a myPass Letter through myPass. These documents can be used to prove ELP.

High school students who submit a proof of enrolment for English 30-1 or 30-2 can receive conditional acceptance based on completion of English 20-1 (or provincial equivalent) with a minimum grade of 70% or English 20-2 (or provincial equivalent) with a minimum grade of 75%.

English Language Arts completion

If you are applying to a NAIT credit program with a start date of Fall 2020 or later, the following courses completed in Canada can be used to prove ELP:

  • English Language Arts 30-1 (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of 65%
  • One university-level English Course (3 credits) with a minimum grade of 65%
  • One Grade 12 AP English course with a minimum grade of 65%
  • English Language Arts 30-2 (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of 70%
  • 2 CEGEP English 603/604 courses with a minimum grade of 65% (Quebec Students)

Read more about provincial equivalences to English Language Arts Requirements 

Please note: The Office of the Registrar reserves the right to request additional proof of English Language Proficiency through your MyNAIT Portal.

Canadian post-secondary graduates

If you have completed a 2-year diploma or higher at an accredited Canadian post-secondary institution, your official transcripts can be used to prove ELP. 

ELP Exams and other assessments

For applicants without 3 years of consecutive, full-time academic study in English, a formal assessment (such as an ELP exam) is required.

  • Exam results are valid for 2 years after the test date. Applicants will be assessed on the basis of their most recent English Language Proficiency results.
  • ESL Placement Exams are intended for students entering a NAIT ESL program. They cannot be used to prove English Language Proficiency when applying to most NAIT programs.
    • If your ESL Placement Exam is your most recent ELP assessment, it may still impact your application to other NAIT programs.
    • If you already meet the ELP requirements for your program, please speak to an advisor before taking an ESL Placement Exam at NAIT.
  • Accepted exams and scores vary by program. Find your program under the tabs below to see what tests are accepted and what scores are required.
  • When you register for an ELP exam, please select to have your exam results sent electronically to NAIT  – therefore NAIT can promptly process your exam results without courier delays. 
  • Students whose ELP is just below the ELP requirement for NAIT's credit programs may qualify for the ESL admissions pathway. 

Learn more about the ESL admissions pathway

ELP assessment tests 

ELP test scores will soon be changing

NAIT will be changing the accepted tests and minimum scores to make satisfying ELP requirements simpler for applicants. Please check the term and dates below to make sure you are reviewing the correct test scores for the term you applied to.

Applicants to Spring/Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 

Select your program below to know which ELP assessment tests are accepted and the minimum test score. These test scores are applicable only until September 2023. 

Health Science Programs

Assessment test Minimum accepted test score until September 2023
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall score, with:
  • 6.5 in Speaking
  • 6.0 in all other sections
NAIT’s ELP Exam 75% in each section
NAIT’s Level 6 Courses

60% in each of these courses:

  • NEAP611 and
  • NEAP621 and
  • NEAP631
Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLB) 8.0 in each section  
TOEFL iBT (Home Edition also accepted)
  • 23 in Speaking
  • 20 in all other sections
Duolingo 115 overall score  

The above test scores are applicable to NAIT’s health sciences programs, including:

  • Advanced Care Paramedic
  • Animal Health Technology
  • Laboratory & X-ray Combined
  • Dental Assisting 
  • Dental Technology
  • Denturist Technology
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography
  • Primary Care Paramedic
  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Medical Laboratory Assisting
  • Medical Laboratory Technology
  • Medical Radiologic Technology
  • Veterinary Medical Assistant

Respiratory Therapy

Assessment test Minimum accepted test score until September 2023
IELTS Academic
  • 8.0 in Listening
  • 7.0 in all other sections
Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLB) 9.0 in each section  
TOEFL iBT (Home Edition also accepted)
  • 23 in Speaking
  • 24 in Reading
  • 28 in Listening
  • 27 in Writing

Bachelor of Applied Information Systems Technology

Assessment test Minimum accepted test score until September 2023
IELTS Academic
  • 6.5 in Speaking
  • 6.0 in all other sections
NAIT’s Level 6 Courses

60% in each of these courses:

  • NEAP611 and
  • NEAP621 and
  • NEAP631
Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLB) 8.0 in each section  
TOEFL iBT (Home Edition also accepted)
  • 23 in Speaking
  • 20 in all other sections
Duolingo 115 overall score  

Business Administration

Assessment test Minimum accepted test score
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall score, with no section below 5.0 
NAIT’s ELP Exam 73% or “B” in each section 
NAIT’s Level 6 Courses

60% in each of these courses:

  • NEAP611 and
  • NEAP621 and
  • NEAP631
Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLB) 8.0 in each section
CAEL or CAEL Online   70 overall score
Cambridge English Language Assessment

C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency

  • 180 overall score, no section score below 165
TOEFL iBT (Home Edition also accepted) 80 overall score, with no section below 20
Duolingo 115 overall score
Michigan English Test (MET) 59 overall score
University of Alberta Completion of EAP 140 and 145 (or equivalent)
International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC) Pathway 3.2 or Pathway 3.3 with a minimum grade of 75%
PTE Academic or PTE Academic online 55 overall score

Provisional admission – Business Administration

Students who do not meet regular ELP listed above for Business Administration but meet the other academic requirements may qualify for provisional admission with ONE of the lower English Language Proficiency requirements listed below. Provisional admissions allows students to complete their NAIT ESL Level 6 courses within the first 12 months of starting the program. 

Assessment test Minimum accepted test score effective Winter 2024 and beyond
NAIT’s Level 5 Courses

60% in each of these courses:

  • NEAP511 and
  • NEAP521 and
  • NEAP531
International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) 6.0 overall score, with no section below 5.5
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic or PTE Academic online) 50, with no less than 40 in each communicative skill 
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT or Home Edition is also accepted) 74 overall score 
Duolingo 100 overall score 

Learn more about NAIT's Flexible Learning Options for Business Administration 

All other programs

Assessment test Minimum accepted test score until September 2023
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall score, with no section below 5.0 
NAIT’s ELP Exam 73% or “B” in each section 
NAIT’s Level 6 Courses

60% in each of these courses:

  • NEAP611 and
  • NEAP621 and
  • NEAP631
Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLB) 8.0 in each section
CAEL or CAEL Online   70 overall score
Cambridge English Language Assessment

C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency

  • 180 overall score, no section score below 165
TOEFL iBT (Home Edition also accepted) 80 overall score, with no section below 20
Duolingo 115 overall score
Michigan English Test (MET) 59 overall score
University of Alberta Completion of EAP 140 and 145 (or equivalent)
International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC) Pathway 3.2 or Pathway 3.3 with a minimum grade of 75%
PTE Academic or PTE Academic online 55 overall score

Applicants to Winter 2024 and beyond 

Effective for Winter 2024 and beyond, NAIT will accept these test scores for all programs: 

Assessment test Minimum accepted test score effective Winter 2024 and beyond
IELTS Academic 6.0 in each section
NAIT’s ELP Exam 73% or “B” in each section 
NAIT’s Level 6 Courses

60% in each of these courses:

  • NEAP611 and
  • NEAP621 and
  • NEAP631
Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLB) 8.0 in each section
CAEL or CAEL Online 60 overall score
Cambridge English Language Assessment

B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: 169 in each section
TOEFL iBT 
Home Edition is also accepted		 20 in each section
Duolingo 115 overall score
Michigan English Test (MET) 59 overall score
University of Alberta Completion of EAP 145 (or equivalent)
International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC) Pathway 3.2 or Pathway 3.3 with a minimum grade of 75%
PTE Academic or PTE Academic online 58 overall score

Learn more about NAIT's English Language Proficiency test

Provisional admission – Business Administration

Students who do not meet regular ELP listed above for Business Administration but meet the other academic requirements may qualify for provisional admission with ONE of the lower English Language Proficiency requirements listed below. Provisional admissions allows students to complete their NAIT ESL Level 6 courses within the first 12 months of starting the program. 

Assessment test Minimum accepted test score
NAIT’s Level 5 Courses

60% in each of these courses:

  • NEAP511 and
  • NEAP521 and
  • NEAP531
IELTS Academic 6.0 overall score, with no section below 5.5
PTE Academic or PTE Academic online 50, with no less than 40 in each communicative skill 
TOEFL iBT
Home Edition is also accepted		 74 overall score 
Duolingo 100 overall score 

Learn more about NAIT's Flexible Learning Options for Business Administration 

Admissions  

English as a Second Language admissions pathway

By completing NAIT’s Level 6 ESL course to meet eligibility requirements, instead of taking another external ELP exam, you can complete your ESL while saving a spot in your future credit program of choice.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

NAIT offers conditional admission into credit programs for English as a Second Language students enrolled in ESL Level 6 prior to the start of the program.

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