Non-Native English Speakers Applying from Outside the U.S.

If you apply from outside of the United States,  you are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS exam to be admitted.  Students with at least an iBT TOEFL score of 20 or IELTS of 3.0  will be admitted to the English as a Second Language (ESL) program and given an I-20 for English language training.  Students with an iBT TOEFL score of 79 (24 in writing) or 6.5 on IELTS will receive an I-20 for an associate degree program. 

If you're given an ESL I-20, you will also take the OCC ESL Placement Test upon arrival in Michigan.  If your OCC ESL Placement Test score shows that you do not require ESL, your I-20 will be changed to an associate degree program.  If your score shows that you do need ESL, the score will also show the skill level where you should begin.

If you're given an associate degree I-20, you will be able to skip the OCC ESL Placement Test and register for classes in your program.

Native English Speakers Applying from Outside the U.S.

You do not need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores for admission, but you will need to take the OCC ESL Placement Test upon arrival in Michigan.  Your score will determine if you are ready for English Composition I or need some developmental English classes.

Non-Native English Speakers and Native English Speakers Applying from Inside the U.S.

You do not need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores, although if you had above 79 (iBT with 24 in writing) or 6.5 on IELTS, you should see an academic Counselor to waive taking the OCC ESL Placement Test.  Some students who've already earned degrees in the U.S. or have taken the equivalent of ENG 1510, may also be able to waive the OCC ESL Placement Test.  All others need to take the test and the score will determine whether you are in ESL or an associate degree program.  Your transfer I-20 will indicate English language training or an associate degree program.

When you have successfully completed ESL, you will be automatically admitted to an associate degree program, unless it is a program with a competitive admissions process.  You may be asked for additional updated financial documents, but you will then receive an I-20 showing your associate degree program.