Language proficiency requirements

English proficiency requirements

To successfully participate in a TU/e program, you need to be proficient in the English language. The following English language proficiency test results are accepted by TU/e:

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

  • Overall band score of at least 90 AND a minimum score of 21 for each section
  • We only accept the TOEFL internet-based test (iBT)
  • We only accept all scores from 1 test date; we do not accept MyBest Scores

IELTS (academic version)

  • Overall band score of at least 6.5 and a minimum of 6.0 for each section
  • We do not accept the IELTS online test
  • We only accept all scores from 1 test date; we do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake

University of Cambridge

  • Proof that you have passed the C2 proficiency (formally known as Certificate of Proficiency in English CPE), with overall score 180 and a minimum of 169 in each section), or the C1 Advanced Certificate (formally known as the Certificate in Advanced English CAE) with overall score 176 and a minimum of 169 in each section

No other language tests are accepted than the tests mentioned above.
The language test results may not be older than 2 years.

Submitting scores

It is obligatory to fill in the overall and the section scores in the online application form if you submit an IELTS or TOEFL test result. 

It may take as much as 6 weeks after you have taken your language test for the test center to issue your results. Please bear this in mind when planning your test. We advise you to register for the test of your choice months before starting your application.

If you have taken an IELTS or TOEFL test but have not yet received the official test score report, you may upload and send your results from the internet, including your username and password from your TOEFL account (preferable typed and not written) or the TRF number from your IELTS test. TU/e will then verify your results on the IELTS or TOEFL website. Keep in mind that we need to be able to verify your English test results before the final deadline of application.

Exemptions from the English language tests

  • Students who have gained a Dutch vwo diploma.
  • Students with an Algemeen Secundair Onderwijs (ASO) diploma from a secondary school issued under the responsibility of the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training.
  • Students with an IB or EB diploma (with English as sole language of instruction). 
    If your IB was not entirely conducted in the English language, exemption is possible if you have done English A HL with a minimum score of 5.
    If your EB was not entirely conducted in the English language, exemption is possible if you have passed EB English Language 1 or 2
  • Students who have followed at least their entire Bachelor’s degree or the last 3 years of their High School in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK and USA. You are NOT exempt if you have obtained a bachelor’s degree at an overseas branch of a university from one of the aforementioned countries.
  • Students with the nationality of one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK and USA.
  • Students who obtained a HBO bachelor’s degree after a 4-year program in the Netherlands, in which English was the sole language of instruction throughout the bachelor's program (demonstrated or indicated by the program).

No other exemptions are possible than those listed above.

Dutch proficiency requirements

If you are applying for a TU/e program conducted in the Dutch language, and you were not previously educated with Dutch as the only language of instruction at a Dutch pre-university school (vwo) or hbo (University of Higher Professional Education also called University of Applied Sciences), you are required to submit the Dutch State Examination NT2-II as proof of language proficiency in Dutch or pass the certificate of Dutch as a Foreign Language (level STRT, EDUP).

Dutch State Examination NT2-II:

  1. Apply for an NT2-II at a recognised language institute (e.g. James Boswell Instituut or the Language Centre at the University of Tilburg).
  2. Register for the Dutch State Examination NT2-II at the DUO, the Dutch student registration office
  3. If you have received a conditional admission from the TU/e, you may enroll on the Bachelor's program AFTER you have passed the NT2-II examination.

Certificate of Dutch as a Foreign Language (level STRT or EDUP)

  1. Register for an exam via the examiner who sends the registration forms to the CNaVT secretary until March, 15th
  2. Examination partners are found on the website of CNaVT
  3. Candidates can take the exam in the first half of May of every year. (http://cnavt.org/en/introduction)
  4. If you have received a conditional admission from the TU/e, you may enroll on the Bachelor's program AFTER you have obtained the Certificate of Dutch as a Foreign Language (Level STRT or EDUP).