The language of instruction at Carleton University is English. For admission, students will need to demonstrate that their knowledge and use of English are strong enough for studies in an English language university.

Students can do this by:

• Demonstrating they  have studied for the last three years (full-time) in a high school, college or university in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom or any other country in which the primary language is English and where the language of instruction in the relevant educational institution was exclusively English. *Students choosing this option should note the following:
  • Time spent in ESL courses will not be counted towards meeting these requirements
  • Language requirements will not be waived based on letters written by students or as a result of completing senior-level high-school English courses
  • If in addition to evidence of three years of study a student also provides an English language test score, the University reserves the right to review or change the admission decision
  • The University reserves the right to request an English Language Proficiency test from any applicant regardless of their academic background

OR by

• Submitting an English Language (ESL) test result

Admission with no further ESL requirement

Students who submit any of the scores shown in Table 1 below may be eligible for an offer with no further ESL requirement and may begin full time degree studies.

Table 1

Applicants whose first language is French must present transcripts to indicate that they have taken four years of anglais (English) in a Canadian secondary school to be admitted without an English as a Second Language Requirement.

Admission with an ESL requirement (Foundation ESL courses required)

Students with scores shown in Table 2 below may be admitted with an English as a Second Language Requirement (ESLR).  When they first start in their program, these students will be required to take our ESL Foundation courses along with a limited number of courses from their degree program. This admission with an ESLR allows students to earn academic credits from degree courses taken while completing the English requirements.

Table 2

Please note that students beginning their studies with an English language requirement are not eligible for admission to the following programs:

• Architectural Studies
• Health Sciences
• Humanities
• Industrial Design
• Information Technology
• International Business
• Journalism
• Journalism and Humanities
• Media Production and Design
• Public Affairs and Policy Management
• All Post Baccalaureate Diplomas

Foundation ESL

Foundation ESL allows students to begin their degree and study academic courses while completing the English as a Second Language Requirement (ESLR). The Foundation program can take up to three terms to complete and is made up of three levels of English as a Second Language courses (ESLA) which focus on the academic skills needed for university study.  ESLA course(s) are taken concurrently with a limited number of degree courses.

Students admitted with this Foundation ESL requirement (admitted with an ESLR) will have their level of English language proficiency reviewed and assessed by the School of Linguistics and Language Studies (SLaLS). Students will receive an ESLA placement indicating the ESLA course level they have been placed into and how many additional credits they are permitted to register in at the same time as their ESLA course. Students admitted with this requirement should check Carleton 360 to see their ESLA placement (see VIEW or DISPLAY HOLDS). During the registration period, students must register in the appropriate ESLA course in order to be permitted to register in any other degree program credits they may be entitled to.

Foundation ESL courses:

Note: As students progress through the ESL courses, their ESLA placements and course credit limits will be adjusted based on previous ESLA final grades (see the ‘What you need to know about ESLA‘ page for details).

For more information on Foundation ESL, please contact the School of Linguistics and Language Studies (SLaLS).