No rights may be derived from this publication. Please note that the RSM Admissions Office ultimately decides if the level and content of your education is sufficient and comparable to the Dutch secondary school system.
The minimum required level of English proficiency is a Dutch pre-university (VWO) exam with an unrounded grade of a 7.0. Applicants with an insufficient English grade or level need to take an additional English test. An insufficient grade or level for English will put you in a lower tier of the ranking.
How do I know if I need to take a test?
- Check the admissions requirements for your specific diploma type
- If your level of English is deemed insufficient or you see that your English grade does not meet the minimum requirements, you can sign up for one of the test options listed below.
Exemptions
You are exempt from taking an English language test if you have been taught fully in English for at least 2.5 years during your secondary school programme in one of the following countries: USA, UK, Canada (with the exception of Quebec), Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa (English Home Language).
When and where can I take the test?
You can take a standardized English test even before you apply. The standardized tests listed below are usually given at a test center and you must book a test date at the website of the test.
Take into account that test dates at the test centres can fill up quickly, particularly during peak testing periods. Therefore we urge you to register to take the test as early as possible to avoid disappointment. The results must be available to the RSM Admissions Office by the 15th March. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks to receive the results of your test. When scheduling a test date keep in mind that it can take several weeks to receive your test score. Plan ahead! It is your own responsibility to schedule the exam(s) on time.
The RSM Admissions Office can check your TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge results online. However, we can only do this if you upload a copy of your score report in your application. It is sufficient to upload your score report. It is not needed for TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge to send us your English certificate by postal mail.
Important to know!
A passport from an English speaking country without having English language education does not grant exemption from an English language exam
Other tests, such as Michigan English or Duolingo are not accepted
The costs of the tests are covered by the applicant.
A sufficient result does not guarantee a spot in the programme. It is simply a tool to make up for any deficiencies in your English level or grades.
TOEFL
Students submitting a TOEFL (iBT) English test result must have obtained a minimum overall score of 80 and minimum sub-scores of 18 for Reading & Listening, 20 for Speaking and 21 for Writing.
- Both overall and sub score requirements listed above must be met.
- Only internet-based exam scores are accepted (TOEFL iBT). Please note that the TOEFL Paper-delivered Test and the ITP TOEFL test or TOEFL Essentials are not accepted as it does not test the speaking abilities of the candidate.
- The online TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition is currently accepted until further notice.
- The test results may not be older than 2 years.
IELTS
Students submitting an IELTS English test result must have obtained a minimum overall score of 6.5 AND minimum sub-scores of 6.0 for Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.
- Both overall and sub score requirements listed above must be met.
- Only the IELTS academic exam is accepted. The online IELTS Indicator is not accepted
- The test results must not be older than 2 years.
Cambridge
The following Cambridge English test results are accepted.
Both overall and sub score requirements listed above must be met.
- B2 First (FCE) with minimum overall score of 170 and minimum subscores of 170 (reading, listening, writing, speaking)
- C1 Advanced (CAE)/ C2 proficiency (CPE) with minimum overall score of 170 and minimum subscores of 170 (reading, listening, writing, speaking)
- C1 Business Higher (BEC Higher) with minimum overall score 170 and minimum subscores of 170 (reading, listening, writing, speaking)
- The test results must not be older than 2 years.
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