English language proficiency

To succeed in the UBC Master of Engineering Leadership and Master of Health Leadership and Policy you need to be able to speak, listen, read and write in English at a high academic level. 

If you completed your degree at a university in a country where English is an official language and was the language of instruction for your degree, you do not need to show proof of your English language proficiency. 

If you completed your degree at a university in a country where English is not the only official language, you may need to provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of your application. 

Language of instruction for your undergraduate degree 

If your transcript or degree certificate states that the language of instruction for your degree was English, you do not need to complete an English language proficiency test. 

If your transcript or degree certificate does not state this, you must complete an English language proficiency test. Please note that we cannot accept letters from the institution stating that your degree was taught in English: this information must be included directly on your transcript. 

English proficiency test scores

If you are required to complete an English language proficiency test you must take the test within 24 months of the date you submit your application and you must attain specific scores for each component of the test. 

To succeed in the UBC Master of Engineering Leadership and Master of Health Leadership and Policy you need to be able to speak, listen, read and write in English at a high academic level. 

If you completed your degree at a university in a country where English is an official language and was the language of instruction for your degree, you do not need to show proof of your English language proficiency. 

If you completed your degree at a university in a country where English is not the only official language, you may need to provideresults of an English language proficiency examination as part of your application. 

To complete your application, you must ensure your official English language proficiency test results are sent directly to UBC. Follow the instructions below for TOEFL or IELTS submissions:

  • TOEFL: Log onto your online TOEFL account and go to your score reports. Select the score you wish to send, and use UBC’s institution code 0965. If you need to indicate a reason for sending the TOEFL scores, select “to enter college or university as a graduate student.”
  • IELTS: On your IELTS application form, indicate that you would like to send your results to “The University of British Columbia – Graduate School Admissions.” You will select this on the drop-down menu. The address is 170-6371 Crescent Road, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z2.

Please allow us one week to receive your official English language proficiency scores and to see this reflected on MyApplication. You will also receive an automated email notification once we have processed your English language proficiency results. If you have any questions about submitting your scores, please contact our helpful Student Recruitment Team at melmhlp.recruitment@apsc.ubc.ca

TOEFL iBT Home EditionA minimum score of 90 with minimum component scores of 22 in reading and listening, and minimum component scores of 21 in writing and speaking.
TOEFL paper-based testA minimum score of 55 each for reading, listening and writing, and 4.0 on the Test of Written English.
Academic IELTS (International English Language Testing Service)

A minimum overall band score of 6.5 with no single component score less than 6.0.Please note that we cannot accept general IELTS test scores. 

CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment) A minimum overall score of 70 is required, with a minimum score of 60 on the speaking sub-test. 
UBC English Language Institute English for Academic Purposes (EAP): You must achieve 75% in each component of the 600 level. Learn more here. 
PTE (Pearson Test of English – Academic) A minimum overall score of 65 on the academic (not general) test with a minimum score of 60 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. 
Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) A minimum overall final score of 85 (with 3 in the speaking test). 
Alternative English language proficiency tests 

CAE (Certificate in Advanced English): B 

CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English): C 

Other acceptable English language proficiency tests can be found here. 

Get your Applicant Guide

Navigate the application process with ease! Sign up to receive tailored instructions and a detailed guide directly to your email.

UBC MEL MHLP Applicant Guide

Application deadline

Get ready to apply! Admissions for the 2026 intake will open on January 1, 2025.  The application deadline for Round 1 is March 25, 2025.

Attend an information session

Attend an upcoming online information session to discover what our programs have to offer you and your career.

UBC MEL MHLP Eligibility Tool
UBC Crest The official logo of the University of British Columbia. Arrow An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Caret An arrowhead indicating direction. E-commerce Cart A shopping cart. Time A clock. Chats Two speech clouds. Facebook The logo for the Facebook social media service. Social Media The globe is the default icon for a social media platform. TikTok The logo for the TikTok social media platform. Calendar Location Home A house in silhouette. Information The letter 'i' in a circle. Instagram The logo for the Instagram social media service. Linkedin The logo for the LinkedIn social media service. Location Pin A map location pin. Mail An envelope. Telephone An antique telephone. Play A media play button. Search A magnifying glass. Arrow indicating share action A directional arrow. Speech Bubble A speech bubble. Star An outline of a star. Twitter The logo for the Twitter social media service. Urgent Message An exclamation mark in a speech bubble. User A silhouette of a person. Vimeo The logo for the Vimeo video sharing service. Youtube The logo for the YouTube video sharing service. Future of work A logo for the Future of Work category. Inclusive leadership A logo for the Inclusive leadership category. Planetary health A logo for the Planetary health category. Solutions for people A logo for the Solutions for people category. Thriving cities A logo for the Thriving cities category. University for future A logo for the University for future category.