You must demonstrate English language proficiency in one of the following ways:

1. Submit official transcripts or a completed international document assessment verifying completion of one of the following steps:

  • At least three years of full-time study taught in English a minimum of 12 hours per week at an English speaking secondary school.
  • At least two years of post-secondary education taught in English at a recognized institution.
  • Successfully complete a recognized credential from a SAIT-approved post-secondary institution program must have been taught in English.
  • Review our list of SAIT-Approved English Language Proficiency Exempt Countries and Institutions (AC.1.5.1 Schedule A) to learn if education completed in your home country satisfies our English Proficiency requirement.

2. Successfully complete a post-secondary credit course in English, comparative literature or communications or equivalent at SAIT or a recognized post-secondary institution minimum C grade required.

3. Achieve the applicable score on an English assessment test the test score must be within one year prior to the date you submit your application.

4. Successfully complete the English Language Foundations (ELF) program

  • COMN 155 and SPCH 155 meet proficiency for programs requiring English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2
  • COMN 154 and SPCH 154 meet proficiency for programs requiring English Language Arts 20-1 or 20-2

5. Successfully complete one of the recognized alternatives to our English Language Foundations program listed below.

Recognized alternatives to English Language Foundations

The following programs are recognized alternatives to our ELF program:

  • Pathway Program (GE5 + EAP) - must achieve at least 78% to be granted 78% in English Language Arts 30-1

Anne's Language House

  • University and College Pathway Program Level 7 (Upper Intermediate) - must achieve at least 80% to be granted 75% in English Language Arts 30-1
  • University and College Pathway Program Level 9 (Advanced) - must achieve at least 80% to be granted 87% in English Language Arts 30-1

Bayswater Education

  • Academic English II — must achieve a B or 75% to be granted 75% in English 30-1

Bow Valley College

  • English for Academic Purposes — must achieve 70% to 79% to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 20-1
  • English Academic Purposes — must achieve 80% or higher to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 30-1

Centre for English Studies

  • Level 5 — must achieve 80% to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 20-1
  • Level 6 — must achieve 80% to be granted *70% in English Language Arts 30-1
  • English for Academic Purposes 2 — must achieve 80% to be granted *70% in English Language Arts 30-1

*Applicants to our bachelor programs must successfully complete English for Academic Purposes 2.

GEOS Language Plus

  • GV6 — must achieve 73% to be granted 65% in English Language Arts 30-1
  • GV7 — must achieve 73% to be granted 75% in English Language Arts 30-1

Global Village English Centres (Canadian offices only)

  • University Pathway Program Upper Intermediate Level 4 - must achieve at least 75% to be granted 75% in English Language Arts 30-1
  • University Pathway Program Advanced Level 1 - must achieve at least 78% to be granted 78% in English Language Arts 30-1
  • University Pathway Program Advanced Level 2 - must achieve at least 87% to be granted 87% in English Language Arts 30-1

ILSC Education Group

  • EAP 300 - must achieve at least 70% to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 30-1
  • EAP 200 - must achieve at least 70% to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 30-1

  • Pathway 3.2 — must achieve 75% to be granted *65% in English Language Arts 30-1
  • Pathway 3.3 — must achieve 75% to be granted *70% in English Language Arts 30-1

*Applicants to our bachelor programs must successfully complete the 3.3 pathway.

International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC)

  • Online Pre-sessional English Programme (OPSE) Level 7 - must achieve at least 78% to be granted equivalency for 78% English 30-1

Online Pre-Sessional English SAIT - OI Digital Institute

  • Academic Pathway Program — must achieve an exit test score between 60% and 73% to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 20-1.
  • Academic Pathway Program — must achieve an exit test score of at least 74% to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 30-1.

Quest Language Studies

  • English for Academic Purposes pathway program — must achieve at least 70-74% and final exam mark of 6.5 to be granted 65% in English Language Arts 20-1.
  • English for Academic Purposes program — must achieve at least 75% and final exam mark of 6.5 to be granted 65% in English Language Arts 30-1.

Royal Canadian Institute of International Studies (RCIIS)

  • ESL Intermediate 2 — must achieve CLB 7-C in all areas — number grade at least 70% — to be granted 65% in English Language Arts 20-1.
  • ESL Advanced — must achieve CLB 8-C in all areas — number grade at least 70% — to be granted 65% in English Language Arts 30-1.

Solomon College

  • University/College Preparation Program — must achieve between 65 and 69% to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 20-1.
  • University/College Preparation Program — must achieve at least 70% to be granted 70% in English Language Arts 30-1.

St. George International College (SGIC)

  • English for Academic Purposes (EAP) 192 – must achieve 68% to be granted 60% in English 20-1
  • English for Academic Purposes (EAP) 193 – must achieve 68% to be granted 60% in English 30-1
  • English for Academic Purposes (EAP) 194 – must achieve 68% to be granted 65% in English 30-1

Tamwood International College

Assessment tests

Note: SAIT does NOT accept assessment tests taken more than 12 months before you submit your application. If you are approved for an application transfer or admission deferral, you are required to provide updated test results if the one-year period has passed.

Table explaining the English assessment's required to enroll in state with required scores.
Assessment test Test score Program requirement

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

IELTS Indicator is also accepted

Must be the Academic IELTS Assessment

6.0 in each skill/category

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

5.5 in each skill/category

English Language Arts 20-1 or 20-2

Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL)

CAEL Online is also accepted

60 overall band

Effective Winter 2023: 60 in each skill/category

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

50 overall band

English Language Arts 20-1 or 20-2

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

TOEFL Home Edition is also accepted

MyBest Scores are not accepted as proof of English proficiency

A minimum score of 20 in each category

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

A minimum score of 18 in each category

English Language Arts 20-1 or 20-2

Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment (CLBA)

A score of 8 in each section

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

A score of 7 in each section

English Language Arts 20-1 or 20-2

Pearson Test of English (PTE)

minimum score of 53

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

Michigan English Test (MET)

A minimum score of 51

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

Duolingo

115 minimum with at least 95 in each section before July 1, 2024.

115 minimum with at least 95 in each Individual Subscores starting July 1, 2024.

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2

169 for each skill

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

Oxford Test of English with a Level of B2 

130 for each module

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

LanguageCert International ESOL

B2 Communicator test with High Pass with a minimum score of 33 in each skill.

B2 Communicator test with Pass with a minimum score of 25 in each skill.

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

English Language Arts 20-1 or 20-2

LanguageCert Academic

65 – 69 in each skill

 

60 – 64 in each skill

English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2

English Language Arts 20-1 or 20-2

 

a view of the moutains and stream in between

Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.

SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.

We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.