English requirements
English Requirements - The TOEFL and TSE
Exams
The TOEFL and TSE should be taken by applicants whose native language
is not
English, particularly those who are applying for financial support.
These scores are weighted heavily by the admissions committee.
The TSE exam is considered the best evidence
of the applicant's ability to deal in spoken English. This ability is
important in order to function in class; to be able to interact with
faculty and other grad students outside of class; and in order to be able
to function as a teaching assistant. For this reason, preference is given
to those applicants who take the TSE (among those whose native language is
not English).
For students whose native language is unrelated to English, it is
particularly important to take the TSE.
Students whose native language is not English, but who have been in
the US for more than 3 years, can request that the TSE and the TOEFL be
waived. The Graduate Group Chair will decide if this is appropriate,
on a case by case basis.
Other non-native English speakers who, for some reason, are unable to
take the TSE, can
contact the Penn Math Department to explain the situation and to ask
to be allowed to apply without
taking this exam. If this permission is granted, the applicant must still
take the TOEFL exam. (But note that preference is given to those who do
take the TSE.)
There is a University requirement that all students whose native
language is not English pass an examination given by the University before
they can teach. This exam is similar to the TSE.
For more information see the English
Language
Program web page. Students are expected to pass this exam by the end
of the
summer prior to beginning the Penn Math graduate program. In
any event, passing this exam is a requirement for keeping
financial support for a second year.
Back to the Penn Graduate Math page.
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