Admissions requirements for English and American Sign Language (ASL)

Due to Gallaudet University’s unique nature, each member of the campus community is encouraged to reach their potential in American Sign Language (ASL) as well as written English. We do this by creating a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment that fosters visual bilingual communication.

As most students at Gallaudet University rely on visual communication, we want to ensure applicants can participate in effective communication from day one. Students can use university resources to reach proficiency in ASL and written English and improve their skills in both languages.

Applicant’s English language skills

We will assess your skill in English using American College Testing (ACT) standard tests for Undergraduates, and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) tests for graduates.

TOEFL accommodates deaf and hard of hearing students by waiving the spoken part of the test and have a sign language interpreter explain the instructions. Please note students must request accommodations themselves.

If you have difficulty in taking either of these tests, alternatives may be acceptable, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), although they must be approved by Gallaudet.

Please ensure we receive the results of the test by the application deadline.

Applicant’s American Sign Language (ASL) skills

Graduates must have a working knowledge of ASL as determined by each department and specified in the 2020-2021 University Catalog if they wish to become special (non-degree) students.

An applicant’s ASL skills will be evaluated depending on their area of study. If you have prior sign language skills, please provide the results of these tests. If not, department administrators will interview you to determine whether you need classroom communication support.