International Students
Under certain circumstances, international students applying to Berkeley Summer Sessions may request a waiver for the English Proficiency Requirement (EPR). All waiver requests must be submitted when completing the Summer Sessions application.
The applicant must be able to provide complete documentation for one of the following types of EPR waivers:
- English is the primary language of your country, and that country is not on the official List of EPR Exempt Countries. If this is the case, write a letter explaining that English is the primary or official language spoken in your country and include a website or other supporting documentation that we can use for verification (e.g. publications or website for government department, ministry, bureau, secretariat, or directorate-general).
- You currently attend a school where English is the language of instruction for the majority of courses taught. If this is the case, simply write a letter explaining that more than 50% of the courses at your institution are taught in English and provide a website or other documentation that we can use for verification (e.g. official university publication such as a course catalog/brochure or university website). You must also submit an official verification of enrollment at that school.
- You have attended schools at the secondary level (high school) or above for at least three years full-time where English is the principal language of instruction. If this is the case, provide copies of your school's records, or a graduation diploma along with a verification letter from the school with reference to the number of years studied at the school and English proficiency level. You must also provide a website address for the school.
- You are currently studying or have studied in an English-speaking country for at least one academic year. If this is the case, provide an official or unofficial transcript from that school.
- Your school official can certify your English proficiency based on their own criteria.
- If this is the case, provide a letter from the school official certifying your English proficiency. The letter should be on the school's official letterhead and must contain a signature of the school official. Also, provide official verification of enrollment at that school. The letter from the school official may certify both English proficiency and enrollment.
If this is the case, provide a letter from the school official certifying your English proficiency. The letter should be on the school’s official letterhead and must contain a signature of the school official. Also, provide official verification of enrollment at that school. The letter from the school official may certify both English proficiency and enrollment.
All supporting documents must be written in or officially translated to English.