English for Academic Purposes

The English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program will prepare you for university studies in English and introduce you to the Canadian university environment. It is a full-time program designed to improve your English language skills and provide the academic skills needed for success in your chosen field.

Ideal candidates

  • International students who have been accepted to undergraduate or graduate programs at UNB Saint John — or who plan to apply — but who need to improve their English as a condition of their acceptance; 
  • Students who have been accepted to the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) but who need to provide proof of English proficiency before beginning their studies at NBCC. 

English language requirements

Bachelor's programs at UNB Saint John: IELTS 6.5 (except for Health Science programs), CAEL 60, Duolingo of 115 (or equivalent English test score)

Master's programs at UNB Saint John or UNB Fredericton: IELTS 7.0 (or higher), CAEL 60/70 (depending on program), Duolingo of 120 (for UNB Saint John MBA Program only)

NBCC: Final grade of 85% (or higher) in Level 5 of Saint John College's EAP program.

Saint John College accepts the IELTS, CAEL, and Duolingo tests for placement into the levels of its EAP Program. The test score requirements are as follows:

  • EAP Level 5: IELTS 5.5 | CAEL 40 | Duolingo 85-90
  • EAP Level 4: IELTS 4.5-5 | CAEL 30 | Duolingo 70-80
  • EAP Level 3: IELTS 3-4 | CAEL 20 | Duolingo 55-65

Program duration

Most students in the EAP program complete their English language studies in eight to 12 months. The EAP program has four levels:

  • Level 3 (Beginner II) - usually only offered during the fall semester but also sometimes during the winter
  • Level 4 (Intermediate I)
  • Level 5 (Intermediate II)

Each level of the EAP program is four months long (one semester).   

Start dates

Students can enter the EAP program in September, January, and May* of each year.

Note: The offering of levels in the EAP program is dependent on a minimum number of students being enrolled in each level. As such, all four levels of the program may not be offered during each semester.

Graduates of the EAP Program can begin their Bachelor degrees at UNB Saint John in January, May, and September of each year.

*Program start dates are subject to change without notice

Level of study

All new Saint John College students write the Accuplacer (English placement test) when they first arrive. Your score on the Accuplacer test decides at which level of the EAP program you will begin your studies.

Saint John College also accepts the CAEL and IELTS test for entrance to the EAP program. Here are the test score requirements for each level of the EAP program:

  • Level 2 (Beginner I): CAEL 10+ | IELTS 2.0 - 3.0
  • Level 3 (Beginner II): CAEL 20 | IELTS 3.5 - 4.0 
  • Level 4 (Intermediate I): CAEL 30 | IELTS 4.5 - 5.0
  • Level 5 (Intermediate II): CAEL 40 | IELTS 5.5

Accommodations and student services

Residence accommodation is available to international students who study at Saint John College.

How to apply

There are two ways to apply to the EAP program: