MHC minimums by English level
From MHC's English language requirements page. Tests must be academic versions, sent directly to MHC, and normally no older than two years; only your most recent validated result counts. CELPIP General is not accepted outside Health Care Aide. For the advanced level, MHC asks PTE takers to complete another exam with a spoken language requirement as well.
| Level | IELTS | PTE Academic | Duolingo | TOEFL iBT (from 21 Jan 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 6.0, no band below 6.0 | 54 | 105 | 4.0, no band below 4.0 (79 before) |
| Intermediate | 6.5, no band below 6.0 | 60 | 120 | 4.5, no band below 4.5 (86 before) |
| Advanced | 7.0, no band below 7.0 | 64 plus another exam with a spoken requirement | 130 | 5.0, no band below 4.5 (92, 23 each, before) |
Which programs sit at which level
General: administrative office programs, the Bachelor of Applied Arts in Art and Design, business administration, criminal justice, early childhood education, engineering design and architectural technology, environmental biology, information technology, post-diploma accounting certificates, power engineering, service dog studies and sport and event marketing. Intermediate: addictions counselling, child and youth care, humanities and social sciences, kinesiology, OTA/PTA, the marketing and design post-diploma, social work, speech-language pathologist assistant and university transfer. Advanced: aviation management, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (which follows the University of Calgary's rules), the paramedic degree and Practical Nursing.
Exceptions: Health Care Aide accepts IELTS Academic 6.0 with no band below 5.5, TOEFL 71 (or 4), CELPIP General 7 with no section below 6, or Duolingo 95. Pharmacy Technician follows the national regulators: IELTS Academic reading, listening and speaking 7.0 and writing 6.5, or OET at B with C+ in writing.
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Exemptions, pre-sessional English and conditional admission
Three full-time years of education in English in an exempt country can replace a test; India is not on MHC's exempt list. Applicants below their level can take Oxford International Digital Institute's pre-sessional English, which MHC accepts at each level (OIDI 6, 7 or 8), and students in ILAC or OIDI pathway programs may receive conditional admission. Neither route is accepted for Health Care Aide, Pharmacy Technician or the Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Study permit and PGWP: separate rules
Medicine Hat College's scores decide admission only. IRCC sets no minimum English score for a study permit; any language condition is written into your letter of acceptance (see IELTS for a Canada study permit). The Post-Graduation Work Permit is a separate test again. IRCC's PGWP eligibility page asks for CLB 7 in all four skills if you graduate with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree or from any other university program, and CLB 5 for any other college, polytechnic or non-university program, so a bachelor's degree earned at a college still needs CLB 7. On IELTS General Training, CLB 7 is 6.0 in every skill and CLB 5 is Reading 4.0 and Writing, Listening and Speaking 5.0 (IRCC score table). The PGWP takes IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core, not IELTS Academic, and college programs also face a field-of-study rule if you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024 (see IELTS for the PGWP).
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicine Hat College accept PTE?+
Yes. 54 for general programs, 60 for intermediate programs and 64 for advanced programs, where MHC also asks for another exam with a spoken language requirement.
Does MHC accept Duolingo?+
Yes. 105 for general programs, 120 for intermediate and 130 for advanced. Health Care Aide accepts 95.
What IELTS does MHC need for Practical Nursing?+
Practical Nursing is an advanced-level program: IELTS 7.0 overall with no band below 7.0.
Does MHC accept CELPIP?+
Only for Health Care Aide, at 7 with no section below 6. CELPIP General is not accepted for other programs.
Does the MHC IELTS score count for the PGWP?+
No. The admission score is on IELTS Academic. For the PGWP, IRCC asks for CLB 7 in every skill after a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree (a college degree included) and CLB 5 after other college and polytechnic programs, proved with IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core.
Keep reading
Related
- Lethbridge Polytechnic IELTS requirement
- SAIT IELTS requirement
- IELTS for nurses in Canada
- IELTS for the Canada PGWP
- All 1066 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 11 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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