Do I absolutely have to take the TOEFL?

Short answer: no — plenty of applicants never take it, because there are several ways around it. The requirement only applies to international applicants whose native language isn't English, and even then, a standardized test is just one route among a few.

You skip the test entirely if:

• You completed at least 2 years (60 semester / 90 quarter credits) of post-secondary study at an institution accredited by a U.S.-Dept.-of-Education-recognized agency, or an equivalent English-medium institution abroad — this is the most common waiver
• You attended 4 years of U.S. high school taught in English
• Your prior schooling was in an English-speaking country (roughly 50 qualify — UK, Ireland, Canada outside Quebec, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, and others)

If none of those apply, here's what's accepted — TOEFL is only one option on the list:

This is Five Branches' own published policy, as we last checked it on the school's international-applicants page in 08/2026. If you do end up taking the TOEFL, use score-report code 4459 for Santa Cruz or 5881 for San Jose.

Not sure yet which of these (if any) applies to your own background?