Top Universities IELTS & TOEFL Requirements (2026)

English proficiency scores are one of the few hard thresholds in university admission: you either meet them or you don’t. This article compiles the current IELTS and TOEFL requirements for top universities worldwide, organised by region, to help you benchmark your target score against your target universities. Always verify current requirements on each university’s official admissions page, as policies can change.

Important note

Requirements shown are typical undergraduate minimums from 2025–2026 policies. Graduate programs and specific courses (e.g., medicine, law) often have higher requirements. Always check each university’s current policy before applying.

1. UK universities

The UK is one of the main destinations for international students, and most universities accept both IELTS and TOEFL.

Oxford:
– IELTS: 7.5 overall, 7.0 in each section (higher level)
– IELTS: 7.0 overall, 6.5 in each section (standard level)
– TOEFL iBT: 110 (higher) or 100 (standard)
– Higher requirements apply for courses like Medicine, English, History, Law

Cambridge:
– IELTS: 7.5 overall, 7.0 in each section
– TOEFL iBT: 110, with 25+ in each section
– Requirements largely consistent across subjects

Imperial College London:
– IELTS: 6.5–7.0 overall (depending on course)
– TOEFL iBT: 92–100 (depending on course)
– Engineering and science courses: 6.5/92
– Medicine and Business: 7.0/100

LSE (London School of Economics):
– IELTS: 7.0 overall, 6.5 in each section (standard)
– IELTS: 7.5 overall, 7.0 in each section (higher — for courses like Law)
– TOEFL iBT: 100 or 107

UCL (University College London):
– IELTS: 6.5–7.5 depending on course (Good, Advanced, or Extra level)
– TOEFL iBT: 92–109 depending on course
– Most courses: 7.0 overall

King’s College London:
– IELTS: 6.5–7.5 overall depending on course
– TOEFL iBT: 92–109 depending on course

Edinburgh:
– IELTS: 6.5 (with 6.0 in each section) for most undergraduate courses
– TOEFL iBT: 92 (with 20+ in each section)

Manchester:
– IELTS: 6.0–7.0 depending on course
– TOEFL iBT: 80–100 depending on course

Bristol:
– IELTS: 6.5–7.5 overall depending on course
– TOEFL iBT: 88–109

Warwick:
– IELTS: 6.0–7.5 depending on course
– TOEFL iBT: 87–109

2. Top US universities

US universities accept both IELTS and TOEFL, though TOEFL has historically been more common. Most top universities require balanced section scores.

Harvard:
– IELTS: 7.0+ (no official minimum listed but 7.0+ expected)
– TOEFL iBT: 100+ (25+ in each section recommended)

Stanford:
– IELTS: 7.0+
– TOEFL iBT: 100+ for undergraduate admission
– Graduate: generally 100+

MIT:
– IELTS: 7.0 minimum (7.5+ recommended)
– TOEFL iBT: 100+ (25+ in each section)
– For some programs, higher

Princeton:
– Does not require a minimum IELTS or TOEFL but expects strong proficiency
– TOEFL 100+ is typical for admitted students

Yale:
– Does not publish a strict minimum
– TOEFL 100+ expected for competitive applicants

Columbia:
– IELTS: 7.0+ (some programs)
– TOEFL iBT: 100+

UPenn:
– IELTS: 7.0+
– TOEFL iBT: 100+

Cornell:
– IELTS: 7.0+
– TOEFL iBT: 100+ (25+ in each section)

Dartmouth:
– Does not publish strict minimum
– TOEFL 100+ expected

Brown:
– IELTS: 8.0 recommended
– TOEFL iBT: 100+ for undergraduate

UCLA:
– IELTS: 7.0 overall for undergraduate
– TOEFL iBT: 100+

UC Berkeley:
– IELTS: 6.5–7.0 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 80 minimum, 100+ recommended

University of Michigan:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 88 minimum, 100+ for competitive

NYU:
– IELTS: 7.5 for most undergraduate
– TOEFL iBT: 100+ for undergraduate

Northwestern:
– IELTS: 7.0+
– TOEFL iBT: 100+

Johns Hopkins:
– TOEFL iBT: 100+
– IELTS: 7.0+

Duke:
– TOEFL iBT: 100+
– IELTS: 7.0+

Georgetown:
– TOEFL iBT: 100+
– IELTS: 7.5+

3. Top European universities (non-UK)

European universities teaching in English have varied requirements.

Bocconi University (Italy):
– IELTS: 6.5 overall
– TOEFL iBT: 88 minimum
– Some programs (BEMACS, BAI) may expect higher

IE University (Spain):
– IELTS: 6.5+
– TOEFL iBT: 80+
– Some programs expect 7.0/100

IE Business School (MBA):
– IELTS: 7.0+
– TOEFL iBT: 100+

HEC Paris BBA:
– IELTS: 6.5–7.0
– TOEFL iBT: 90–100

Sciences Po:
– IELTS: 7.0+
– TOEFL iBT: 100+

ESSEC BBA:
– IELTS: 6.5+
– TOEFL iBT: 90+

ESADE:
– IELTS: 6.5+
– TOEFL iBT: 90+

Erasmus University Rotterdam:
– IELTS: 7.0 for some programs
– TOEFL iBT: 100 for some programs

University of Amsterdam:
– IELTS: 6.5+
– TOEFL iBT: 92+

TU Delft:
– IELTS: 6.5 for most programs
– TOEFL iBT: 90+

Wageningen:
– IELTS: 6.0–6.5+
– TOEFL iBT: 80–90+

KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden):
– IELTS: 6.5+
– TOEFL iBT: 90+

Lund University:
– IELTS: 6.5+
– TOEFL iBT: 90+

Copenhagen Business School:
– IELTS: 6.5–7.0+
– TOEFL iBT: 83–100+

4. Canadian universities

Most Canadian universities accept both IELTS and TOEFL.

University of Toronto:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum (7.0 recommended)
– TOEFL iBT: 100 minimum, 22+ Writing

McGill University:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum, 6.0 in each section
– TOEFL iBT: 90 minimum, 21+ in each section

University of British Columbia:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum, 6.0 in each section
– TOEFL iBT: 90 minimum, 22+ in each section

Queen’s University:
– IELTS: 6.5
– TOEFL iBT: 88

University of Waterloo:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 90 minimum

McMaster University:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 86 minimum

5. Australian and New Zealand universities

University of Melbourne:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum, 6.0 in each section
– TOEFL iBT: 79, with 21+ in Writing

Australian National University (ANU):
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 80+

University of Sydney:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum, 6.0 in each section
– TOEFL iBT: 85, with 17+ in Writing

Monash University:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 79+

University of Queensland:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 87+

University of Auckland:
– IELTS: 6.5 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 90+

University of Otago:
– IELTS: 6.0 minimum
– TOEFL iBT: 80+

6. Section minimums: the hidden trap

Many universities require not just an overall score but minimum scores in individual sections. This is where students often trip up.

Example:

Imperial College London requires IELTS 7.0 overall for many courses, with at least 6.5 in each section. A student with 7.5 Reading, 7.5 Writing, 7.0 Speaking, and 6.0 Listening has an overall of 7.0 — which meets the overall requirement but fails the 6.5 Listening requirement.

Why this matters:

• You can’t rely on strong sections to compensate for weak ones
• Your weakest section determines whether you qualify
• Some universities list different sectional minima by program

What to do:

• Check both overall and sectional requirements
• Train your weakest section specifically
• Aim for a band above the minimum as a buffer

7. Graduate vs undergraduate requirements

Graduate programs (Master’s and PhD) typically require higher English scores than undergraduate programs.

Typical differences:

• Undergraduate at Oxford: 7.0 or 7.5 overall

• Graduate at Oxford: 7.0 or 7.5 overall (similar but with stricter sectional minima for some courses)

• Undergraduate at Stanford: 100 TOEFL

• Graduate at Stanford: 100 TOEFL (required) with higher expected for competitive applicants

• Research programs: Often expect 7.5+/100+ because of the writing demands

8. Program-specific variations

Within a single university, different programs may have different English requirements.

Medicine:

• Often the highest requirements (7.5+/100+ with strict sectional minima)
• Patient communication demands strong speaking and listening

Law:

• High requirements, especially for Writing (7.0+/25+)
• Complex legal texts demand strong reading

Business:

• Typically 6.5–7.0/90–100
• Speaking weighted for group work and presentations

Engineering and sciences:

• Often lower overall requirements (6.5–7.0/88–100)
• Section minima may be more flexible

Humanities:

• Higher writing expectations (7.0+ in Writing)
• Reading-intensive

9. How to verify current requirements

Requirements change. Before applying, always:

1. Visit the university’s official admissions page (not third-party sites)
2. Find the international students section or English language requirements page
3. Check the specific program (general university requirements may not reflect program-specific minimums)
4. Note both overall and sectional minima
5. Check when requirements were last updated
6. Email admissions if anything is unclear

Never assume requirements based on friends’ experiences or forum posts. Official sources only.

10. FAQ

Are IELTS and TOEFL interchangeable?

At most universities, yes — both are accepted. But always check the specific policy.

Can I submit both IELTS and TOEFL?

Usually yes, but universities typically consider your highest score.

Do universities prefer one test over the other?

Most accept both equally. Historical preferences (UK → IELTS, US → TOEFL) are weaker than they used to be.

What if my score is just below the minimum?

Some universities consider applications with scores slightly below but with strong compensating factors. Others strictly enforce minimums. Check each university’s policy.

Do I need to send scores through the official test provider?

Yes. Universities don’t accept score reports sent by the applicant — they must come directly from IELTS or ETS.

How far in advance should I take the test?

At least 2 months before your application deadline to allow for a retake if needed.

What if my English is stronger than my test score?

Test scores are the objective measure universities use. Your perceived English ability doesn’t change the required score.

Are home editions accepted?

TOEFL Home Edition is widely accepted. IELTS Online is accepted by fewer universities.

11. Your action plan

1. Build your university target list (6–10 universities)
2. Visit each university’s official admissions page
3. Note the overall and sectional IELTS/TOEFL requirements
4. Identify the highest requirement — this is your target
5. Add a 0.5 band (IELTS) or 5-point (TOEFL) buffer for safety
6. Plan your test preparation accordingly
7. Register for the test with enough buffer for a retake
8. Send scores directly from the test provider to universities

Need help decoding a specific university’s English requirements? Book a free strategy call and we’ll help you set realistic test targets based on your application list.

Related articles:

• English Language Tests for University: IELTS & TOEFL
• IELTS Band Scores Explained: University Requirements
• How to Score 100+ on the TOEFL
• English Test Scores & University Admissions Impact

Author

About Adam Girsault

With a Bachelor's (LLB) from UCL and Assas, and the Grande Ecole program at HEC Paris, Adam has over 10 years of experience in education and student mentoring. Passionate about helping students achieve their academic dreams, he co-founded Your Dream School to guide students through university admissions and interview preparation for top global institutions.

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