What IELTS score does University of Oxford require?

University of Oxford requires IELTS 7.0 (min 6.5 each) to 7.5 (min 7.0 each) for undergraduate and 7.0-7.5 depending on programme for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does University of Cambridge require?

University of Cambridge requires IELTS 7.5 (min 7.0 each) for undergraduate and 7.0-7.5 depending on department for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does Imperial College London require?

Imperial College London requires IELTS 6.5 (min 6.0 each) — Standard for undergraduate and 7.0 (min 6.5 each) — most programmes for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does MIT require?

MIT requires IELTS Minimum 7.0 (recommended 7.5+) for undergraduate and 7.0+ depending on department for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does Stanford University require?

Stanford University requires IELTS No minimum stated (competitive applicants 7.5+) for undergraduate and 7.0+ for postgraduate programmes. Stanford does not publish a strict minimum for undergrad admissions

What IELTS score does Harvard University require?

Harvard University requires IELTS No minimum stated for undergraduate and 7.0+ recommended for postgraduate programmes. Harvard recommends strong English proficiency but does not set a hard IELTS minimum

What IELTS score does University of Toronto require?

University of Toronto requires IELTS 6.5 (min 6.0 each) for undergraduate and 7.0 (min 6.5 each) — varies by programme for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does University of British Columbia require?

University of British Columbia requires IELTS 6.5 (min 6.0 each) for undergraduate and 6.5-7.0 depending on programme for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does McGill University require?

McGill University requires IELTS 6.5 minimum for undergraduate and 6.5-7.0 depending on faculty for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does University of Melbourne require?

University of Melbourne requires IELTS 6.5 (min 6.0 each) for undergraduate and 6.5-7.0 depending on programme for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does University of Sydney require?

University of Sydney requires IELTS 6.5 (min 6.0 each) for undergraduate and 7.0 (min 6.0 each) for many programmes for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does Australian National University require?

Australian National University requires IELTS 6.5 (min 6.0 each) for undergraduate and 6.5-7.0 depending on programme for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does ETH Zurich (Switzerland) require?

ETH Zurich (Switzerland) requires IELTS 7.0 for English-taught programmes for undergraduate and 7.0 for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does TU Munich (Germany) require?

TU Munich (Germany) requires IELTS 6.5+ for English-taught programmes for undergraduate and 6.5+ for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) require?

University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) requires IELTS 6.0-6.5 for undergraduate and 6.5-7.0 for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does National University of Singapore require?

National University of Singapore requires IELTS 6.5 minimum for undergraduate and 6.0-6.5 depending on programme for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does University of Hong Kong require?

University of Hong Kong requires IELTS 6.0 (min 5.5 each) for undergraduate and 6.0-7.0 depending on programme for postgraduate programmes.

What IELTS score does KAIST (South Korea) require?

KAIST (South Korea) requires IELTS 6.5+ for international track for undergraduate and 6.5+ for postgraduate programmes.

Universities That Require IELTS

Over 12,000 institutions in more than 140 countries accept IELTS Academic for admissions. From Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom to MIT and Harvard in the United States, IELTS is the world's most widely recognized English language proficiency test for higher education.

This guide covers the specific IELTS Academic score requirements for top universities across six regions: the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, continental Europe, and Asia. Each listing includes minimum overall band scores for both undergraduate and postgraduate (masters and PhD) programmes, along with individual band requirements where applicable.

12,000+

Institutions Accepting IELTS

140+

Countries

6.0-6.5

Typical Undergrad Minimum

6.5-7.0

Typical Postgrad Minimum

🇬🇧

United Kingdom

University of Oxford

UG 7.0 (min 6.5 each) to 7.5 (min 7.0 each)

PG 7.0-7.5 depending on programme

University of Cambridge

UG 7.5 (min 7.0 each)

PG 7.0-7.5 depending on department

Imperial College London

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each) — Standard

PG 7.0 (min 6.5 each) — most programmes

UCL (University College London)

UG 6.5-7.5 depending on programme

PG 6.5-7.5 depending on department

UCL uses levels: Standard (6.5), Good (7.0), Advanced (7.5)

University of Edinburgh

UG 6.5 (min 5.5 each)

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

King's College London

UG 6.0-7.0 depending on programme

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

University of Manchester

UG 6.0-7.0 depending on faculty

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

UK universities form the largest group of IELTS-accepting institutions globally. All UK universities require IELTS Academic (not General Training). Many accept IELTS Online. Pre-sessional English courses are widely available if you fall 0.5-1.0 bands below the requirement.

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United States

MIT

UG Minimum 7.0 (recommended 7.5+)

PG 7.0+ depending on department

Stanford University

UG No minimum stated (competitive applicants 7.5+)

PG 7.0+

Stanford does not publish a strict minimum for undergrad admissions

Harvard University

UG No minimum stated

PG 7.0+ recommended

Harvard recommends strong English proficiency but does not set a hard IELTS minimum

Columbia University

UG 7.0 minimum

PG Varies (typically 7.0-7.5)

University of California (system)

UG 6.5 minimum (most campuses)

PG 7.0+ depending on campus and programme

New York University (NYU)

UG 7.0 minimum

PG 7.0+ depending on school

University of Michigan

UG 6.5 (min 6.5 each)

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

While TOEFL has been traditionally dominant in US admissions, IELTS is now accepted by over 3,400 US institutions including all Ivy League universities. Most competitive programs expect 7.0+ overall. Some departments set individual band minimums (especially for writing).

🇨🇦

Canada

University of Toronto

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 7.0 (min 6.5 each) — varies by programme

University of British Columbia

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

McGill University

UG 6.5 minimum

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on faculty

University of Waterloo

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 writing, 6.0 speaking)

PG 7.0+ for most programmes

University of Alberta

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 6.5+ depending on department

McMaster University

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

Canadian universities widely accept IELTS Academic. The standard undergraduate minimum is 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0. International students who plan to apply for Canadian permanent residency after graduation benefit from having their IELTS score already on file.

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Australia

University of Melbourne

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

University of Sydney

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 7.0 (min 6.0 each) for many programmes

Australian National University

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

University of Queensland

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

UNSW Sydney

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

Monash University

UG 6.5 (min 6.0 each)

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

Australian universities consistently accept IELTS Academic. The standard minimum is 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0. Health sciences (nursing, medicine, physiotherapy) and education programmes typically require IELTS 7.0+ with no band below 7.0.

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Europe (Non-UK)

ETH Zurich (Switzerland)

UG 7.0 for English-taught programmes

PG 7.0

TU Munich (Germany)

UG 6.5+ for English-taught programmes

PG 6.5+

University of Amsterdam (Netherlands)

UG 6.0-6.5

PG 6.5-7.0

KU Leuven (Belgium)

UG 6.0-6.5

PG 6.5-7.0 depending on programme

Copenhagen Business School (Denmark)

UG 7.0

PG 7.0

Bocconi University (Italy)

UG 6.0+

PG 7.0 for MBA

English-taught programmes across continental Europe increasingly accept IELTS. Requirements vary significantly between countries and institutions. STEM programmes in non-English-speaking countries often have lower thresholds (6.0-6.5) compared to business and law programmes (7.0+).

🌏

Asia & Middle East

National University of Singapore

UG 6.5 minimum

PG 6.0-6.5 depending on programme

University of Hong Kong

UG 6.0 (min 5.5 each)

PG 6.0-7.0 depending on programme

KAIST (South Korea)

UG 6.5+ for international track

PG 6.5+

University of Tokyo (Japan)

UG 6.5+ for PEAK programme

PG 6.5+

KAUST (Saudi Arabia)

UG N/A (postgrad only)

PG 6.0 minimum

Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)

UG N/A

PG 6.0-6.5 for some programmes

Asian universities offering English-taught programmes accept IELTS as standard proof of English proficiency. Requirements typically range from 6.0 to 6.5. Singapore and Hong Kong, where English is an official or widely used language, have some of the region's most competitive admissions.

Understanding University IELTS Score Requirements

University IELTS requirements vary based on the level of study, the specific programme, and how language-intensive the course is. Medical, law, and journalism programmes consistently require the highest scores, while STEM and quantitative programmes may accept slightly lower bands.

Band 6.0–6.5 (Competent) meets minimum requirements for most undergraduate programmes and some postgraduate courses. Students at this level may be offered admission conditional on completing a pre-sessional English course.

Band 7.0 (Good) is the most common requirement for postgraduate programmes at competitive universities. Sufficient for most MBA, law (LLM), and social science programmes. The standard for Russell Group and Group of Eight universities.

Band 7.5+ (Very Good) is required by the most selective programmes: medicine, clinical psychology, law at Oxford/Cambridge, and programmes where English proficiency is central to the curriculum.

Pre-sessional English Courses: What If Your IELTS Score Is Too Low?

If your IELTS score is 0.5 to 1.0 bands below a university's requirement, you may still be eligible for admission through a pre-sessional English course. These intensive courses, typically lasting 4 to 20 weeks, are designed to bring your academic English to the required level before your degree programme starts.

Universities offer pre-sessional courses of varying lengths based on how far below the requirement your IELTS score is. A student who is 0.5 bands below might attend a 6-week course, while someone 1.0 band below could need a 10–20 week programme. Successful completion replaces the need to retake IELTS.

Most UK universities (including Russell Group institutions), many Australian universities (Group of Eight), and an increasing number of Canadian and European institutions offer pre-sessional programmes. These are typically attached to your conditional offer of admission and run immediately before the academic year.

IELTS Academic vs General Training for University Admissions

Universities require IELTS Academic, not IELTS General Training. The Academic module tests English in an educational context with more complex reading passages and an essay-based Writing Task 1 (describing charts, graphs, or diagrams). If you submit a General Training score to a university, your application will be considered incomplete. The only exception is some foundation or pathway programmes that may accept General Training in specific circumstances — always verify directly with the institution before booking your test.

Tips for Meeting University IELTS Requirements

•Always check the specific programme page on the university’s website — requirements vary between departments and even between courses within the same department.
•Pay attention to individual band requirements. Many programmes set a higher minimum for Writing (e.g., 6.5 when the overall is 6.0) because academic writing is critical for coursework and dissertations.
•Pre-sessional English courses can bridge a gap of 0.5–1.0 bands. If you are close to the requirement, a conditional offer with pre-sessional is common and accepted practice.
•Universities require IELTS Academic — IELTS General Training is not accepted for degree-level admissions anywhere.
•IELTS results are typically valid for 2 years. Plan your test date so your scores are valid both when you apply and when you enrol.
•Most universities now accept IELTS Online (taken at home on a computer) as equivalent to the in-person test centre version. Check your target university’s policy.
•If you plan to immigrate after graduating (e.g. Canada PGWP, Australia post-study visa), your university IELTS score may also meet immigration language requirements.

Reach Your University IELTS Score

Need to hit IELTS 6.5, 7.0, or 7.5 for your target university? We are building skill-specific training tools to help you close the gap and meet even the most demanding admissions requirements.

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