Most international applicants aim for IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 100 because those are the round numbers everyone quotes. But the actual minimum varies enormously: Germany’s DAAD requires IELTS 6.5 for most programs, US graduate schools at Harvard require TOEFL 100, Russell Group UK universities require IELTS 7.0 with no individual band below 6.5, and Australia’s GTE policy can require IELTS 7.5 for some visa categories.
Aiming too high wastes prep time. Aiming too low gets your application auto-rejected at document screening before any human reads your file. This guide is the country-by-country and university-by-university breakdown of what English test score you actually need in 2026.
If you have not chosen a test yet, read Duolingo vs IELTS vs TOEFL. Once you know your target score, our prep guides will get you there: IELTS Preparation 2026 and TOEFL Preparation 2026.
Score equivalence at a glance
Universities and immigration authorities use this approximate equivalence chart to translate between the major tests. Always verify against the specific institution’s published table.
| IELTS | TOEFL iBT | Duolingo English Test | PTE Academic | CEFR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | 46-59 | 95-100 | 42-49 | B1+ |
| 6.0 | 60-78 | 100-110 | 50-57 | B2 |
| 6.5 | 79-93 | 110-120 | 58-64 | B2+ |
| 7.0 | 94-101 | 120-130 | 65-72 | C1 |
| 7.5 | 102-109 | 125-135 | 73-78 | C1+ |
| 8.0 | 110-114 | 135-145 | 79-83 | C2 |
| 8.5 | 115-117 | 145-150 | 84-88 | C2 |
| 9.0 | 118-120 | 150-160 | 89-90 | C2 |
The most-cited targets:
- Standard university entry: IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 79 / Duolingo 110
- Competitive university entry: IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL 94 / Duolingo 120
- Top-tier or competitive scholarship: IELTS 7.5 / TOEFL 102 / Duolingo 125
Germany
Germany has the most diverse landscape: scholarship requirements differ from university requirements differ from program-level requirements. The good news: the DAAD’s English requirements are lower than most assume.
DAAD scholarships
| Program | Minimum |
|---|---|
| DAAD Study Scholarship (Master’s) | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90 |
| DAAD Research Grant (PhD) | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90 |
| DAAD EPOS | IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 80 |
| DAAD Helmut Schmidt Programme | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90 |
For more on each program, see our DAAD Scholarship 2026 complete guide.
German universities (English-taught master’s programs)
| University | Typical minimum |
|---|---|
| TU Munich | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 88 |
| RWTH Aachen | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 87 |
| Heidelberg University | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 95 |
| LMU Munich | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 88 |
| Free University Berlin | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 95 |
| Humboldt University Berlin | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 95 |
| KIT Karlsruhe | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90 |
| TU Berlin | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 95 |
| University of Mannheim Business School | IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL 100 (MBA) |
| Frankfurt School of Finance | IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL 100 |
| Hertie School Berlin | IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL 100 |
For German-taught programs, you need TestDaF 4 across all sections or DSH-2, not English certificates.
For the full list of English-taught programs, read English-Taught Master’s Programs in Germany 2026.
Duolingo acceptance in Germany
Most German public universities accept Duolingo English Test since 2021. Typical minimum: 105 to 115. Verify on each university’s admissions page. Some private universities (Hertie, WHU) still require IELTS or TOEFL only.
Strategy for Germany
For most applicants targeting a German master’s: aim for IELTS 6.5 as your minimum. If you are competitive (DAAD-eligible record, top-quartile bachelor’s, target university like TU Munich), aim for IELTS 7.0 to 7.5 to make your file more competitive across all parts of the application.
United Kingdom
UK universities have the strictest minimum-band requirements. The headline overall score is only half the picture; almost every UK university requires a minimum per-band score as well.
Russell Group universities (research-intensive)
| University | Postgraduate Minimum |
|---|---|
| Oxford | IELTS 7.5 (no band below 7.0) for most programs |
| Cambridge | IELTS 7.5 (no band below 7.0) |
| Imperial College London | IELTS 7.0 (no band below 6.5) |
| LSE | IELTS 7.0 to 7.5 (no band below 6.5 to 7.0) depending on department |
| UCL | IELTS 6.5 to 7.5 (no band below 6.0 to 7.0) |
| King’s College London | IELTS 6.5 to 7.0 |
| Edinburgh | IELTS 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| Manchester | IELTS 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| Bristol | IELTS 6.5 to 7.0 |
| Warwick | IELTS 6.5 to 7.0 |
For most Russell Group taught master’s: IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.5 is the practical floor.
Other UK universities
| Tier | Typical minimum |
|---|---|
| Top non-Russell-Group (Bath, St Andrews, Lancaster, Loughborough) | IELTS 6.5 to 7.0 |
| Mid-tier UK universities | IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 |
| Foundation and pathway programs | IELTS 5.5 to 6.0 |
Chevening Scholarship
The UK government’s flagship scholarship requires IELTS 6.5 minimum (no band below 5.5) for the application, plus an unconditional offer from a UK university by mid-July.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
For student visa applications, UKVI requires the UKVI version of IELTS (functionally identical to standard IELTS but verified by UKVI) for some pathways, especially below-degree-level study. For master’s and PhD applications at most universities, the standard IELTS Academic is accepted as the visa component too.
Strategy for the UK
Target IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.5 if you want broad UK options. For Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, and competitive LSE departments, target 7.5 with no band below 7.0. UK universities are the strictest about per-band minimums; an IELTS 7.0 average with a 5.5 in Writing will not be accepted at most universities.
United States
US universities rarely publish a hard IELTS or TOEFL minimum. Instead they publish “recommended” or “average admit” scores. In practice these are floors below which your file is auto-screened out.
Top tier (Ivy League and equivalents)
| University | Recommended TOEFL | Recommended IELTS |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 109 | 7.5 |
| Princeton | 105+ | 7.5 |
| Yale | 100 | 7.0 |
| MIT | 100 | 7.0 |
| Stanford | 100 | 7.0 |
| Columbia | 100 | 7.0 |
| University of Chicago | 100 | 7.0 |
| Penn | 100 | 7.0 |
| Caltech | 100 | 7.0 |
| Northwestern | 100 | 7.0 |
Strong public and private (top 50)
| Tier | TOEFL | IELTS |
|---|---|---|
| Top 25 (UCLA, NYU, Berkeley, Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Brown, Duke, etc.) | 95-100 | 7.0-7.5 |
| Top 50 (Boston U, Penn State, Wisconsin, Washington, etc.) | 90-95 | 6.5-7.0 |
Tier 2 universities (top 50-150)
Typical minimum: TOEFL 80 / IELTS 6.5. Many state universities accept this.
Community colleges and pathway programs
Often accept TOEFL 60 to 79 / IELTS 5.5 to 6.0. Used as bridge to four-year programs.
Fulbright and other scholarships
The US government’s Fulbright Foreign Student Program uses TOEFL or IELTS but does not publish a hard minimum. In practice, successful applicants are usually at TOEFL 100+ / IELTS 7.0+, since they need to be admitted to competitive US universities.
Duolingo at US universities
Duolingo English Test acceptance is mainstream at US universities since 2020. Top schools accept Duolingo: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Penn, Columbia all accept Duolingo for graduate admissions, typically with a minimum of 120 to 130. Verify per program; a few specific departments still require TOEFL or IELTS only.
Strategy for the US
For top-tier US graduate programs: target TOEFL 100 / IELTS 7.0 as the safe floor. For competitive programs, aim for TOEFL 105 / IELTS 7.5. For mid-tier US universities, TOEFL 80 / IELTS 6.5 is sufficient. Always check the specific department; English literature, journalism, and law programs often require higher than STEM fields.
Canada
Canadian universities have moderate English requirements; the immigration angle is what makes Canada tighter than the US.
Top Canadian universities
| University | TOEFL | IELTS |
|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | 100 (no band below 22) | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| McGill | 100 | 6.5 |
| UBC | 90-100 | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| McMaster | 86-92 | 6.5 |
| Waterloo | 90-100 | 6.5-7.0 |
| Western | 86 | 6.5 |
| Queen’s | 88 | 7.0 |
| Alberta | 90 | 6.5 |
| SFU | 88 | 6.5 |
Immigration angle
For Canadian study permits, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts IELTS, CELPIP, or in some cases TEF (French). TOEFL is not accepted for the immigration application in many pathways, so most international students applying to Canada take IELTS even when their target university accepts TOEFL.
After graduation, the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) does not require a new English test if you obtained one for your study permit. For permanent residence (Express Entry), IELTS or CELPIP is required and Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7+ in each band is the typical floor for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Vanier Scholarship and other Canadian scholarships
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships ($50,000/year for PhD) does not have a hard English minimum but applicants are typically at IELTS 7.0+ / TOEFL 100+.
Strategy for Canada
For most applicants: take IELTS Academic rather than TOEFL or Duolingo, because IELTS works for both university admission and for the future immigration step. Target IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0 for most universities. For top universities (Toronto, McGill, UBC, Waterloo) target 7.0 to 7.5.
Australia and New Zealand
Australian universities
| University | IELTS minimum |
|---|---|
| University of Melbourne | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| Australian National University (ANU) | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| University of Sydney | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| UNSW Sydney | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| University of Queensland | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| Monash | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| University of Western Australia | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| Adelaide | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| RMIT | 6.5 |
For the Group of Eight (Australia’s research-intensive universities), IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0 is the consistent floor. Some specific programs (medicine, law, education) require IELTS 7.0+ with higher per-band minimums.
Australian student visa (subclass 500)
The Department of Home Affairs requires evidence of English proficiency. The exact minimum depends on country of origin and visa risk profile (Genuine Temporary Entrant assessment). For most applicants, IELTS 5.5 is the floor for the visa, but the university minimum is higher.
New Zealand
NZ universities generally require IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 for most programs, 7.0 to 7.5 for medicine, law, and PhD. Visa rules align with university minimums for most applicants.
Australia/NZ strategy
Target IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0 for university admission. PTE Academic is heavily used for Australian visa applications and is accepted alongside IELTS. TOEFL is fine for university admission but less common in Australia than IELTS.
The Netherlands
Dutch universities have moderate English requirements; their reputation as “easy” English-taught programs is largely myth at the master’s level.
| University | IELTS minimum |
|---|---|
| University of Amsterdam | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| Delft University of Technology | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| Erasmus University Rotterdam | 6.5 to 7.0 |
| Wageningen | 6.5 |
| Utrecht University | 6.5 (no band below 6.0) |
| Leiden University | 7.0 |
| Maastricht University | 6.5 |
| Eindhoven Tech | 6.5 |
| University of Groningen | 6.5 |
For top Dutch programs (Erasmus business school, Leiden law, TU Delft engineering), IELTS 7.0 is the practical floor.
Scandinavia and Northern Europe
| Country | Typical university minimum |
|---|---|
| Sweden | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90 |
| Denmark | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 88 |
| Norway | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90 |
| Finland | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 92 |
Public universities in Sweden and Denmark charge tuition for non-EU students (€10,000 to €18,000 per year). Norway and Finland are mostly tuition-free for all students, with the same English test minimums.
Country comparison: where to set your target
| Destination | Standard target | Competitive target |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (DAAD + most universities) | IELTS 6.5 | IELTS 7.0 to 7.5 |
| UK (mid-tier) | IELTS 6.5 | IELTS 7.0 |
| UK (Russell Group) | IELTS 7.0 | IELTS 7.5 |
| US (top 50) | TOEFL 90 / IELTS 6.5 | TOEFL 100 / IELTS 7.0 |
| US (Ivy/Top 25) | TOEFL 100 / IELTS 7.0 | TOEFL 105 / IELTS 7.5 |
| Canada | IELTS 6.5 | IELTS 7.0 |
| Australia | IELTS 6.5 | IELTS 7.0 |
| Netherlands | IELTS 6.5 | IELTS 7.0 |
| Scandinavia | IELTS 6.5 | IELTS 7.0 |
The single most reliable target if you do not yet know your destination: IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL 100. It clears the floor at almost every major university worldwide and exceeds the floor for most scholarships.
Common mistakes when interpreting score requirements
- Reading “minimum” as “target”. The published minimum is the floor. Competitive applicants score above it. A 6.5 listed as the minimum at a popular program means most admits scored 7.0+.
- Ignoring per-band requirements. UK universities especially require minimum scores in each of the four sections. An IELTS 7.0 average with a 5.0 in Writing is below the threshold at most UK universities.
- Treating Duolingo as a perfect IELTS substitute. Equivalence tables are approximate. A Duolingo 110 maps to IELTS 6.5 on paper, but some universities specifically state their IELTS requirement with a separately stated higher Duolingo bar (e.g. IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115).
- Forgetting visa requirements. Your university minimum is not the same as the immigration minimum. Some countries require a higher score for visa than for university admission.
- Using outdated info. University requirements change year to year. A 2023 forum post about TUM’s IELTS minimum may not match the 2026 requirement. Always check the official admissions page.
Frequently asked questions
Is IELTS 6.5 enough for most universities?
For mid-tier programs in most countries, yes. For top-tier programs and competitive scholarships, no. Aim higher than the stated minimum.
Can I retake the test if I get a low score?
Yes. IELTS allows unlimited retakes (24 hours apart). Computer-delivered IELTS offers a One Skill Retake within 60 days. TOEFL allows unlimited retakes (3 days apart). Duolingo allows up to 3 attempts within 30 days.
Do all universities accept Duolingo?
Most do as of 2026. Over 5,000 institutions accept Duolingo, including most top US universities, many UK universities, all major Canadian universities, and most German public universities. Some specific departments still require IELTS or TOEFL only. Verify on the program’s admissions page.
How long are test scores valid?
IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and Duolingo are all valid for 2 years from the test date. Universities require valid scores at the time of application and sometimes at the time of enrolment.
Should I take both IELTS and TOEFL to maximise my options?
No. Most universities accept multiple tests; pick the one you will score highest on based on your strengths. Taking both wastes time and money.
Does my undergraduate medium of instruction (MOI) substitute for IELTS?
Some universities accept a Medium of Instruction certificate (a letter from your bachelor’s institution stating that English was the language of instruction) instead of IELTS or TOEFL. Most German and some UK and Canadian universities accept this. Always check; do not assume.
Are there universities that do not require any English test?
Very few for international applicants. Some accept MOI letters; some accept native-English-speaking applicants without testing. For non-native speakers, an English test is almost always required.
What if I am a native English speaker (Nigerian, Indian)?
Universities define “native English speaker” by country of origin, not language. Nigerian, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Filipino, Kenyan, Ghanaian, and similar applicants are typically required to take a test even though they have spoken English their whole lives. The MOI letter is the most common workaround.
Should I take the test before or after applying?
Before, in almost all cases. Most applications require an English test score at the time of submission. Some universities allow conditional offers pending an English test, but this is becoming rarer.
How do I get my score sent to universities?
IELTS lets you select 5 free score recipients at booking; extra reports cost about €15 each. TOEFL gives 4 free recipients before the test; extra reports cost $20 each. Duolingo allows unlimited free score sending. PTE allows unlimited free score sending.
Ready to plan your test?
Once you know your target, our prep guides take you the rest of the way: IELTS Preparation 2026 for IELTS Band 7+, TOEFL Preparation 2026 for TOEFL 100+. Still deciding which test? Duolingo vs IELTS vs TOEFL.
For destination-specific guidance, our DAAD scholarship guide, English-taught master’s in Germany, and how to apply to a German university 2026 cover the German pathway. More country clusters coming.
Our scholarship application support service helps with the application package once your test score is in hand.
The honest summary: the right English test score is the lowest you need to clear the floor at your specific target institutions, plus a comfortable buffer. Aiming for IELTS 9 when your target programs require 6.5 wastes 6 months of prep time; aiming for IELTS 6.5 when they require 7.0 is application suicide. Pick your destination, look up the actual requirements, set a target 0.5 to 1 band above the minimum, and start preparing.
Published by ScholyHub Editorial. Last reviewed for accuracy in May 2026 against published university admission requirements at the institutions listed. Score requirements change periodically; always verify against the specific program’s current admissions page when you apply.