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
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 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.
🇺🇸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.
🇨🇦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.
🇦🇺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 and education programmes typically require IELTS 7.0+.
🇪🇺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.
🌏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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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