What TOEFL score do I need for a US university?

Most US universities require TOEFL iBT 79–100 depending on the institution and program. Highly selective universities (Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale) typically require 100 or above for graduate programs. Many state universities and less selective institutions accept 79–90. Always check the specific program requirements as business, law, and education programs often require higher scores than the general university minimum.

What TOEFL score do I need for Oxford or Cambridge?

Oxford typically requires TOEFL iBT 110 with section minimums (Speaking 25, Writing 25, Listening 22, Reading 22) for most graduate programs, though requirements vary by course. Cambridge typically requires TOEFL iBT 110 for most graduate programs. Both Oxford and Cambridge generally require scores from a single test sitting and do not accept MyBest Scores. Always verify on the specific course page as requirements vary.

What TOEFL score do I need for a UK university?

Most UK universities require TOEFL iBT 87–100. Russell Group universities typically require 90–107. Oxford and Cambridge require 110. For undergraduate entry, 87–92 is common. For postgraduate entry, 90–100 is typical. Note that for UK Student Visa purposes TOEFL is not accepted — you will need IELTS UKVI for the visa even if your university accepts TOEFL for admissions.

What TOEFL score do I need for Canada?

Most Canadian universities require TOEFL iBT 86–100. University of Toronto requires 100 for most programs. UBC and McGill typically require 90. Note that TOEFL is not accepted for Canadian immigration (Express Entry) — if you plan to apply for Canadian PR after graduation you will need IELTS or CELPIP.

Is TOEFL 100 a good score?

Yes. TOEFL 100 is considered a strong score and meets requirements at the vast majority of universities globally including most competitive graduate programs. It corresponds to approximately IELTS 7.0–7.5 and C1 level on the CEFR scale. For the most elite programs (Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, top US graduate schools) some require 104–110, so for those targets 100 is a minimum not a comfortable margin.

Do all universities accept TOEFL MyBest Scores?

No. Many US universities accept MyBest Scores but most UK universities require scores from a single test sitting. Canadian and Australian universities vary by institution. Always check the specific university's TOEFL policy page. ETS includes both single-test scores and MyBest Scores on every score report sent to universities — institutions that do not accept MyBest Scores will use only the single-test scores.

Can I use TOEFL for a UK student visa?

No. TOEFL iBT is not an approved Secure English Language Test for UK visa purposes. Even if your UK university accepts TOEFL for admissions, you will need a separate approved SELT (IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT) for your Student Visa application. This is a common issue for students who apply to UK universities using TOEFL and only discover the visa requirement later — plan ahead and check visa requirements early.

What is the difference between TOEFL iBT and TOEFL Essentials for university admissions?

TOEFL iBT is the standard academic test accepted by 12,000+ universities worldwide. TOEFL Essentials is a shorter 90-minute adaptive test accepted by fewer institutions. Most competitive universities specifically require TOEFL iBT. Always verify which test version your university accepts before booking. If the admissions page says TOEFL without specifying, contact admissions to confirm they accept TOEFL iBT.

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TOEFL iBT Score Requirements by University

Find the minimum TOEFL iBT score you need for 100+ universities across the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and beyond.

Why requirements vary: Each university and faculty sets its own language policy. A business school and an engineering department at the same university can have TOEFL requirements 10–15 points apart.

Total score vs section minimums: Many universities set a floor for individual sections — most commonly Speaking and Writing. Meeting the total score is not enough if any section falls below its stated minimum.

MyBest Scores policy varies: Some universities accept ETS MyBest Scores (best sections across multiple sittings); others require all scores from a single sitting. Always check the specific university policy before relying on MyBest Scores for an application.

Higher requirements for competitive programs: Medicine, law, education, and business programs routinely require higher scores than the general university minimum.

TOEFL iBT only: All scores on this page refer to TOEFL iBT (the standard internet-based test) unless stated otherwise — not TOEFL Essentials or TOEFL ITP. Always verify which test version your university accepts.

Data disclaimer: Requirements shown are typical thresholds based on publicly available admissions information. University requirements change regularly and program-specific requirements may differ from the general university minimum. Always verify the current requirement directly on the official university admissions or international students page before applying.

TOEFL iBT Requirements at Top Universities

Filter by country, study level, score threshold, or MyBest Scores policy. Click Min Total to sort by score. Colour coding: amber = 79–89, green = 90–99, dark green = 100+.

Showing 89 of 89 universities

University	Country	Level	Min Total	Section Minimums	MyBest Accepted	Notes
ANU	Australia	Undergrad	80	—	Single sitting only	—
Boston University	USA	Undergrad	84	Speaking 18	Accepts MyBest	—
Carnegie Mellon University	USA	Postgrad	100	Speaking 22	Not specified	CS: 100; Tepper MBA: 100
Columbia University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Accepts MyBest	Varies by school
Cornell University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	Varies by college
Dartmouth College	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	Tuck MBA: 100
Delft University of Technology	Netherlands	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
Duke University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	—
Durham University	UK	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
Erasmus University Rotterdam	Netherlands	Postgrad	90	—	Not specified	RSM MBA: 100
Georgetown University	USA	Undergrad	100	—	Not specified	—
Harvard University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	Varies by school — some require Speaking 80 (iBT)
Heidelberg University	Germany	Postgrad	90	—	Not specified	—
Imperial College London	UK	Undergrad	92	—	Single sitting only	Medicine: higher
Johns Hopkins University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	Bloomberg School of Public Health: 100
King's College London	UK	Postgrad	95	—	Not specified	Health: 100
Leiden University	Netherlands	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
LMU Munich	Germany	Postgrad	95	—	Not specified	English-taught programs
LSE	UK	Postgrad	107	—	Single sitting only	—
McGill	Canada	Undergrad	90	Speaking 20	Not specified	Medicine: higher
McGill	Canada	Postgrad	100	Speaking 20	Single sitting only	—
McMaster University	Canada	Undergrad	86	—	Not specified	Health Sciences: higher
MIT	USA	Postgrad	90	—	Not specified	Recommended minimum — some departments require higher
Monash University	Australia	Undergrad	79	—	Single sitting only	Medicine: 94
Newcastle University	UK	Undergrad	87	—	Not specified	—
Northeastern University	USA	Undergrad	79	—	Accepts MyBest	—
Northwestern University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	Kellogg MBA: 100
NTU	Singapore	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
NUS	Singapore	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
NYU	USA	Undergrad	84	—	Accepts MyBest	Varies by school — Stern: 100
Ohio State University	USA	Undergrad	79	—	Not specified	—
Penn State	USA	Undergrad	80	—	Not specified	—
Princeton University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	—
Purdue University	USA	Undergrad	77	Speaking 18	Not specified	—
Queens University	Canada	Undergrad	88	—	Not specified	—
Rice University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	—
Simon Fraser University	Canada	Undergrad	86	—	Not specified	—
Stanford University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Accepts MyBest	Some programs accept 89
Trinity College Dublin	Ireland	Undergrad	92	—	Not specified	—
TU Munich	Germany	Postgrad	95	—	Not specified	—
UBC	Canada	Undergrad	90	Speaking 20	Not specified	Some programs: 100
UBC	Canada	Postgrad	100	Speaking 20	Single sitting only	—
UC Berkeley	USA	Postgrad	90	—	Accepts MyBest	Some programs: 80
UCL	UK	Undergrad	92	—	Single sitting only	Varies by faculty
UCLA	USA	Undergrad	87	—	Accepts MyBest	Most programs
University College Cork	Ireland	Undergrad	88	—	Not specified	—
University College Dublin	Ireland	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
University of Adelaide	Australia	Undergrad	79	—	Single sitting only	—
University of Alberta	Canada	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
University of Amsterdam	Netherlands	Undergrad	92	—	Not specified	—
University of Auckland	New Zealand	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	Medicine: 100
University of Birmingham	UK	Undergrad	88	—	Not specified	—
University of Bristol	UK	Undergrad	88	—	Not specified	—
University of Cambridge	UK	Postgrad	110	—	Single sitting only	Varies by course — some require 100
University of Chicago	USA	Postgrad	104	—	Not specified	Booth MBA: 104
University of Edinburgh	UK	Undergrad	92	—	Not specified	Varies by school
University of Exeter	UK	Undergrad	85	—	Not specified	—
University of Florida	USA	Undergrad	80	—	Not specified	—
University of Glasgow	UK	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
University of Illinois	USA	Undergrad	79	Speaking 18	Not specified	Engineering: 96
University of Leeds	UK	Undergrad	87	—	Not specified	—
University of Manchester	UK	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	PG Business: 100
University of Melbourne	Australia	Undergrad	79	—	Single sitting only	Medicine: 94
University of Melbourne	Australia	Postgrad	94	—	Single sitting only	—
University of Michigan	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Accepts MyBest	Varies by program
University of North Carolina	USA	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
University of Nottingham	UK	Undergrad	87	—	Not specified	—
University of Otago	New Zealand	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
University of Ottawa	Canada	Undergrad	86	—	Not specified	—
University of Oxford	UK	Postgrad	110	Sp 25, Wr 25, Li 22, Re 22	Single sitting only	Most graduate programs — varies by course
University of Pennsylvania	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	Wharton: TOEFL preferred over IELTS
University of Queensland	Australia	Undergrad	87	—	Single sitting only	—
University of Sheffield	UK	Undergrad	87	—	Not specified	—
University of Southampton	UK	Undergrad	88	—	Not specified	—
University of Sydney	Australia	Undergrad	85	—	Single sitting only	Law: 95
University of Sydney	Australia	Postgrad	94	—	Single sitting only	—
University of Texas Austin	USA	Undergrad	79	—	Accepts MyBest	McCombs Business: 90
University of Toronto	Canada	Undergrad	100	Speaking 22, Writing 22	Not specified	Varies by program — Engineering: 100
University of Toronto	Canada	Postgrad	100	Speaking 22, Writing 22	Single sitting only	Rotman MBA: 100
University of Virginia	USA	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
University of Warwick	UK	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
University of Washington	USA	Undergrad	76	—	Accepts MyBest	—
University of Waterloo	Canada	Undergrad	90	Speaking 20	Not specified	—
UNSW	Australia	Undergrad	85	—	Single sitting only	—
UWA	Australia	Undergrad	80	—	Single sitting only	—
Vanderbilt University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	—
Victoria University Wellington	New Zealand	Undergrad	90	—	Not specified	—
Western University	Canada	Undergrad	86	—	Not specified	—
Yale University	USA	Postgrad	100	—	Not specified	Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

TOEFL Section Score Minimums — What They Mean and Why They Matter

Total Score Minimum

The minimum TOEFL iBT total score (out of 120) a university will accept. Your four section scores (each out of 30) are summed to produce the total.

Section Score Minimum

Many universities set a floor for individual sections. Even if your total exceeds the minimum, a single section below its stated floor will disqualify your application.

Worked Example — Rejected Despite Exceeding Total Score

University requirement: total 90, Speaking minimum 22

Reading26/30

Listening27/30

Speaking19/30(min 22 required)

Writing25/30

Total: 97 — exceeds the 90 requirement. But Speaking 19 is below the minimum of 22. Result: does not meet requirements.

Which Sections Have Minimums Most Often?

Speaking

Most common

Programs with oral communication requirements (business, education, healthcare) often set Speaking 22–25. This is the most frequent blocking section.

Writing

Second most common

Essay-heavy programs scrutinise Writing. Commonly set at 22–24 for competitive programs.

Reading

Less common

Reading minimums are set independently less often, but still appear — particularly at research-intensive universities.

Listening

Least common

Rarely the sole blocking section, but Oxford is a notable exception with a stated Listening minimum of 22.

TOEFL MyBest Scores — Which Universities Accept Them?

What is MyBest Scores? MyBest Scores combines the best section scores from multiple TOEFL iBT attempts within the past 2 years. ETS reports both single-test scores and MyBest Scores on every official score report sent to universities.

Example calculation

Attempt	Reading	Listening	Speaking	Writing	Total
Attempt 1	24	22	20	21	87
Attempt 2	22	25	23	22	92
MyBest	24	25	23	22	94

University	Country	MyBest Policy	Notes
MIT	USA	Accepts MyBest	—
Harvard	USA	Accepts MyBest	Some schools require single sitting — verify per program
Stanford	USA	Accepts MyBest	—
Columbia	USA	Accepts MyBest	—
NYU	USA	Accepts MyBest	—
UCLA	USA	Accepts MyBest	—
UC Berkeley	USA	Accepts MyBest	—
University of Oxford	UK	Single sitting only	—
LSE	UK	Single sitting only	—
UCL	UK	Single sitting only	Verify per program
University of Toronto	Canada	Single sitting only	Single sitting required for most programs
University of Melbourne	Australia	Single sitting only	Single sitting typically required — verify per faculty

This table reflects typical policies based on publicly available information. Always verify the current MyBest Scores policy directly with each university's admissions office as policies change.

Typical TOEFL Requirements by Subject Area

Program-specific requirements within a university often differ from the general university minimum. Always check the specific program admissions page.

Field of Study	Typical UG Min	Typical PG Min	Common Section Min	Why Higher
Medicine & Dentistry	94–100	100–110	Speaking 24+	Patient communication and clinical safety
Nursing	90–100	95–100	Speaking 22+	Patient interaction requirements
Law	100	100	Writing 24+	Complex legal writing and reasoning
Business & MBA	90–100	100–104	Speaking 22	Professional communication
Education & TESOL	90–100	100	Speaking 24+	Teaching requires strong spoken English
Engineering	79–90	90–100	—	Technical documentation
Computer Science	79–90	90–100	—	—
Social Sciences	90	90–100	Writing 22	Essay-heavy coursework
Arts & Humanities	90	100	Writing 22	—
Architecture	90	90	—	—
Foundation Programs	61–79	N/A	—	Pathway entry level

What If You Don't Meet the TOEFL Requirement?

Pre-Sessional English Programs

Many UK and Australian universities offer pre-sessional English programs for students who narrowly miss the TOEFL requirement. A student with TOEFL 84 applying for a program requiring 90 may be offered a 6–10 week pre-sessional program. Completing it successfully satisfies the language condition without retaking TOEFL.

Universities with well-regarded pre-sessional programs include: University of Manchester, UCL, and University of Melbourne.

Conditional Offers

Universities often issue conditional offers where TOEFL is one of the conditions. The offer is confirmed once you submit a qualifying TOEFL score before enrollment. Deadlines vary — typically 4–6 weeks before term starts.

TOEFL Retake Strategy

TOEFL can be retaken after 3 days with no limit on total attempts. If your Speaking score is your weakest section, targeted Speaking preparation before retaking is more efficient than general test preparation. Focus on the section holding you back rather than equal revision across all four sections.

MyBest Scores Strategy

If you have taken TOEFL multiple times and your best scores come from different sittings, check if your target university accepts MyBest Scores. If they do, your combined best-section score report may already meet the requirement without retaking.

Foundation and Pathway Programs

If significantly below the requirement (e.g. TOEFL 70 for a 90 requirement) a foundation year with English components is the appropriate route. These are offered by most large UK and Australian universities and accepted for direct degree entry.

TOEFL Essentials Alternative

TOEFL Essentials is a shorter 90-minute adaptive test accepted by some universities. However most competitive universities require TOEFL iBT specifically — always verify which test version is accepted before switching.

TOEFL and Student Visa Requirements

University admissions requirements and student visa requirements are separate. A TOEFL score that satisfies your university may not satisfy your visa authority.

USA (F-1 Visa)

TOEFL sufficient

The US student visa (F-1) does not require a specific English test. The TOEFL requirement is set by the university for admissions, not by USCIS for the visa. Once admitted with a valid TOEFL score, no separate English test is needed for the visa process.

UK (Student Visa)

IELTS also required for visa

TOEFL iBT is not an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) for UK Student Visa applications. Students need IELTS UKVI or another approved SELT for the visa even if their UK university accepts TOEFL for admissions. This means students applying to UK universities with TOEFL may need to take IELTS UKVI separately for the visa.

Australia (Subclass 500)

TOEFL sufficient

TOEFL iBT is accepted for the Australian student visa (subclass 500). The minimum for most student visa categories is approximately TOEFL 46 overall, though individual course requirements are higher. Both the visa minimum and the course minimum must be met.

Canada (Study Permit)

TOEFL sufficient

Canada does not have a language test requirement for the student permit itself. The language requirement is set by the university. TOEFL is accepted by most Canadian universities and no separate visa-specific test is needed. Note: TOEFL is not accepted for Canadian immigration (Express Entry) — if you plan to apply for Canadian PR you will need IELTS or CELPIP.

Frequently Asked Questions

Reminder: Requirements shown are typical thresholds based on publicly available admissions information. University requirements change regularly and program-specific requirements may differ from the general university minimum. Always verify the current requirement directly on the official university admissions or international students page before applying.

TOEFL iBT Score Requirements by University

TOEFL iBT Requirements at Top Universities

TOEFL Section Score Minimums — What They Mean and Why They Matter

Total Score Minimum

Section Score Minimum

Which Sections Have Minimums Most Often?

TOEFL MyBest Scores — Which Universities Accept Them?

Typical TOEFL Requirements by Subject Area

What If You Don't Meet the TOEFL Requirement?

Pre-Sessional English Programs

Conditional Offers

TOEFL Retake Strategy

MyBest Scores Strategy

Foundation and Pathway Programs

TOEFL Essentials Alternative

TOEFL and Student Visa Requirements

USA (F-1 Visa)

UK (Student Visa)

Australia (Subclass 500)

Canada (Study Permit)

Frequently Asked Questions

What TOEFL score do I need for a US university?

What TOEFL score do I need for Oxford or Cambridge?

What TOEFL score do I need for a UK university?

What TOEFL score do I need for Canada?

Is TOEFL 100 a good score?

Do all universities accept TOEFL MyBest Scores?

Can I use TOEFL for a UK student visa?

What is the difference between TOEFL iBT and TOEFL Essentials for university admissions?

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