English test requirements: which test, what score, and who is exempt
Almost every university outside your home country will ask an international applicant to prove English. The tests are interchangeable more often than people think, the score you need is lower than people fear, and the thing that actually trips students up is not the overall score at all.
3 min read - Grades 11-12 + Master's - Updated August 2026
In short
- Which English test you take is a logistics and comfort decision; no university prefers a candidate for choosing IELTS over TOEFL.
- Most universities set an overall score and a minimum in every section, and the section minimum is what catches people out.
- Waivers are common where you have been taught in English for several years; ask admissions before paying for a test.
The tests, and who takes which
Which test to take is a logistics and comfort decision, not an admissions one. No university prefers a candidate for choosing IELTS over TOEFL. Choose on test-centre availability, whether you would rather speak to a human or a microphone, and cost.
- IELTS Academic: banded 0-9 in half steps. Take ACADEMIC, not General Training - General is for migration and work, and universities do not accept it for admission regardless of the score.
- TOEFL iBT: from 21 January 2026 scored as a 1-6 band per section with an overall average, aligned to the CEFR. Reports also show a comparable 0-120 figure until January 2028 while universities restate their requirements.
- PTE Academic and the Duolingo English Test are accepted by a growing number of universities, usually cheaper and faster to book, but acceptance is far from universal.
The TOEFL change, in plain terms
If you have been told to aim for 100 on the TOEFL, that referred to the old 0-120 total. On the current band scale that corresponds to roughly 5.0 overall.
During the transition your report shows both numbers, so a university still listing an old-scale minimum can read your score without a conversion. From January 2028 the band score stands alone.
If you sat the test before January 2026, your existing score is still valid for its normal two-year window and is still reported on the scale you took it on.
The section minimum is what catches people out
Most universities publish two requirements, and applicants read only the first: an overall score, AND a minimum in every individual section.
A 7.5 overall with a 6.0 in Writing fails a requirement of 7.0 overall with no band below 6.5. This is the single most common reason a student who 'passed' has to sit the test again.
Check the section minimums before you book, and prepare toward your weakest skill rather than your average.
Retakes, and the one-skill option
- IELTS offers One Skill Retake, letting you re-sit a single section rather than the whole test. Many universities and immigration authorities accept it, but some selective universities require all four skills from one sitting - so confirm before you rely on it.
- Scores from both tests are generally valid for two years.
- Booking early matters more than it sounds. Test centres in busy cities fill up, and a result takes time to arrive and be sent.
When you do not need the test at all
Waivers are more common than students realise, and are worth asking about before paying for a test. They typically apply where you have been taught in English for several years, or hold a qualification examined in English.
Waiver policies vary widely and are decided by the university, not by the test provider. A polite email to admissions asking whether your specific situation qualifies is free and often answered in a day.
Common questions
Is IELTS or TOEFL easier?
Neither, on average. IELTS Speaking is a conversation with a real examiner, which suits some students and unnerves others; TOEFL Speaking is recorded into a microphone to a timer. That difference decides it for most people.
I studied in English my whole life. Do I still need a test?
Often not, but you have to ask. Many universities waive the requirement for students taught in English, and the criteria differ by institution. Ask admissions directly before booking anything.
Does a higher English score improve my chances?
Only up to the threshold. Once you clear the requirement comfortably, extra points add very little - admissions weight moves to academics, essays and fit. Clear the bar, then stop optimising.
Can I use IELTS General Training if my score is high?
No. Universities require IELTS Academic for admission. A high General Training score does not substitute for it, and this is a common and expensive mistake.