IELTS Score Requirements by University and Country
By Amelia Foster8 min read
Last updated:
IELTS is still the most widely accepted English proficiency test for international admissions. The right target score isn't 'the university's minimum' — it's the score that clears the university, the visa, and any professional body you'll need to register with. Here's the actual bar by country.
United States
- Top-20 undergraduate: IELTS 7.5 overall, 7.0 each band.
- Ivy League and MIT/Stanford graduate: IELTS 7.5–8.0 overall.
- State universities: IELTS 6.5 overall.
United Kingdom
- Undergraduate at Russell Group: IELTS 6.5, 6.0 each band.
- Masters at Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, LSE, UCL: IELTS 7.0–7.5.
- UKVI IELTS required if your university is not on the SELT-exempt list.
Canada
- SDS visa stream: IELTS 6.0 each band (mandatory).
- U15 universities (McGill, Toronto, UBC) masters: IELTS 7.0.
- College diplomas: IELTS 6.0 overall usually accepted.
Australia
- Undergraduate Group of Eight: IELTS 6.5, 6.0 each band.
- Masters at Melbourne, Sydney, ANU: IELTS 6.5–7.0.
- Nursing, teaching, medicine: IELTS 7.0 minimum with 7.0 in speaking.
How to hit a higher band
Most students plateau at 6.5 because they repeat what they've already done. Move the needle by (1) timing every practice section as if it were the real thing, (2) recording your speaking and rating it against band descriptors, and (3) writing three Task 2 essays per week with a tutor marking them.
Need a study plan for a specific target band?
Get a personalized 6–8 week IELTS plan from our lead coach.
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