What’s a Good IELTS Score for U.S. University Admission?

Over 3 million IELTS tests were taken in the last year, and more than 3,400 institutions accept the test in the U.S.

FOR PROSPECTIVE:

International students planning to attend college or graduate school in the U.S. standardized English proficiency tests are typically required for admission. Tests such as the TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, and IELTS, or International English Language Testing System. It helps demonstrate to admissions counselors how well international applicants grasp the English language.

Many schools accept IELTS scores from applicants. Over 3 million IELTS tests were taken in the last year, and the test is accepted by more than 3,400 institutions in the U.S., according to a spokesperson from the British Council, one of the test owners.

Test-takers can choose to take the IELTS on paper or computer, either of which typically takes about three hours. Students are assessing in four different sections: listening, reading, writing, and speaking, and receive a score between 1 to 9, referred to as bands, for each team. 

The overall band score is the average score across all sections. Rounds to the nearest whole or half band, such as 6.0 or 6.5. There is no pass or fail on the IELTS.

U.S. institutions that accept the test each have their own IELTS minimum score requirements. And what is considered a good score can vary between universities.

Undergraduate admissions:

Experts say students should check with individual universities to learn what constitutes a good IELTS score. It is for undergraduate admission and other details beyond the minimum score.

“Some programs require an overall score in a particular range, usually 6.0 to 7.0. But then add a stipulation that students must achieve a specific score in one or more of the particular sections of the test. 

Often, the writing section,” says Eliot Friesen-Meyers, IELTS curriculum manager at Magoosh, an online test preparation company based in California. He says this is the case at the University of Colorado. Boulder, which requires an IELTS score of 6.5 overall and at least 5.5 in writing.

Other schools have differing policies. For example, several Ivy League universities require an overall score of at least a 7.0. Most other universities require a 6.5, says Chris Pell, managing director of test prep service IELTS Advantage. Based in the United Kingdom, Pell designed IELTS courses for the British Council and trained IELTS teachers.

“To be honest, if a student is not getting a 6.5. I don’t think they’ll be able to cope with the demands of a degree in English,” Pell wrote in an email.

The Florida Institute of Technology

The Florida Institute of Technology considers a 6.0 the minimum IELTS score for university-level academic English proficiency, says Stacey Reeder, associate director of international and graduate admission and liaison for international programs.

“We feel an international student who obtains an overall band score of a minimum of 6.0 has the necessary English skills to be academically successful here,” Reeder says.

But students who don’t meet that score still have options. She says she admitted applicants who score a 5.5 on the IELTS. They could enroll in Florida Tech’s ESL Bridge Program for two semesters. To strengthen their English academic skills and get started on a few classes, such as math. Students who score below a 5.5 can apply and enroll at the school’s Melbourne ELS Center. Designed to give intensive English instruction to students seeking to study in the U.S.

IELTS Graduate admissions:

Experts say U.S. graduate schools typically require prospective international students to provide evidence of English language skills and that IELTS score requirements vary by department.

A good IELTS score for admissions at the undergrad and graduate level in the U.S. probably depends on what a student considers a right school, says Ray Marx, director of college counseling at Colegio Americano de Quito in Ecuador and an independent college counselor at CO2 Admissions. Marx says most of the top 200 undergraduate and graduate programs have minimums between 6.0 to 7.0, with some highly selective universities looking for scores around 7.5.

Graduate programs at the University of California:

Los Angeles, for example, require a minimum overall band score of at least 7.0, with some majors requiring higher scores. The school’s Master of Social Science requires an overall IELTS score of 7.5, and bioengineering requires a score of 8.0, according to the school’s website.

At the University at Albany—SUNY, the minimum IELTS score for general graduate admission is 6.5. However, not all of the school’s programs accept the IELTS test. Some that do may require higher scores for departmental consideration, according to the school’s website.

Students should be aware that some U.S. graduate programs do not accept IELTS. For example, the MBA program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School accepts only the TOEFL. And the Pearson Test of English Academic, or PTE Academic.

Friesen-Meyers says international students planning to apply to U.S. schools should start their exam preparation as early as possible.

“Ideally, they will know the specific programs to which they plan to apply. Also understand the specific IELTS requirements of those programs. This helps to provide a concrete goal when studying for the exam,” he says.

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