TOEFL score requirements for top universities abroad in 2026 vary widely by country, university, and program level, but most leading institutions continue to expect competitive English proficiency scores for international admissions.
For 2026 admissions, universities in the US, UK, Canada, Europe, and Australia are generally accepting TOEFL iBT scores between 80 and 110, with highly selective universities such as MIT, Stanford, and Oxford often expecting scores above 100. ETS has also introduced a new TOEFL 1-6 score scale from January 2026 alongside the existing 0-120 format, which universities are gradually integrating into their admission policies.
The required TOEFL score also depends on whether applicants are applying for undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, or research programs. Some universities specify only an overall score, while others set minimum sectional requirements in Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. In addition, several institutions now waive TOEFL requirements for students who have completed prior education in English-medium institutions, though policies differ across universities and departments.
TOEFL Score for Top Universities in the US 2026
Check the TOEFL score requirements for some of the top US universities in 2026:
| University | QS World University Ranking 2026 | TOEFL (Old: 0–120) | TOEFL (New: 1–6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | #=1 | 100 (most departments) | 5.0 |
| Harvard University | #=5 | 80 minimum (Graduate School of Arts & Sciences); 100–104 for schools like Kennedy School, Medical School | 4.0 minimum; 5.0–5.5 for higher-requirement schools |
| Stanford University | #=3 | 90 | 4.5 |
| Columbia University | #=38 | 100 (Graduate School of Arts & Sciences); 114 for Journalism | 5.0 (Arts & Sciences); 5.5 (Undergraduate) |
| University of Pennsylvania | #=15 | 100; Law School: 100 with 24 in each section | 5.0 |
| Yale University | #=21 | No university-wide minimum; Speaking: 26 minimum for Teaching Assistant eligibility | No published new-scale minimum |
| Princeton University | #=25 | No university-wide minimum (set by each department) | No published new-scale minimum |
| University of Chicago | #=13 | 90 (most programs); 104 with 26 per section for Divinity/Crown Family School | 4.5–5.0 |
| Cornell University | #=16 | Speaking: 27, Reading: 20, Listening: 15, Writing: 20 (for most graduate programs) | Speaking: 5.5, Reading: 4, Listening: 3.5, Writing: 4 |
| Johns Hopkins University | #=24 | 100; preferred sub-scores: R:26, L:26, W:22, S:25 | 5.0 |
Key variations:
- Harvard: Kennedy School requires 100; Medical School requires 103; GSAS minimum is 80.
- Chicago: Arts & Humanities: 25 per subsection; Physical Sciences (CS MS): 100; all other PSD: 90.
- Cornell: Indian students who speak English as a first language may qualify for a standing TOEFL exemption — India is listed as an exempt country on Cornell's official admissions page.
TOEFL Score for Top Universities in the UK 2026
Check the TOEFL score requirements for some of the top UK universities in 2026:
| University | QS World University Ranking 2026 | TOEFL (Old: 0–120) | TOEFL (New: 1–6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Oxford | #=4 | Standard courses: 100 (L:22, R:24, S:25, W:24); Higher-level courses: 110 (same section minimums) | Not accepted — tests from Jan 21, 2026 onwards not accepted until review is complete |
| University of Cambridge | #=6 | 110 overall with 25 in each section (tests before Jan 21, 2026 only) | Not accepted |
| Imperial College London | #=2 | 100 (most programs); MBA: 100 with 22 in all sections | Not yet published |
| UCL | #=9 | Minimum 92 (most Engineering/Science/Government programs); 96 (some programs); 100 (Law, Business, most Humanities); 109 (LLM Law programs); 110 (Study Abroad top tier) | Minimum 4.5 (most programs); 5.0 (Humanities/Law); 5.5 (LLM/Study Abroad top tier) |
| LSE | #=56 | Standard (most Master's): 100 (R:23, L:22, W:24, S:22); Research programs (most MPhil/PhD): 100 (R:25, L:22, W:27, S:22); Law programs: 109 (R:25, L:24, W:27, S:22) | 5.5 overall (R:5, L:5, W:5, S:4.5) for all tiers |
| University of Edinburgh | #=34 | Minimum 80 (some programs); most programs: check individual degree finder page — both old and new scales listed | Both scales listed on individual program pages |
| University of Manchester | #=35 | Minimum 72 (lowest threshold); 80 (standard); 90 (most postgraduate programs); 100–109 (some departments like Computer Science) | Scores from Jan 21, 2026 reviewed case-by-case using ETS equivalency tables |
| King's College London | #=31 | Minimum 92 (Medicine, Engineering, Natural Sciences — Band D); 100 (Social Sciences, Law, Business — Band B & C) | Minimum 4.5 (Band D); 5.0 (Band B & C) |
| University of Bristol | #=51 | Minimum 95 (most programs — Profile B); 103 (some programs — Profile A, e.g. Medicine, Dentistry) | Minimum 5.0 (Profile B); 5.5 (Profile A) |
| University of Warwick | #=74 | Minimum 92 (Band A — most Science/Engineering programs); 100 (Band B — most Business/Social Science programs); 108 (Band C — some Humanities/Law programs) | Minimum 4.5 (Band A); 5.0 (Band B); 5.5 (Band C) |
Key variations:
- Oxford: Two levels — Standard (100) and Higher (110). Check your specific course page. TOEFL not accepted post Jan 21, 2026.
- UCL: 5 proficiency levels. Most Engineering/Science programs = Level 1 (92 old / 4.5 new). Most Law/Business = Level 3–4. Check your course page.
- LSE: 4 tiers — Standard, Higher, Research, Law. Law programs require 109 iBT (old) / 5.5 (new).
TOEFL Score for Top Universities in Canada 2026
Check the TOEFL score requirements for some of the top Canadian universities in 2026:
| University | QS World University Ranking 2026 | TOEFL (Old: 0–120) | TOEFL (New: 1–6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | #=29 | 93 overall; Writing: 22, Speaking: 22 (all four academic divisions: Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences) | 4.5 overall; Writing: 4.5, Speaking: 4.0 |
| McGill University | #=27 | 86 overall; minimum 20 in each section | 4.5 overall; R:4.5, L:4.5, W:4.5, S:4.0 |
| University of British Columbia (UBC) | #=40 | 90 overall; R:22, L:22, W:21, S:21 | Check individual program pages |
| University of Alberta | #=94 | 90 (most programs) | Check individual program pages |
| University of Waterloo | #=119 | 90 overall; W:25, S:25 (graduate standard) | Check individual program pages |
| McMaster University | #=173 | 86 overall; no section below 20 | Check individual program pages |
| Western University | #=151 | 83 (general minimum) | Check individual program pages |
| Queen's University | #=191 | 88 (general minimum) | Check individual program pages |
| University of Ottawa | #=219 | 86 (general minimum) | Check individual program pages |
| Dalhousie University | #=283 | 92 (general minimum) | Check individual program pages |
Key variations:
- U of T: TOEFL MyBest not accepted. TOEFL Essentials and ITP are not accepted.
- McGill: Duolingo and PTE are not accepted for graduate programs. Some departments require higher scores (e.g., CS: 100 iBT).
- UBC: TOEFL MyBest not accepted for UBC-Vancouver. Some programs require higher scores.
- Waterloo: Geography/Environmental Management requires 100 iBT (W:26, S:26).
TOEFL Score for Top Universities in Australia 2026
Check the TOEFL score requirements for some of the top Australian universities in 2026:
| University | QS World University Ranking 2026 | TOEFL (Old: 0–120) | TOEFL (New: 1–6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Melbourne | #=19 | Minimum 81 (most coursework programs: W:19, S:19, R:16, L:16); 91 (MBA, most research/PhD programs: W:26, S:22, R:19, L:19); 94 (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Psychology); 100 (Law JD) | Check individual course pages |
| University of Sydney | #=25 | 85 (standard minimum); higher for some faculties | Check individual program pages |
| UNSW Sydney | #=20 | Minimum 90 (most programs: W:23, R:22, L:22, S:22); 94 (Business, Law, some Medicine programs) | New TOEFL format not accepted until further notice. Must select "Taking TOEFL for Australia" when registering. |
| Australian National University (ANU) | #=32 | 80 (general minimum); 100 (some programs) | Check individual program pages |
| Monash University | #=37 | Minimum varies by program | 4.0 overall (R:3.5, L:3.0, W:4.5, S:3.5) |
| University of Queensland (UQ) | #=42 | 87 (standard minimum) | Does not recognise the 1–6 scale section scores |
| University of Western Australia | #=77 | 80 (standard minimum) | Check individual program pages |
| University of Adelaide | #=82 | 79 (standard minimum) | Check individual program pages |
| University of Technology Sydney (UTS) | #=96 | 79–92 (varies by program) | Check individual program pages |
| Macquarie University | #=138 | 83 (standard minimum) | Check individual program pages |
Key variations:
- University of Melbourne: Multiple tiers. Medicine/Dentistry: 94 iBT. TOEFL is not accepted for some health programs. Check your specific course page.
- UNSW: New TOEFL format under review — not accepted. Must select "Taking TOEFL for Australia" when registering. MyBest not accepted.
- UQ: Officially does not recognise the new 1–6 scale. Use old-scale TOEFL or IELTS.
TOEFL requirements range from 79 at some Australian universities to 110 at Oxford and Cambridge. With the new 1-6 scale now active, Indian students must verify both old and new score requirements on each university's official admissions page, especially for Oxford, Cambridge, UNSW, and UQ, where the new scale is not yet accepted.
FAQs
Ques. Oxford and Cambridge don't accept the new TOEFL. What should Indian students do?
Ans. Take IELTS Academic instead. Oxford requires IELTS 7.0 (standard) or 7.5 (higher). Cambridge requirements are listed on individual course pages. Both universities are reviewing the new TOEFL format — check their official pages for updates.
Ques. Can Indian students get a TOEFL waiver at any of these universities?
Ans. Cornell officially lists India as an exempt country — Indian students who speak English as a first language may qualify for a standing exemption. Some other universities also offer waivers if your undergraduate degree was taught entirely in English. Check each university's official exemption policy.
Ques. Is TOEFL MyBest Score accepted anywhere?
Ans. Most top universities do not accept it — including Harvard GSAS, UBC, University of Toronto, UNSW, Oxford, and Edinburgh. You must meet the required scores in a single test sitting.
Ques. Do all programs within a university have the same TOEFL requirement?
Ans. No. Requirements vary by faculty and program. At UCL, scores range from 92 to 110 depending on the course. Always check the specific course page on the university's official website before applying.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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