TOEFL Scores Accepted by Universities 2026: Complete Country-Wise Guide

Every year, hundreds of thousands of international students research one question before anything else: what TOEFL score does my target university actually require? With the January 2026 switch to a 1-6 band scoring system, the answer is no longer a simple number out of 120. Universities across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have updated their published requirements, and many students are still trying to figure out where they stand. This guide lists the exact TOEFL minimums for 60+ universities across four countries, provides a full old-to-new score conversion table with IELTS equivalents, and explains your options if your score falls just short of the cutoff.

1. The New TOEFL 1-6 Band Scale: Quick Overview

In January 2026, ETS replaced the legacy 0-120 TOEFL iBT total score with a band system that runs from 1.0 to 6.0 in half-point increments. Each section (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) receives its own band, and the four section bands are averaged to produce your overall band score. The new bands are directly mapped to CEFR levels, which makes it much easier for universities to compare TOEFL scores against other English tests like IELTS and PTE.

During the dual-reporting period (2026-2028), your official ETS score report will show both your new band score and the equivalent legacy 0-120 score. This matters because some university websites still list requirements using the old scale. By 2029, ETS plans to stop including legacy scores on reports entirely. For a full breakdown of what changed and why, read our guide to the 2026 TOEFL format changes.

For a deeper look at how band scores are calculated and how each section is weighted, see our TOEFL scoring guide.

2. TOEFL Scores for US Universities

The United States remains the top destination for international students, and TOEFL requirements vary enormously from one institution to the next. Ivy League schools and elite private universities typically demand the highest scores, while large state university systems often have more accessible minimums. The table below covers 22 major US universities, showing both the new band requirement and the equivalent old score so you can compare regardless of which scale you are used to.

A few important notes about US requirements. First, graduate programs frequently set higher minimums than the university-wide baseline. An engineering master's program at Purdue might accept band 4.0 overall, but the MBA program at the same university could require 4.5 or higher. Second, several universities including Cornell and Michigan set section minimums for speaking or writing that can be higher than what you would expect from the overall band alone. Always check requirements at the program level, not just the university level.

3. TOEFL Scores for UK Universities

UK universities have long preferred IELTS, but TOEFL is widely accepted across the Russell Group and beyond. British institutions tend to publish requirements in tiers, often distinguishing between "standard" and "higher" levels depending on the program. Humanities and social science programs generally ask for higher English proficiency than STEM programs at the same university.

Oxford and Cambridge both use a tiered system where certain programs, particularly in law, humanities, and medicine, require band 5.5 while STEM programs accept band 5.0. UCL has three distinct tiers ranging from 4.5 to 5.5 depending on the department, so you should check the specific program page on the UCL website rather than relying on a single number.

4. TOEFL Scores for Canadian Universities

Canada is the second most popular destination for international students after the United States, and Canadian universities generally have straightforward TOEFL requirements. Most top Canadian universities cluster around band 4.5 (old 90), though a few set the bar slightly lower for undergraduate admission.

The University of Toronto stands out among Canadian universities with its higher overall requirement of band 5.0 (old 100), especially for competitive programs like engineering, business, and computer science. UBC, McGill, and Waterloo all cluster at band 4.5 but frequently require 4.0 in writing or speaking individually. Canadian universities are also among the most generous in offering conditional admission for students who score slightly below the cutoff, which we cover in section 7 below.

5. TOEFL Scores for Australian Universities

Australia's Group of Eight universities are among the highest-ranked in the Asia-Pacific region, and they attract a large volume of international applicants. Australian universities tend to set moderately high English language requirements, with most top institutions asking for band 4.5 (old 87-94). Section minimums are common and are often strictly enforced.

Australian universities are particularly strict about writing section minimums. Even if your overall band meets the requirement, falling below the writing or speaking section minimum will typically result in a conditional offer that requires you to complete a language bridging course before starting your degree. The University of Melbourne and ANU tend to enforce section minimums more rigidly than universities further down the rankings.

6. TOEFL Score Conversion Table (Old to New + IELTS)

This is the comprehensive conversion table you need if you are comparing your old TOEFL score, the new band score, and IELTS all at once. During the dual-reporting period, universities can accept either scale, but knowing the equivalences helps you understand where you stand regardless of which test format you took or which scale a university's website references.

A common question students ask is whether universities prefer TOEFL or IELTS. In practice, most universities have no preference and accept either test equally. The advantage of the new TOEFL band scale is that it now maps almost directly to IELTS bands, making cross-test comparison more intuitive. If a university requires IELTS 7.0, you can generally assume TOEFL band 5.0 will be equivalent. For a detailed comparison, see our TOEFL vs IELTS 2026 guide.

7. What If Your Score Falls Short?

Scoring below your target university's minimum does not automatically mean your application is dead. There are several paths forward depending on how far below the cutoff you land and which country you are applying to.

Conditional admission is the most common fallback. Many universities in the US, Canada, and Australia will issue a conditional acceptance letter if your TOEFL score is within 0.5 bands of the minimum (roughly 5-10 points on the old scale). Under this arrangement, you enroll in the university's intensive English program for one or two semesters before transitioning to your full degree program. Your academic coursework may begin alongside your language classes or after you complete them, depending on the institution.

Pathway and bridge programs are structured alternatives offered by many Australian and Canadian universities. These are typically one-year programs that combine English language instruction with introductory academic courses. Upon successful completion, you proceed directly into year one or year two of your degree without needing to retake the TOEFL.

Retaking the TOEFL is always an option. The 2026 TOEFL can be taken as often as once every three calendar days, and there is no limit on the total number of attempts. If you scored close to your target, focused practice on your weakest section can often push you over the threshold in four to six weeks. Many students find that taking practice tests under timed conditions is the single most effective way to improve quickly because it builds both skill and test-day stamina.

Score review (rescore) requests are worth considering if your speaking or writing scores seem lower than expected. ETS allows you to request a rescore for the Speaking and Writing sections for a fee, and scores occasionally go up by 0.5 bands after review. This is not common, but if you are within 0.5 bands of your target and genuinely believe your performance deserved more, it is a low-risk option.

8. How to Reach Your Target Score

Knowing what score you need is the first step. Reaching it requires a structured approach that targets your specific weaknesses. Here is what actually works based on patterns we see in students who improve their scores most efficiently.

Start by identifying which section is dragging your overall band down. If your reading and listening are at 5.0 but your speaking is at 3.5, your overall band will be pulled to 4.5 or lower even though two sections are strong. The most efficient path to a higher overall score is almost always to improve your weakest section rather than trying to push your strongest section even higher.

Practice under real test conditions. The TOEFL is a stamina test as much as a language test. Students who practice individual sections in isolation often struggle when they face the full test because fatigue from the earlier sections affects their performance on later ones. Our free practice tests replicate the 2026 TOEFL format with full-length timed sections so you can build endurance alongside skill.

Track your progress over time. One practice test tells you where you are today. Three or four tests over two to three weeks show you whether your study approach is actually working or whether you need to adjust. Use your score history to monitor trends and identify persistent weak areas.

For section-specific strategies, check out our dedicated guides: Reading Tips, Listening Tips, Speaking Tips, and Writing Tips.

9. Frequently Asked Questions