Who requires a test
For the 2026-27 cycle, Harvard, Stanford and MIT do not require an English test, and Bowdoin makes it optional. Yale, Cornell, the University of California and Purdue require one, each with an exemption based on schooling in English.
| College | English test required? |
|---|---|
| Harvard | No. You may send a score |
| Stanford | No. You may self-report any English test |
| MIT | No, but strongly recommended if you have used English for less than five years |
| Bowdoin | Optional, with no minimum score |
| Yale | Yes, unless you have had at least two years of English-medium secondary school |
| Cornell | Yes, with exemptions, including four years at a school that teaches mainly in English |
| University of California | Yes, if all your secondary school was in a country where English is not the language of instruction |
| Purdue | Yes, with a waiver for three years in an English-taught curriculum with B or better in English |
Minimum scores at representative colleges
In 2026-27, minimum scores run from TOEFL 4.5, IELTS 6.5 and Duolingo 115 at the University of California and Purdue to TOEFL 5, IELTS 7.5 and Duolingo 130 at Cornell, with the TOEFL on its new 1 to 6 scale.
| College | TOEFL iBT (new 1 to 6 scale) | IELTS Academic | Duolingo English Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | Minimum 5, recommended 5.5 | Minimum 7, recommended 7.5 | Minimum 120, recommended 125 |
| Yale | No minimum. The most competitive applicants score 5 or higher | 7 or higher among the most competitive applicants | 120 or higher among the most competitive applicants |
| Cornell | Minimum 5, recommended 5.5 | 7.5 | 130 |
| University of California | 4.5 | 6.5 | 115 |
| Purdue | 4.5 overall, at least 4 in each section | 6.5 overall, at least 6 in each section | 115, at least 110 in each subscore |
The University of California's scores are minimums to be considered, not targets. UC takes only the best score from a single sitting and does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake or TOEFL MyBest scores.
The new TOEFL scale
Since 21 January 2026, the TOEFL iBT reports scores from 1 to 6, in half points, for Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. The overall score is their average. Until January 2028, the score report also shows a comparable score on the old 0 to 120 scale: a 5, for example, compares to about 95 to 106. That matters because many colleges still publish minimums on the old scale, such as MIT's 90 (or 5) and Cornell's 100 for tests taken before January 2026.
Ways to prove English without a test
You can often skip the test in 2026-27. Yale, Cornell and Purdue waive it after enough years at an English-medium school, and the University of California and Purdue accept certain AP, IB, SAT or ACT scores instead.
- English-medium schooling: Yale, Cornell and Purdue waive the test after a set number of years at an English-medium school.
- Other scores: the University of California accepts an AP English Language or Literature score of 3 or higher, IB English A at set grades or an ACT English Language Arts score of 24 or higher. Purdue accepts an SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 600 or an ACT English score of 26, from the last two years.
- Self-reporting: Cornell and Purdue let you self-report scores and ask for official ones only after admission.
Which test to take
Check what your colleges accept before you pay. In 2026-27 the Duolingo English Test is the cheapest at US$70 and is accepted by MIT, Yale, Cornell and Purdue, while TOEFL and IELTS prices vary by country.
- Check your list first. See which tests the colleges on your list accept before you pay.
- Duolingo: the cheapest, taken at home in about an hour and scored from 10 to 160. MIT, Yale, Cornell and Purdue accept it.
- TOEFL or IELTS: the traditional choices. Take one if a college on your list does not accept Duolingo. Prices vary by country: the TOEFL iBT costs US$245 in Brazil, US$270 in the US and US$308 in Portugal, for example, and IELTS is priced locally.