Average IELTS Scores at Popular US Universities

IELTS scores are determining factor of admissions at US universities and students must be aware of the minimum score requirements. The scores obtained determine the proficiency level of the candidates and testifies their ability to excel in the rigorous coursework, communicate with peers and professors and thrive in the cultural environment of a foreign land.

IELTS or International English Language Testing System is an English language test that US universities accept as proof of efficiency to survive in an English language-speaking environment. The average IELTS score required at US universities is typically between 6.0 and 6.5. Some top-ranking schools set their bars high at 7.0-7.5. The score of individual components also matters. Besides, students must remember that it meeting the bare minimum IELTS score is not enough. They must build their application with emphasis on other aspects like CV, LORs, essays, extracurricular activities and others to attract admission officers. Therefore, a good IELTS score and a good application go hand in hand. Through this article, check out the average IELTS scores required at the top US universities.

What is an Average IELTS Score?

The IELTS exam is scored on a scale ranging from 1 to 9. These scores are awarded for each section i.e. Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The final score in IELTS i.e. the overall band score is the average of the score in each of the sections. Thus, the overall band score or the average score one can achieve on IELTS Band Score Chart can be 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0 and so on.

Universities abroad set a standardised IELTS score requirement for admission to a specific course for each academic year. It is important to know the average IELTS score of the universities to ensure that the candidate taking an IELTS, achieves the minimum IELTS score for admission in top b-schools abroad or at their desired university.

Know Whether Your Dream University Accept IELTS Scores or Not!

What is a Good IELTS Score for Admission at US Universities?

For international students, a standardised English language test score is mandatory for admissions at most US universities, with few exceptions. The IELTS and TOEFL exams are two of the most popular tests acceptable at most universities in the US.

Merely taking an English language test does not fulfil the US universities' minimum English language test requirement. Candidates must also get a minimum mark in an IELTS or any other English Proficiency test accepted. This is why most students taking the IELTS test have a common question: What is a good IELTS score for admissions at US Universities? The answer to this question is that there is no such thing as a pass or fail IELTS score. As the IELTS minimum score requirement varies between different universities and courses, a candidate who can score at least the minimum IELTS score defined by the specific university is what is considered a good IELTS score.

Generally, an average IELTS score of 6.0 and above is considered a good IELTS score for admissions to top universities in the US. However, students taking an IELTS must confirm the IELTS test requirement at the university of their choice and the defined course and try to score the minimum score.

Average IELTS Score Requirement for USA after 12th

There is no fixed IELTS band requirement for the USA after the 12th class because it is determined by the institution and course to which you are applying. As part of their admissions process, universities and colleges in the USA often require international students to demonstrate English competence.

Some universities, for example, may require a minimum IELTS Academic test score of 6.5 for undergraduate programmes, while others may require a higher score of 7.0 or 7.5. Check the English language proficiency standards for the specific university and programme you are interested in and prepare for the IELTS exam appropriately to attain the required band score.

USA IELTS Band Requirement 2023

Each US university has its own IELTS band requirements for admission, which is why test takers should strive for the appropriate score. The average IELTS score required for admission to top US universities is 6.0 in each module, with an overall score of at least 6.5. IELTS band scores in the USA range from 0 to 9 and only increase by 0.5. The following is a scoring scale for each band.

IELTS Band Score	Description
9	Expert User
8	Very Good User
7	Good User
6	Competent User
5	Modest User
4	Limited User
3	Extremely Limited User
2	Intermittent User
1	Non-User
0	Did Not Attempt

There are more than 3,000 universities in the US that accept IELTS scores. Each university sets its minimum requirement for admission that international students need to qualify. Here we have listed some of the popular US universities and the average IELTS scores acceptable at these universities.

University	For Undergraduate Courses	For Postgraduate Courses
Harvard University	7	7
California Institute of Technology	7	7
Stanford Univesity	Reach out to the Institute's admission office	Reach out to Institute's admission office
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	7	7
Princeton University	Reach out to Institute's admission office	7
University of California, Berkeley	7	7
Yale University of Chicago	7	7
Columbia University	7	7
University of Pennsylvania	7	7
Johns Hopkins University	7	7
University of California, Los Angeles	7	7
Cornell University	7	7.5
Duke University	7	7
University of Michigan	7	7
Northwestern University	7.5	7.5
New York University	7.5	7.5
Carnegie Mellon University	7.5	7.5
University of Washington	7	7
University of California, San Diego	7	7
Georgia Institute of Technology	Reach out to the institution	Reach out to institution
The University of Texas at Austin	6.5	6.5
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	6.5	6.5
Washington University in St Louis	7	7
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	7	7
University of Wisconsin-Madison	6.5	7
Boston University	7	7
University of Southern California	6.5	6.5
Brown University	8	7
University of California, Davis	7	7
University of California, Santa Barbara	7	7
Emory University	Contact the institution	Contact the institution
Ohio State University (main campus)	6.5	7
University of Minnesota	6.5	6.5
University of Maryland, College Park	7	7
Michigan State University	6.5	6.5
The University of California, Irvine	7	7
Dartmouth College	7	7
Purdue University West Lafayette	6.5	6.5
Vanderbilt University	6.5	7
Pennsylvania State University	6.5	6.5
Case Western Reserve University	6.5	6.5
University of Virginia	7	7
Georgetown University	7	7
Arizona State University	6	7
Rice University	7	7
University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh campus	6.5	6.5
University of Rochester	7	Reach out to the institution
University of Arizona	6.5	7
University of Florida	6	6.5
Indiana University	6.5	6.5
Northeastern University	7.5	7
Tufts University	7	7
University of Notre Dame	7	7
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey	6	6
Texas A&M University	6	6
University of California, Santa Cruz	7	7

IELTS includes a balance of ordinary and academic English. As a result, effective preparation can empower an applicant's linguistic skills and strategies that can be utilised in a multitude of environments. An IELTS score between 6 and 6.5 bands is generally accepted by the majority of US universities. However, aspirants must achieve an IELTS score of at least 7 bands to be admitted to a top-tier USA university.

How to Send Your IELTS Score to USA Universities?

International students have been allowed by IELTS authorities to submit their IELTS test scores to at least five universities of their choosing, which must be chosen during the IELTS registration procedure. Here are the procedures for registering for IELTS and sending your IELTS scores to universities in the USA after the test:

Step 1: Go to the IELTS official website.
Step 2: Choose 'Take an exam' and 'IELTS' before clicking 'IELTS registration.'
Step 3: Following that, click the 'Register for IELTS now' option.
Step 4: Enter all of the necessary information to obtain the exam dates. On the following page, the test date availability will be provided.
Step 5: Choose a date from the calendar and click 'Apply.'
Step 6: Carefully read the terms, then indicate them in the text box next to 'Continue.'
Step 7: On the following page, you will be asked to fill up your personal information.
Step 8: Finally, you have the option of sending your IELTS scores to other colleges. To transmit your results, click 'Yes.'
Step 9: After entering all of the required information, click the 'Continue' button.
Step 10: Now specify which colleges you want your IELTS scores sent to.

To secure a coveted position at a prestigious institute in a US university, students must obtain at least the average IELTS scores required. It is a crucial and integral requirement to realise the dream of studying at a top university in the US. Though the average score requirement fluctuates depending on the university and the course. Aspiring candidates therefore must research the IELTS score required and must commit to improving it to get admission at the university of their choice.

For any questions concerning admissions to US or, any study abroad exam, including the IELTS, you can write to us at abroad@collegedekho.com. and clear your doubts right from our experts!

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