What IELTS score do you need for Cambridge University?

The postgraduate English language requirements page lists the accepted tests but not a single score: you check your course page for the score. Results must be dated no more than two years before your course starts, and you cannot combine scores from different certificates.

Accepted tests: IELTS (Academic), IELTS for UKVI Academic, IELTS One Skill Retake and IELTS Online; TOEFL iBT including Home Edition taken on or before 21 January 2026; and C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency for some courses. If you meet a TOEFL condition after 21 January 2026, you will be asked to take an extra online assessment at the Cambridge Language Centre. PTE and Duolingo are not listed.

Most applicants send evidence only after an offer. The LLM and MCL are the exception: you must provide evidence when you apply.

Cambridge says some visa types need a SELT such as IELTS for UKVI (Academic). As a Higher Education Provider, though, it can accept other English qualifications when it sponsors a Student visa. For postgraduates, meeting the admission requirement means no further English evidence is needed in the visa application.

For undergraduates, a test counts for visa purposes for two years from the exam date, must still be valid on your first day, and component scores should normally come from one sitting.

Requirements vary by programme and change between admissions cycles. The score that binds you is the one on your Cambridge programme page and in your offer letter, so check it there before you book a test.