Cornell English requirements at a glance
Undergraduate rules come from Cornell Admissions' English proficiency page and standardized testing policy; graduate rules from the Graduate School's English Language Proficiency Requirement. Professional schools such as Cornell Law and Weill Cornell Medicine are not covered here.
| Level | IELTS Academic | TOEFL iBT | Duolingo | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate (minimum competitive) | 7.5 | 5.0, 5.5 recommended (old scale 100) | 130 | Not listed |
| Graduate School, research degrees (PhD, MA, MS, MFA, DMA) | 7.0 | Section minimums: Speaking 4, Reading 4, Listening 3.5, Writing 4 (old scale 22 / 20 / 15 / 20) | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| Graduate School, professional master's | 7.0 | Same section minimums as research degrees | Not accepted | Not accepted |
Undergraduate: 7.5 IELTS is the competitive minimum
You must show English proficiency if your first language is not English or you have not attended a school taught mainly in English. You are exempt if you are a US citizen or permanent resident, English is your native language, or English has been your primary language of instruction for the past four years. Cornell accepts TOEFL iBT (100 before January 2026; 5.0 minimum and 5.5 recommended from January 2026), IELTS Academic (7.5), Duolingo (130) and Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (191).
You can self-report scores on the Common Application or an English Language Proficiency Form; if admitted, you must have official results sent by the testing agency. PTE is not among the exams Cornell lists, and whether IELTS Online is accepted is not stated by Cornell. See Cornell Admissions.
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Take a free scored IELTS mock →Graduate School: IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL, nothing else
All Graduate School applicants must prove English proficiency unless exempt. Only IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT count; the Graduate School says it does not accept TOEFL Essentials, Pearson or Duolingo. For summer and fall 2026, research and professional master's applicants need IELTS 7.0 overall, or TOEFL section scores of Speaking 4, Reading 4, Listening 3.5 and Writing 4 (22, 20, 15 and 20 for tests before January 2026). Research-degree students who will teach are approved automatically with IELTS 7.0 and Speaking 8.0, or TOEFL Speaking 5.5 (27 old scale).
Scores are valid for two years, and TOEFL MyBest scores are accepted, though individual fields may not accept them. Standing exemptions include speaking English as a first language and being a citizen or permanent resident of a country where English is an official language (Cornell names India, Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan and Hong Kong among them), holding a US bachelor's degree, or two consecutive years of full-time study or work in an English-speaking country within the last 10 years. Some fields set higher scores. See the Graduate School page.
Student visa and next steps
The US F-1 student visa sets no English test score of its own. What counts is the requirement Cornell sets for admission, which leads to your Form I-20. For the wider picture of studying in the US with each test, see IELTS for the USA and PTE for the USA.
Requirements change between admission cycles. Check the Cornell Graduate School page again before you book a test, and check your own program page, which can set a higher bar.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cornell accept IELTS?+
Yes. The undergraduate minimum competitive score is IELTS Academic 7.5. The Graduate School asks for IELTS Academic 7.0 overall.
Does Cornell accept PTE?+
The Cornell Graduate School says it does not accept Pearson tests. PTE is also not among the four exams Cornell undergraduate admissions lists (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo and Cambridge).
Does Cornell accept Duolingo?+
For undergraduate admission, yes, with a minimum competitive score of 130. The Graduate School does not accept Duolingo.
What IELTS do I need for a Cornell master's?+
IELTS Academic 7.0 overall for both professional master's and research degrees at the Graduate School. Some fields set higher scores.
Are Indian applicants exempt from Cornell's graduate English test?+
Only if they speak English as a first language and are citizens or permanent residents of a country where English is official; Cornell lists India as such a country. Other exemptions depend on where you studied or worked.
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Verified against the linked official sources on 4 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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