What IELTS score do you need for East Carolina University?

If English is not your native language and you have not completed at least 24 US undergraduate credit hours with a 3.0 GPA, or 9 US graduate credit hours with a 3.0 GPA, you take TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, sent by the testing service to the Graduate School. TOEFL scores received before 21 January 2026 need 78 with 18 in each section; from that date, 4.5 overall. IELTS needs 6.5 and Duolingo 115. The paper or computer-based TOEFL is accepted only on request. Some College of Education programs accept a Global Teaching Partners evaluation at B2 or better instead. See international students.

ECU's graduate page offers no exemption for an English-medium degree from abroad, so plan to test unless you have the US credit hours above.

Undergraduates show English with Duolingo 105, IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 71 (before 2026) or 4 (from 2026), SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 450, ACT English/Writing 19, a US high school diploma with two years' attendance, a diploma from a high school in an exempt country, or a B or better in an academic English writing course at a US college. See international undergraduate admission.

The US F-1 student visa sets no English test score of its own. What counts is the requirement ECU 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 ECU Graduate School international students page again before you book a test, and check your own program page, which can set a higher bar.