What IELTS score do you need for Florida International University?

Applicants from non-English-speaking countries, including internationally educated Americans, must show proficiency, as must anyone whose undergraduate institution did not teach in English, even inside the US. FIU accepts TOEFL iBT or PBT (4.5 from 21 January 2026, 80 on the iBT before), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110, PTE Academic 53, Cambridge English Advanced (score not stated by FIU) or completion of all areas at level six of FIU's English Language Institute. Scores must come directly from the testing agency.

Citizens of FIU's exempt countries, such as Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore and the UK, do not need a test; India is not on the list. FIU's graduate FAQ says TOEFL scores expire after two years; validity for other tests is not stated. See the graduate English page.

For direct admission, international first-time-in-college students are not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS. Instead, they must meet Florida Board of Governors college-readiness standards, largely set by SAT or ACT reading and English sub-scores, and every freshman applicant submits an SAT, ACT or CLT score. See the freshman page.

Transfer students with 60 or more credits can use TOEFL 4.5 (80), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110, ENC 1101 with a C or better, FIU English Language Institute level six, or a degree from an English-speaking country; those with fewer credits meet the Board of Governors rules. PTE is not on the transfer list. See the transfer page.

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