Lakehead University IELTS Requirement 2026: 6.5, No Band Below 6.0

Lakehead English test minimums

Undergraduate scores are from Lakehead's English language proficiency requirements page; graduate scores are from the graduate English requirements page. Undergraduate TOEFL is 4.5 with no section below 4.0 for tests from January 2026, or 80 with no component below 19 before that. The graduate page lists TOEFL iBT 80 with no component below 19; a 1–6 scale graduate score is not stated by Lakehead.

Both levels also accept CAEL 60, Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 176 with no score below 169, and MET 85. The graduate page says the Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, MSc in Psychological Science, Master of Public Health and Master of Health Sciences also have higher requirements.

Level	IELTS Academic	TOEFL iBT	PTE Academic	Duolingo
Undergraduate (most programs)	6.5, no band below 6.0	4.5 (none below 4.0) or 80 (none below 19)	58, no component below 50	120, no sub-score below 115
Nursing, consecutive BEd, Juris Doctor	7.0; L/R 6.5, S/W 7.0	5.0 (none below 4.5) or 103 (L/R 24, S/W 28)	65; L/R 58, S/W 65	130; L 115, R 120, S 130, W 145
Graduate (most programs)	6.5, no band below 6.0	80, no component below 19	58, no component below 50	120, no sub-score below 115
Master of Education	7.0; L/R 6.5, S/W 7.0	103; L/R 24, S/W 28	65; L/R 58, S/W 65	130; L 115, R 120, S 130, W 145

IELTS Online, validity and medium of instruction

IELTS Online tests are accepted, but only the Academic test, not General Training. Undergraduates email results to admissions and graduate applicants upload them with the TRF number; Lakehead verifies with IELTS and does not need results sent by the test centre. A validity period and a position on IELTS One Skill Retake are not stated by Lakehead.

Undergraduates can skip the test with one year of full-time university study in English in a country where English is official, two years of college diploma study, or three years of English-medium high school. Graduate applicants need an official letter confirming three full years or more of English-medium undergraduate study.

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Lakehead's Academic English Program

If you meet the academic requirements but not the English score, Lakehead automatically considers you for its Academic English Program. Completing it meets the requirement only for programs that ask IELTS 6.5 (no band below 6.0) or TOEFL 80, so Nursing, the Juris Doctor, one-year Social Work and two-year Education applicants still need a test score.

Study permit and PGWP: separate rules

Lakehead's scores decide admission only. IRCC sets no minimum English score for a study permit; any language condition is written into your letter of acceptance (see IELTS for a Canada study permit). The Post-Graduation Work Permit is a separate test again. IRCC's PGWP eligibility page asks for CLB 7 in all four skills if you graduate with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, and CLB 7 too if you graduate from "any other university program", which must also be in an eligible field of study if you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024. The lower CLB 5 applies only to college, polytechnic and other non-university programs. On IELTS General Training, CLB 7 is 6.0 in each skill (IRCC score table). The PGWP takes IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core, not IELTS Academic (see IELTS for the PGWP).

Frequently asked questions

Does Lakehead University accept PTE?+

Yes. PTE Academic 58 with no component below 50 for most undergraduate and graduate programs, and 65 for Nursing, the JD, consecutive Education and the MEd.

Does Lakehead accept Duolingo?+

Yes. 120 with no sub-score below 115 for most programs, and 130 with set sub-scores for the higher-requirement programs.

Does Lakehead accept IELTS Online?+

Yes. Both the undergraduate and graduate pages say IELTS Online tests are accepted, as long as it is the Academic test.

What IELTS do I need for a master's at Lakehead?+

IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0 for most graduate programs. The MEd needs 7.0, and some psychology and health programs list higher requirements.

Does the Lakehead IELTS score count for the PGWP?+

No. The university's score is an admission rule on IELTS Academic. For the PGWP, IRCC asks university graduates, of degree and other university programs alike, for CLB 7 in every skill, proved with IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core.

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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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