What IELTS score do you need for Lehigh University?

Lehigh accepts TOEFL iBT (including the Paper Edition, TOEFL Essentials with a possible interview, and MyBest scores from within six months of applying), IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge English and, from Spring 2027 admission onward, PTE Academic. PTE is not accepted for 2026 entry. TOEFL section minimums for Engineering are Reading 20, Listening 16, Speaking 22 and Writing 20; for Arts and Sciences, Business and Health they are 25, 20, 24 and 25. Applicants below the minimums may be considered for conditional admission with English enhancement training. See the graduate policy.

Unofficial score reports are accepted for the first review; official scores are required once you are offered a place. Scores are valid for two years and must stay valid until your I-20 is issued.

No test is required for admission if you speak English and are a citizen or permanent resident of a country where English is an official language. Lehigh's list includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Singapore and South Africa. A degree from a college in one of those countries where English is the language of instruction also counts, if the medium of instruction is on the transcript and you studied there in person for at least two consecutive years. So do a US degree, or two consecutive years of full-time English-language study or work within the last five years.

Doctoral and research master's students appointed as teaching assistants may need an English Language Assessment from the International Center for Academic & Professional English (ICAPE) before teaching, under Pennsylvania Act 76. ICAPE assesses all graduate TAs, and an admission waiver does not certify you to teach. Students who do not pass may be asked to take coursework or tutoring.

First-year applicants must send an English test unless English is their first language or their last two full years of formal instruction (not counting the current year) were in English. TOEFL and IELTS are preferred; the TOEFL iBT Home Edition and Duolingo are considered when those are not available. Lehigh describes TOEFL 95+ (5.5+ on the new scale), IELTS 7.5+ or Duolingo 120+ as strong; TOEFL 86–94, IELTS 6.5–7.0 or Duolingo 110–119 as possibly needing extra support; and IELTS 6.0 or below as a considerable concern. SAT and ACT scores cannot meet the requirement. See international students.

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