What IELTS score do you need for McNeese State University?

International graduate applicants must show English proficiency with TOEFL 79 (or 4.5 on the TOEFL iBT from 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 100, PTE Academic 50, ELS level 112 or a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US institution. No country is listed as exempt, so Indian degrees are not exempt on this page. See international requirements.

The same page has a minimum-requirements table by department that lists IELTS 6.0 for every program, with TOEFL 79 for the MBA and the graduate certificate in business, 75 for engineering and environmental science, 72 for chemistry and integrative biology, and 71 for mathematics/computer science, psychology, the MAT and instructional technology. McNeese does not explain how this table relates to the university-wide 6.5, so plan for 6.5 and ask the Office of International Programs before relying on a lower score.

First-year applicants must meet the English proficiency scores (TOEFL 79 or 4.5, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 100, PTE 50, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 500, ACT English 18, a C in A Level, O Level or GCSE English, IB HL English 4, KCSE English B, ELS 112, or a year of full-time enrolment at a US high school). Separately, they must show readiness for college-level English, where the bar is IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 71, PTE 48 or Duolingo 100. Transfer students coming from a non-US institution with 18 or more credit hours need TOEFL 71 or IELTS 6.0. McNeese may also admit a limited number of students by exception. See international requirements.

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