NC State English requirements at a glance
Sources: the Graduate Handbook's admission of non-US citizens, the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduate application page and Undergraduate Admissions' international first-year page. Graduate scores must be no older than 24 months before the start of your entry term.
| Level | IELTS Academic | TOEFL iBT | Duolingo | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate (Graduate School minimum) | 6.5, every section 6.5 | 4, every section 4 (old scale 80, 18 per section) | 110, every subscore 110 | Not accepted |
| Graduate, Electrical and Computer Engineering | 6.5; Speaking 7.0 | Old scale 90; Speaking 19 | 110 | Not accepted |
| Undergraduate, full admission | 6.5, no band below 6.0 | 4.5, no section below 4 (old scale 80, 18 per section) | 110 | 58 |
| Undergraduate, conditional admission | 5.0 | 3 (old scale 42) | 80 | 36 |
Graduate: 6.5 in every IELTS section
All non-US citizen applicants, permanent residents included, must show proficiency in one of the handbook's ways: TOEFL, IELTS Academic (General Training is not accepted), Duolingo, citizenship of a qualifying country, or a year of US study. Speaking minimums rise for teaching assistants: TOEFL Speaking 23 or 26 on the old scale (5 on the new), IELTS Speaking 7.0, and Duolingo Conversation and Production 125. Some programs may ask for more evidence. See the Graduate Handbook.
ECE, for example, sets a TOEFL total of 90 with Speaking 19 and IELTS Speaking 7.0 for admission, against the Graduate School's 80 and 6.5, and accepts Duolingo at 110. See ECE's application page.
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The graduate test is waived for citizens of a country where English is the official language and the language of instruction in higher education, or after at least one year of full-time degree study at a regionally accredited four-year US college with a GPA of 3.0 or more. The handbook names no countries, so whether India qualifies is not stated by NC State's Graduate School; confirm with the Graduate School before relying on it.
Undergraduates submit official TOEFL, IELTS Academic, PTE or Duolingo scores electronically; IELTS Online is not accepted. Nationals of a listed country, such as Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Singapore or the UK, are exempt, and India is not listed. An ACT reading subscore of 27 or SAT reading subscore of 33 also works. Academically competitive applicants below full-admission scores may be conditionally admitted through the Intensive English Program, which they must complete. See the first-year page.
Student visa and next steps
The US F-1 student visa sets no English test score of its own. What counts is the requirement NC State 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 NC State Graduate Handbook page again before you book a test, and check your own program page, which can set a higher bar.
Frequently asked questions
What IELTS score do I need for an MS at NC State?+
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 6.5 in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Teaching assistants need Speaking 7.0.
Does NC State accept PTE for graduate admission?+
PTE is not among the ways to meet the requirement in the Graduate Handbook, which lists TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo. Undergraduates can use PTE 58.
Are Indian students exempt from IELTS at NC State?+
For undergraduates, no: India is not on the exempt nationality list. The graduate waiver covers citizens of countries where English is the official language and the language of higher education, but NC State does not name the countries or say whether India qualifies.
What Duolingo score does NC State need?+
110 overall for graduate admission, with 110 in Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production (125 in the last two for teaching assistants). Undergraduates need 110, or 80 for conditional admission.
Can I get conditional admission at NC State with a low IELTS?+
Undergraduates can, from IELTS 5.0, TOEFL 3 (42), Duolingo 80 or PTE 36, by completing the Intensive English Program first. Graduate conditional admission is not stated by NC State.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS for the USA
- TOEFL to IELTS converter
- Virginia Tech IELTS requirement
- Clemson IELTS requirement
- All 711 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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