What IELTS score do you need for The New School?

Native speakers of other languages must send a TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, Duolingo English Test or Cambridge English C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency result taken within the past two years; older scores mean a retake. Cambridge minimums are 185 for Parsons and 191 for NSSR, and the TOEFL institution code is 2521. Send IELTS results electronically to "New School (The)"; Parsons is not listed separately. See the Parsons graduate page and the NSSR instructions.

No score is needed if you earned a four-year degree from a US college or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction, with at least three years' attendance. That rule names no countries, but the Office of Admission may still ask for a score after reviewing your file. You can also pass Level 6 of The New School's ESL program before applying, which waives the test. NSSR gives every new international student an English writing diagnostic at orientation, whatever their scores, and may assign a free supplemental writing course. See NSSR international applicants.

Parsons first-year applicants meet the same minimums as graduate applicants: TOEFL iBT 92 or 5.0 with 5.0 in writing and speaking, IELTS 7.0, PTE 63, Duolingo 115 writing and 110 speaking, or Cambridge English 185. TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted. IELTS Indicator, IELTS for UKVI, iTEP, TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL ITP Plus for China, TOEFL My Best Score and the UCL preparatory certificate are not. See Parsons undergraduate applications.

You are exempt if you studied in English as the main language of instruction for all four consecutive years of high school. Any ESL course taken during high school cancels that exemption, however long ago it was. Two further exemptions, for two semesters of college writing and for a four-year English-medium degree, apply to transfer students only.

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