What IELTS score do you need for North Dakota State University?

All graduate applicants must show English before they are considered. The floor is TOEFL 4 (71 for tests before 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.0 Academic, Duolingo 105 or PTE Academic 50. NDSU does not accept TOEFL MyBest scores, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS General Training or IELTS One Skill Retake, and the test must be within two years of your application date. See English proficiency for graduate students.

The catalog lists programs with higher minimums. Accountancy, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Data Science, Psychology, Software Engineering and Statistics need TOEFL 81/4.5, IELTS 7 or Duolingo 115. Applied Statistics and Architecture need TOEFL 79/4.5, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115. Pharmaceutical Sciences needs TOEFL 91/4.5, IELTS 7 or Duolingo 120; Education needs TOEFL 88/4.5, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 120; Communication, English and History need TOEFL 100/5, IELTS 7 or Duolingo 130. See the graduate catalog.

You may not need a test if you were raised in, or earned a bachelor's or higher degree from, a recognised country where English is the only official language; some programs still ask for a score, and you may need to confirm the waiver with ndsu.grad.school@ndsu.edu. The exempt list includes Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada (except Quebec). India and Pakistan are not on it.

North Dakota law requires instructors to be proficient in English. In-class teaching assistants need TOEFL 81 (4.5 new), IELTS 7, Duolingo 115 or PTE 54, plus Speaking of TOEFL 23 (4.5 new), IELTS 6, Duolingo 115 or PTE 62, and Writing of TOEFL 21, IELTS 6, Duolingo 125 or PTE 56. Grader-only assistants need slightly less: TOEFL 79, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110 or PTE 53 overall. Students below the bar can qualify through LANG 701, LANG 702 and a mock teaching exam. See the assistantship policy.

Undergraduates need TOEFL 4.0 (71 iBT before 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 105, PTE 50 or ACT English 18, among other options, sent directly to NDSU and valid for two years. Exemptions cover citizens of the same exempt countries, at least two years of college study in one of them, English Composition 1 and 2 with B or higher, or a US GED. See international undergraduate admission.

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