What IELTS score do you need for Northwestern University?

TGS accepts TOEFL iBT (at-home included), IELTS Academic (IELTS Indicator included) and the Michigan English Test (54 for master's, 61 for PhD applicants). It does not accept Duolingo or TOEFL Essentials. Scores must be taken no more than two years before your quarter of entry; for Fall 2026, no older than September 2024. Your program may set a higher minimum.

You may request a waiver if you earned an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution that instructs primarily in English. Requests go to your program after you apply, documentation may be requested, and approval is at the discretion of the program and TGS. Northwestern publishes no country list and does not name India. See TGS test scores.

Applicants whose first or primary language is not English, or whose secondary schooling was not in English, must submit Duolingo, IELTS (including IELTS Indicator) or TOEFL iBT, sent officially; self-reported scores are not accepted. Northwestern sets no minimum but says competitive applicants typically score in the high range on every section. It does not superscore and will not review TOEFL MyBest scores. See the international FAQ.

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