NSCAD minimum scores
From NSCAD's international applications page. You need a test if your high school was not taught in English for at least three years, or your post-secondary study for at least one year. Results must come directly from the testing service.
| Level | IELTS Academic | TOEFL iBT | PTE Academic | Duolingo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 6.5, no test below 6.0 | 90, no test below 20 | 70, no score below 65 | 120, no subscore below 110 |
| Graduate | 7.0, no test below 6.0 | 94, no test below 22 | 70, no score below 65 | 130, no subscore below 110 |
Other tests and the Halifax pathway schools
NSCAD also accepts CAEL 69 with no test below 60, Oxford ELLT 7 with no band below 6 (8 with 7 for graduate study), MELAB 82, Cambridge Advanced at grade B, IB English A1 or A2 HL at 5 and AP English at 4.
If you fall short you receive a conditional offer and can either retest or complete a partner language school pathway. Undergraduate partners include Apex Language and Career College, Oxford International Halifax, Halifax Language Institute of Canada and ICEAP; for graduate study, Oxford International Halifax's Post Graduate Pathway and the online Oxford ELLT University Pathway.
Every degree student must also pass FNDN 1800 Writing for the Arts in the Foundation Year, or transfer an equivalent course.
Free test: are you at NSCAD University's score yet?
Take a free AI-scored IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill, so you know how far you are from the requirement before you book the real test. Free account, no card.
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Study permit and PGWP: separate rules
NSCAD's acceptance letter carries its Designated Learning Institution number, 019021269652, for your study permit application.
NSCAD's scores decide admission only. IRCC sets no minimum English score for a study permit; any language condition is written into your letter of acceptance (see IELTS for a Canada study permit). The Post-Graduation Work Permit is a separate test again. IRCC's PGWP eligibility page asks for CLB 7 in all four skills if you graduate with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, and CLB 7 too if you graduate from any other university program, which must also be in an eligible field of study if you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024. The lower CLB 5 applies only to college, polytechnic and other non-university programs. On IELTS General Training, CLB 7 is 6.0 in each skill (IRCC score table). The PGWP takes IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core, not IELTS Academic (see IELTS for the PGWP).
Minimum vs competitive score
Where NSCAD University publishes an IELTS score, it is the minimum: the floor an application has to meet to be considered, not a score that guarantees an offer.
Competitive programmes, and courses with far more applicants than places, may expect more than the minimum, and some departments set their own overall or per-skill scores, often for writing or speaking. The course page has the final word, so check it before you book a test.
If you are close to the line, aim for a margin above it: one weak skill can miss the requirement even when the overall band clears it. Not sure where you stand? Take a free IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill.
Frequently asked questions
What IELTS does NSCAD need for a BFA?+
IELTS 6.5 with no test below 6.0 for undergraduate study.
What IELTS does NSCAD need for an MFA or master's?+
IELTS 7.0 with no test below 6.0.
Does NSCAD accept Duolingo?+
Yes. 120 with no subscore below 110 for undergraduate study and 130 with no subscore below 110 for graduate study.
Can I get into NSCAD without the IELTS score?+
You can receive a conditional offer, which you clear with a later test score or by completing one of NSCAD's partner language school pathway programs.
Does the NSCAD IELTS score count for the PGWP?+
No. The university's score is an admission rule on IELTS Academic. For the PGWP, IRCC asks university graduates, of degree and other university programs alike, for CLB 7 in every skill, proved with IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core.
Keep reading
Related
- Dalhousie University IELTS requirement
- OCAD University IELTS requirement
- Saint Mary's University IELTS requirement
- IELTS for the Canada PGWP
- All 1288 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 13 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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