What IELTS score do you need for San José State University?

A test is required if you come from a country where English is not the primary language and do not hold a bachelor's from an institution where English is the principal language of instruction. SJSU reads that as an institution in a country where English is the official language and the daily language of most residents, with all teaching in English. It accepts TOEFL iBT or Home (MyBest included), IELTS Academic or Online Academic, PTE Academic and Duolingo; TOEFL Essentials is not accepted. Tests must be less than two years old.

Many programs set higher scores. Examples: MS Data Science asks IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 4.5 (90), PTE 68 or Duolingo 125; MS Accounting and Analytics asks IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 4.5 (90), PTE 75 or Duolingo 130; MS Informatics asks IELTS 8.0, TOEFL 5.0 (100), PTE 68 or Duolingo 130. See the full program table.

Graduate waivers cover three years of full-time study at a US college, three years at a US high school, or a bachelor's or master's from the US or a listed country such as Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines or the UK. India is not listed, and SJSU says countries not listed will not meet the requirement. English-medium instruction letters are not accepted as a substitute.

Undergraduates may submit TOEFL (Home Edition included), IELTS, PTE or Duolingo, and scores over two years old are not valid. The exemptions are 60 transferable US semester units, three years of full-time US college study, or three years of full-time study at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. See the undergraduate requirement.

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