What IELTS score do you need for Santa Clara University?

SCU accepts TOEFL iBT, IELTS and Duolingo. It does not accept TOEFL MyBest scores, the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online or the TOEFL ITP Plus test offered in China. Scores are accepted up to two years before the application deadline and must come from the testing agency. Graduate Business says an interview is required for some programs. See the SCU policy.

The only graduate waiver is a degree earned within the last four years in Australia, Anglophone Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the US, where the sole language of instruction was English. India is not on that list, so an Indian degree does not waive the test. The Engineering page repeats TOEFL 4.5, IELTS 6.5 and Duolingo 110, but its FAQ says scores are valid for up to five years, which does not match the university's two-year rule; confirm with Engineering. Conditional admission is not stated by Santa Clara.

Undergraduates can meet the requirement with IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 90 (before 21 January 2026) or 4.5 (after), Duolingo 120, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 630, or ACT Reading 27 and English 27. Unlike graduate admission, four years at a secondary school where English was the sole language of instruction also counts, even in a non-anglophone country. MyBest, Special Home Edition and TOEFL Essentials are not accepted. See undergraduate English proficiency.

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