What IELTS score do you need for UC San Diego?

UC San Diego accepts Duolingo, TOEFL, IELTS Academic and PTE Academic with no preference among them; TOEFL MyBest scores are not accepted. Duolingo scores are valid for two years, and ETS reports TOEFL scores for no more than two years. Applicants with marginal TOEFL or IELTS scores may have to pass a test on arrival or take an English course. Check your program, which may set higher minimums.

You are exempt with a bachelor's, master's or doctorate earned with grades of B (3.0) or better from a US institution teaching only in English, or from a foreign university that teaches solely in English according to the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). No letters or certificates replace WHED, so Indian students qualify only if their university is listed with English as the sole language. See the Graduate Division page.

First-year applicants schooled where English is not the language of instruction can use IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 4.5 (80 before January 2026), Duolingo 115, AP or IB English, ACT English Language Arts 24 or SAT Writing and Language 31, by December of their final school year. A campus may require more. Transfers to UC San Diego need a B or higher in two English composition courses. See UC English proficiency.

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