What TOEFL score do you need for UCLA?

Undergraduates self-report scores on the UC Application by January; official scores are not needed for review. A TOEFL score sent to one UC campus reaches every campus you apply to.

Graduate applicants send scores to their major department using institution code 4837. UCLA does not accept MyBest scores, accepts the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, and treats scores as valid for two years; they must be valid when you apply, and if you tested more than once only the most recent score counts.

Graduate students who want a teaching assistantship qualify on the TOEFL with a Speaking score of 28 or more (tests before 21 January 2026) or 6 (later tests); otherwise they take UCLA's Test of Oral Proficiency.

For comparison, undergraduate admissions looks for 7.5 or above on IELTS, and the graduate page sets IELTS Academic at 7.0.

Graduate students admitted with less than 100 or 5 must take the English as a Second Language Placement Examination on arrival, and may then need ESL 300, ESL 301 or both from their first term. The pages list no pathway for scores below the admission minimum.

Requirements vary by programme and change between admissions cycles. The score that binds you is the one on your UCLA programme page and in your offer letter, so check it there before you book a test.