What IELTS score do you need for UNC Chapel Hill?

International applicants submit official TOEFL (iBT, Home Edition or Paper Edition), IELTS or Duolingo scores no more than two years old when they submit the application; UNC accepts no other English tests, and not TOEFL MyBest or IELTS One Skill Retake. The recommended minimums are TOEFL 90 for tests before 26 January 2026 and 5 after, IELTS 7 and Duolingo 110, and higher program minimums take precedence. TOEFL goes to code 5816. Take the test by October to be considered for fall. See instructions for applicants.

Three groups are exempt. Applicants from countries where English is the sole official language of instruction, a list that includes India, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Jamaica, England, Scotland and Wales, need no extra documents. Applicants with a degree from an accredited US university upload a transcript or Registrar letter. Applicants from any other university where English is the sole language of instruction submit official verification from that university. The School of Education uses the same minimums. See its graduate FAQ.

UNC requires an English proficiency exam from all non-US citizens and non-permanent residents whose first language is not English, and SAT or ACT results do not count. It accepts TOEFL (code C182), IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency. Strong applicants typically score TOEFL 100 (5 for tests from 21 January 2026), IELTS Academic 7.5, Duolingo 130 or Cambridge C1 185. UNC stresses these are not minimums and testing is never the sole reason for a decision. See the English proficiency FAQ.

The US F-1 student visa sets no English test score of its own. What counts is the requirement UNC-Chapel Hill 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 UNC Graduate School instructions page again before you book a test, and check your own program page, which can set a higher bar. To see where you stand now, take a timed IELTS mock test.