Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 29 October 2026
UH Manoa English requirements by level
From the undergraduate international admission page and the Graduate Division English proficiency page. The undergraduate page gives two columns, "ELI admission" and "ELI exempt", and overall IELTS scores only.
| Programme | IELTS Academic | Other tests |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate, ELI admission | 5.5 | TOEFL iBT 61 or 3.5, PTE 44, Duolingo 90, Cambridge 161 |
| Undergraduate, ELI exempt | 7.0 | TOEFL iBT 100 or 5, PTE 68, Duolingo 135, Cambridge 185 |
| Graduate Division minimum | 5.5 | TOEFL iBT 61 (old) or 3.5 (2026 scale), Duolingo 90, Cambridge 161 |
| Graduate teaching assistant | 7.0 (listening 7.0, speaking 7.5) | TOEFL iBT 100 or 5, Duolingo 135 |
Other tests and exemptions
Undergraduates can also use ACT, SAT, TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL PBT or EIKEN. You are exempt from ELI if English is your native language, if your last six years of secondary or post-secondary education were in a listed place such as Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK or the US, or if you have 60 transferable semester credits or a bachelor's degree from a US or listed institution.
Graduate applicants are exempt if they are native English speakers or hold a bachelor's or higher degree, received within the last five years, from a listed country. That list includes Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Singapore, Uganda, the UK and others; India and Pakistan are not on it. The Graduate Division accepts TOEFL MyBest scores and the IELTS One Skill Retake, and does not list PTE.
Free test: are you at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's score yet?
Take a free AI-scored IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill, so you know how far you are from the requirement before you book the real test. Free account, no card.
Take a free mock →Practise before you book: free IELTS mock test, IELTS reading practice, IELTS listening practice and IELTS speaking predictions.
Sending scores and checking your programme
Graduate applicants may submit unofficial scores when they apply, but must send official scores to enrol. The ETS code for UH Manoa is 4867. The Graduate Division notes that its TOEFL minimum may vary by programme, so read your programme page as well.
Requirements vary by programme and change between admission cycles. The score that binds you is the one on your UH Manoa programme page and in your admission letter, so check it there before you book a test.
Minimum vs competitive score
Where the University of Hawaii at Manoa publishes an IELTS score, it is the minimum: the floor an application has to meet to be considered, not a score that guarantees an offer.
Competitive programmes, and courses with far more applicants than places, may expect more than the minimum, and some departments set their own overall or per-skill scores, often for writing or speaking. The course page has the final word, so check it before you book a test.
If you are close to the line, aim for a margin above it: one weak skill can miss the requirement even when the overall band clears it. Not sure where you stand? Take a free IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill.
Frequently asked questions
What IELTS score does UH Manoa require?+
IELTS 5.5 overall for admission at both levels. 7.0 exempts undergraduates from ELI classes and is the graduate teaching assistant level.
What does ELI exempt mean at UH Manoa?+
It is the higher score column on the admissions page. At IELTS 7.0 you are exempt from the English Language Institute requirement.
Does UH Manoa accept the IELTS One Skill Retake?+
The Graduate Division says it accepts the IELTS One Skill Retake and TOEFL MyBest scores.
Does UH Manoa accept PTE?+
PTE 44 (ELI admission) or 68 (ELI exempt) is listed for undergraduates. The Graduate Division page does not list PTE.
Keep reading
Related
- Universities in the USA accepting IELTS 5.5
- University of Washington IELTS requirement
- IELTS One Skill Retake explained
- IELTS for the USA: scores by university
- Free IELTS mock test with AI band score
- All 2279 guides
Guide updated on 29 October 2026. Individual prices and policies may have earlier observation dates. Confirm current details on the linked official pages before you book or apply.
© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy