What IELTS score do you need for the University of Iowa?

The Graduate College accepts TOEFL iBT (Home Edition included), IELTS, Duolingo and PTE, but not TOEFL MyBest or the IELTS One Skill Retake. You take the on-campus English Placement Evaluation unless you have TOEFL 100 (5.0) or IELTS 8.0; everyone admitted with Duolingo or PTE takes it. The evaluation page lists a $120 fee and says results can mean credit-bearing ESL courses. Requirements vary by program. Validity is not stated by the Graduate College; Tippie says TOEFL and IELTS are valid for two years.

A waiver needs citizenship of, or a degree earned in, the US or a listed country such as Australia, Canada, Ghana, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria or the UK. India is not on the list, and Iowa says English-medium institutions in unlisted countries do not qualify. Conditional admission is not stated by Iowa. See Graduate Admissions.

Undergraduates must meet one listed option: TOEFL iBT 80 or 4.0, TOEFL Essentials 9, IELTS 6.5 with all bands 6.0, ACT English 21, SAT Reading and Writing 540, AP English 4, Cambridge A or AS Level English Literature C, GCSE or IGCSE English C, or IB HL English A 5. IELTS bands of 6.0–7.0 or TOEFL below 100 lead to ESL courses unless you test out on arrival. Citizenship of a listed English-speaking country also counts; India is not listed. See undergraduate requirements.

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