What IELTS score do you need for the University of South Carolina?

Accepted tests are TOEFL iBT (including the Home Edition and Paper Edition), IELTS Academic, PTE Academic and Duolingo. Scores must come directly from the testing service and are valid for two years. Use TOEFL code 5818; for IELTS there is no numerical code, so choose "University of South Carolina, Columbia Graduate Admissions"; for Duolingo choose "University of South Carolina Graduate Admissions". You can apply before your scores arrive. See graduate international applicants.

You are exempt only if you are from, or earned a degree in, a country where English is an official language. The Graduate School says it does not waive the requirement based solely on language of instruction, so an English-medium degree from a country that is not on the list still needs a score. The exempt list includes Pakistan, the Philippines, Nigeria and Singapore, but not India. Departments may require scores regardless. See the exempt list. Some departments offer graduate conditional admission through English Programs for Internationals (EPI). See EPI future students.

First-year applicants need TOEFL iBT 77 (550 paper), IELTS 6.5, PTE 53, Duolingo 115, SAT EBRW 560 or ACT English 22. Scores are not required from students in countries on the university's list where the primary language of instruction is English, or from graduates of US high schools; India is not on that list. Applicants below the minimum can apply for conditional admission through EPI, and the International Accelerator Program is a one-year transition program leading to a four-year degree. See international applicants.

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