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

International first-year applicants submit an official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo score; SAT or ACT can serve as alternatives under conditions. You are exempt only if your primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada (English-speaking provinces), the UK, Ireland, New Zealand or the US. Exams must be taken on or before 31 December of the year you apply, and TOEFL and IELTS are valid for two years.

The TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator at-home exam are accepted. UW considers self-reported scores from the application; admitted students send official scores. Meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission, since scores feed into holistic review. PTE is not among the tests UW lists. See UW Admissions.

Every graduate applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency. Only TOEFL iBT, Academic IELTS and Duolingo count; the policy says "other tests or versions do not qualify", and TOEFL MyBest and IELTS One Skill Retake are not admissible. TOEFL and IELTS may be taken at a test center or at home. Scores are valid for two years and must be valid when you apply.

Admitted applicants below the recommended level must take one or two UW Academic English Program courses. You are exempt with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree taught in English from an accredited institution in a listed country (including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK and the US), if you lived there for the whole degree. Programs may set additional standards. See Policy 3.2.

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