What each university says about three-year degrees
The other 185 US universities in our data do not address three-year degrees in our guides, so ask their graduate admissions office before you apply; many US graduate schools expect the equivalent of a four-year US bachelor's.
How we counted: each figure comes from our own guide to that university, which restates its admissions pages (read 8 to 10 October 2026). We took the lowest graduate IELTS overall each guide's tables give; where a table could not be read cleanly the university is left out of the count rather than guessed. The degree rule was read by hand from each guide. The full list, with a CSV, is on our IELTS university requirements data. A course page can ask for more than the university minimum, so check yours before you book.
| University | Three-year degree | What our guide says | Graduate IELTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana State | Accepted | Accepted for review; you may have to take some undergraduate courses | 6.5 |
| San Diego State | Accepted | Accepted once all coursework is done and the diploma is issued | 6.5 |
| University of Alabama | Accepted | Considers many three-year degrees equivalent | 6.5 |
| University of Arizona | Accepted | Three-year bachelor's with 120+ credits; India needs no English test | 7.0 |
| Cal State Long Beach | With conditions | Degree equivalency questionnaire | 6.5 |
| East Texas A&M | With conditions | Selected degrees from NAAC A, A+ or A++ institutions with first class | 6.0 |
| NYIT | With conditions | Computing programs need a course-by-course NACES evaluation | 6.0 |
| Northern Illinois University | With conditions | BCom or BBA from a NAAC 'A' institution, MBA or OMIS only | 6.5 |
| Seattle University | With conditions | Must also submit GRE or GMAT results | 6.0 |
| UC Santa Cruz | With conditions | Also needs a postgraduate diploma, PGDM or master's | 7.0 |
| University of Bridgeport | With conditions | BCom or BBA from a NAAC 'A' institution, for the MBA | 6.0 |
| University of Idaho | With conditions | Three-year bachelor's followed by a postgraduate diploma | 6.5 |
| University of New Haven | With conditions | WES course-by-course evaluation | 6.0 |
| University of Rhode Island | With conditions | Not equal to a US degree, but may qualify under listed conditions | 6.5 |
| Wright State | With conditions | MBA only: Division I from a NAAC A-rated college | 6.0 |
| City College of New York | Not accepted | Not sufficient for the MS in Computer Science | 6.5 |
| UC Riverside | Not accepted | Needs a four-year bachelor's | 7.0 |
| UConn | Not accepted | Not equivalent to a US bachelor's | 6.5 |
| UMass Amherst | Not accepted | BA, BSc and BCom not equivalent | 6.5 |
| UMass Boston | Not accepted | Most three-year degrees not equivalent | 6.0 |
| UTEP | Not accepted | BA, BSc and BCom not equivalent to a US bachelor's | 6.5 |
Ways round a three-year degree
A one- or two-year postgraduate diploma or a master's in India after the three-year degree is the route several universities name (UC Santa Cruz, Idaho). NAAC 'A' accreditation and first class or Division I marks open business routes at Northern Illinois, Bridgeport, Wright State and East Texas A&M. A WES course-by-course evaluation is asked by New Haven and, for computing programs, NYIT.
The English test is a separate hurdle. Most of these universities ask IELTS 6.5 for graduate study; see who accepts less in US universities accepting IELTS 6.0, and whether your English-medium degree can waive the test in English-medium waivers for Indian students.
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Frequently asked questions
Do US universities accept a three-year bachelor's from India?+
Some do. In our data 4 accept it, 11 accept it with conditions and 6 say it is not equivalent to a US bachelor's.
Which US universities reject three-year Indian degrees?+
In our guides: UTEP, UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, UConn and UC Riverside, and CCNY for its MS in Computer Science.
Can I do an MBA in the US with a three-year BCom?+
At some: Northern Illinois and Bridgeport accept a BCom or BBA from a NAAC 'A' institution for the MBA, and Wright State's MBA accepts Division I from NAAC A-rated colleges.
What IELTS do I need with a three-year degree?+
The same as anyone else: usually 6.5 for graduate study at these universities. The degree rule and the English rule are separate.
Keep reading
Related
- US English-medium degree waivers for Indians
- US universities accepting IELTS 6.0
- US universities accepting PTE for an MS
- IELTS for the USA
- IELTS university requirements data
- All 970 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 10 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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