What PTE score do you need for USC?

Graduate admissions accept PTE Academic and PTE Academic Online. Scores must be dated within two years of the date you submit your graduate application, all subscores must come from one sitting, and USC does not superscore. Select "University of Southern California" when you register for PTE, or give that to the test centre afterwards; scores must arrive electronically from the testing service. Undergraduate official scores must arrive within two weeks of your application deadline.

For comparison, the undergraduate page lists IELTS 7 alongside PTE 68, and the graduate page gives IELTS 6.5 (master's) and 7 (PhD) with 6 on each band for the same ISE exemption.

USC says undergraduates are admissible below the recommended minimums, although at reduced rates of admission, and its most competitive applicants score well above them. Graduate students below the ISE exemption scores take the ISE exam on arrival. USC points students who want to build English and academic skills to the USC International Academy. Individual programmes may set higher internal minimums.

Requirements vary by programme and change between admissions cycles. The score that binds you is the one on your USC programme page and in your offer letter, so check it there before you book a test.