29 universities · highest minimum you meet first
Universities in the USA accepting IELTS 5.5
| University | IELTS UG | IELTS PG | Min per skill (UG / PG) | PTE (UG / PG) | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas State | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 43 / 56 | |
| Auburn | 5.5 | 6.5 | see guide | 53 / – | |
| Cal State Fullerton | 5.5 | 7.0 | see guide | 43 / 65 | |
| Cal State LA | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 44 / 53 | |
| CSUSB | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 43 / 53 | |
| Gonzaga University | 6.5 | 5.5 | see guide | 56 / – | |
| IU Indianapolis | 5.5 | 6.5 | see guide | – / 54 | |
| Lawrence Tech | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 50 / 60 | |
| Lindenwood University | 5.5 | 6.5 | see guide | – / – | |
| Minnesota State Mankato | 5.5 | 6.5 | see guide | 47 / – | |
| Missouri State | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | – / – | |
| MTSU | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 59 / 70 | |
| Northwest Missouri State | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 44 / 53 | |
| Oklahoma State | 5.5 | 6.5 | see guide | 44 / 53 | |
| Rivier University | 5.5 | 5.5 | see guide | 49 / 49 | |
| Southeast Missouri State | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 45 / 53 | |
| St. Cloud State | 5.5 | 7.5 | see guide | 47 / – | |
| Temple University | 5.5 | 6.5 | see guide | – / 53 | |
| Tennessee Tech | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 52 / 48 | |
| Troy University | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 46 / 54 | |
| UAH | 5.5 | 6.0 | 5.5 / 6.0 | 51 / 59 | |
| UMSL | 5.5 | – | see guide | 44 / – | |
| University of Central Missouri | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | – / – | |
| University of Nevada, Reno | 6.0 | 5.5 | see guide | 46 / 46 | |
| University of South Alabama | 5.5 | 6.0 | see guide | 44 / 48 | |
| Wright State | 5.5 | 6.0 | 5.0 / – | 51 / 57 | |
| Campbellsville University | 5.0 | 6.0 | see guide | 52 / 53 | |
| Texas Southern | 5.0 | 6.0 | see guide | – / – | |
| University of Wyoming | 5.0 | 6.5 | see guide | 50 / 56 |
Bold: the level where IELTS 5.5 meets the published minimum. "–": the guide gives no reliable figure for that level. "see guide": the per-skill rule differs by skill or is not stated as one number.
Definition
How "accepting IELTS 5.5" is counted
A university is listed when its published minimum overall IELTS Academic band for undergraduate or postgraduate entry (at least one of the two) is 5.5 or lower, as recorded in its BandLadder guide from the university's own admissions pages.
Per-skill minimums are shown only where the guide states one uniform figure for every skill. Pathway, foundation, pre-sessional and "recommended" scores are not counted. The full method and the CSV of all universities are on the university requirements data page.
Free practice
Practise for IELTS 5.5
Not sure you are at 5.5 yet? Take a free IELTS Academic task and see your score per skill before you apply.
From the data
Questions
How many universities in the USA accept IELTS 5.5?+
29 of the 292 universities in the USA with a published IELTS minimum in our dataset ask for 5.5 or lower at one level or more: 27 for undergraduate entry and 3 for postgraduate entry.
Can I study a master's in the USA with IELTS 5.5?+
3 universities publish a postgraduate minimum of 5.5 or lower, including Gonzaga University, Rivier University, University of Nevada, Reno. That is the university-wide floor: many master's courses set a higher score, so check your course page.
Which universities in the USA accept IELTS 5.5 for a bachelor's degree?+
27 publish an undergraduate minimum of 5.5 or lower, including Arkansas State, Auburn, Cal State Fullerton. Competitive courses such as medicine, law and teaching usually ask more.
What score do I need in each IELTS skill?+
2 of these 29 universities state one minimum for every skill; the most common is 5.0 (1 universities). The others set a per-skill rule that differs by skill or course; the table and each guide show what is known.
What PTE score do these universities ask instead?+
25 of them publish a PTE Academic minimum; the most common is 44 (5 universities). PTE equivalents are set by each university, not by a fixed conversion.
Is the IELTS requirement the same for every course?+
No. These are the lowest overall scores each university publishes for a level. Individual courses often ask more, and requirements change between intakes. The score that binds you is the one on your course page and offer letter.
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