IELTS 6.5 · USA · 2026 data

Universities in the USA accepting IELTS 6.5 (2026)

269 universities in the USA publish a minimum overall IELTS of 6.5 or lower: 239 for undergraduate entry and 248 for postgraduate entry. Each row links to a guide written from that university's admissions pages.
  • 269 universities
  • 239 undergraduate
  • 248 postgraduate
  • Checked to 23 Oct 2026
Check if you score IELTS 6.5 →See the universities
Universities269
Undergraduate239
Postgraduate248
Most common per-skill min6.0
Most common PTE53

269 universities · highest minimum you meet first

Universities in the USA accepting IELTS 6.5

UniversityIELTS UGIELTS PGMin per skill (UG / PG)PTE (UG / PG)Checked
American University6.57.0see guide60 / 68
Arizona State University6.06.5see guide53 / 60
Auburn5.56.5see guide53 / –
Ball State6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Baruch College6.57.0see guide53 / 70
Baylor6.56.5see guide60 / –
Binghamton6.56.5– / 5.053 / 53
Boise State University6.06.5see guide50 / –
Bowling Green State6.06.5see guide48 / 53
Cal Poly Pomona6.06.5see guide– / –
Cal Poly SLO6.56.5see guide– / –
Cal State East Bay6.06.5see guide44 / 58
Cal State Long Beach6.06.5see guide43 / 58
Cal State Northridge–6.5see guide– / 58
Carnegie Mellon7.56.5see guide– / –
Case Western7.06.5see guide61 / 61
Central Michigan6.56.5see guide53 / 53
City College of New York6.06.5see guide44 / 53
Clark University6.56.56.0 / 6.061 / 61
Clarkson University6.56.5see guide56 / 56
Clemson University6.56.56.0 / –– / 54
Colorado School of Mines6.56.56.0 / 6.0– / 51
Colorado State6.06.5see guide– / 62
CU Boulder6.56.5see guide58 / 58
CU Denver6.56.55.5 / 5.558 / 58
DePaul University6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Drexel–6.5see guide– / 61
Duquesne University6.06.5see guide48 / –
East Carolina University6.06.5see guide– / –
Eastern Illinois6.06.5see guide– / –
Eastern Michigan6.06.5see guide50 / 70
FIU6.56.5see guide– / 53
Florida Atlantic University6.56.0see guide55 / –
Florida State6.56.5see guide55 / 55
Florida Tech6.56.5see guide58 / 58
Fordham7.06.5see guide65 / 59
Fresno State6.06.55.5 / –45 / 53
George Mason University6.56.56.0 / –59 / 67
Gonzaga University6.55.5see guide56 / –
GWU6.56.0see guide61 / 53
Harrisburg University–6.5see guide– / –
Hofstra University6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Howard University6.56.5– / 6.0– / –
Hunter College6.06.5see guide53 / 58
Illinois State University6.56.5see guide55 / 55
Illinois Tech6.56.5– / 6.0– / –
Indiana State6.06.5see guide45 / 53
Indiana University6.56.5see guide53 / –
Iowa State6.06.55.5 / –48 / 53
IU Indianapolis5.56.5see guide– / 54
Kansas State6.56.5see guide53 / 58
Kennesaw State6.06.5see guide58 / –
Lehigh University7.56.5see guide– / 68
Lewis University6.56.0see guide52 / 52
Lindenwood University5.56.5see guide– / –
Louisiana Tech6.56.5see guide50 / 58
Loyola Marymount6.57.0see guide56 / –
Loyola University Chicago6.5–see guide53 / –
LSU6.56.5see guide– / 59
LSU New Orleans (UNO)6.56.5see guide50 / 58
Marquette University6.56.56.5 / 6.5– / –
McNeese State6.56.5see guide50 / 50
Miami University (Ohio)6.56.5see guide53 / 54
Michigan State6.56.5– / 6.053 / 53
Michigan Tech6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Minnesota State Mankato5.56.5see guide47 / –
Missouri S&T6.56.5see guide58 / 58
Montana State6.06.5see guide51 / –
Montclair State6.06.5see guide48 / 53
NC State6.56.56.0 / –58 / –
Nebraska–Lincoln6.56.5see guide– / –
NJIT6.06.5– / 6.053 / 57
Northeastern7.56.5see guide79 / –
Northern Arizona University6.06.5see guide56 / –
Northern Illinois University6.06.5see guide48 / 53
Oakland University6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Ohio State6.56.5see guide– / –
Oklahoma State5.56.5see guide44 / 53
Old Dominion University6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Pace University6.56.5see guide54 / 52
Penn State6.56.5see guide– / –
Portland State6.06.5see guide53 / 60
Prairie View A&M6.56.0see guide– / –
Pratt Institute7.06.5see guide62 / 53
Purdue6.56.5see guide– / –
Purdue Fort Wayne6.56.5see guide58 / –
Purdue Northwest6.56.5see guide58 / –
RIT6.56.5see guide58 / 56
RPI6.56.5see guide59 / 59
Rutgers6.57.0see guide53 / –
Sacramento State6.06.5see guide50 / 65
Sacred Heart University6.56.5see guide62 / 62
Saint Louis University6.56.5see guide54 / 54
Saint Peter's University–6.5see guide53 / 53
Sam Houston State6.06.5see guide– / –
San Diego State6.56.5see guide58 / 58
San José State University6.06.5see guide44 / 53
Santa Clara University6.56.5see guide– / –
SF State6.06.5see guide– / 59
SIU Carbondale6.06.5see guide47 / 64
SIUE6.06.55.5 / –50 / 53
SMU–6.5see guide– / 55
South Carolina6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Stony Brook6.56.5see guide53 / –
Suffolk University (Boston)6.56.5– / 6.054 / 65
SUNY New Paltz6.56.06.0 / –58 / 50
Syracuse University–6.5see guide– / –
TCU6.56.5see guide– / 53
Temple University5.56.5see guide– / 53
Texas State6.56.56.0 / 6.052 / 52
Texas Tech6.56.5see guide60 / 60
Texas Woman's University6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Trine University6.06.5– / 6.050 / 58
Tufts–6.5see guide– / –
Tulane–6.5see guide– / –
UA Little Rock6.06.5see guide44 / –
UAB6.06.55.5 / –– / 56
UC Berkeley6.57.0see guide– / –
UC Davis6.57.0see guide– / –
UC Irvine6.57.0– / 6.0– / –
UC Riverside6.57.0– / 6.0– / –
UC San Diego6.57.0see guide– / 65
UC Santa Barbara6.57.0see guide– / –
UC Santa Cruz6.57.0see guide– / –
UCF6.56.5see guide– / –
UConn6.56.5see guide60 / 60
UIC6.56.56.0 / 6.054 / 54
UIS6.06.5see guide60 / 70
UL Lafayette6.56.5see guide50 / 53
ULM6.56.5see guide– / –
UM-Dearborn6.56.5see guide– / –
UM-Flint6.06.5see guide59 / 56
UMass Amherst6.56.56.0 / –– / 53
UMass Lowell6.56.5see guide61 / 53
UMBC–6.5see guide– / 53
UMKC6.06.55.5 / –48 / 53
UNC Charlotte6.06.55.0 / –48 / –
UNC Greensboro6.56.5see guide53 / 67
UNF6.56.5see guide53 / 53
University at Albany6.06.5see guide50 / 53
University at Buffalo6.06.5see guide50 / 55
University of Akron6.06.5see guide48 / –
University of Alabama6.06.5– / 6.054 / 59
University of Arizona6.57.0– / 6.060 / 60
University of Arkansas6.56.5see guide58 / 58
University of Cincinnati–6.5see guide53 / 54
University of Dayton6.06.5see guide50 / 60
University of Delaware6.56.5see guide53 / –
University of Denver–6.5see guide– / –
University of Findlay6.06.5see guide50 / 58
University of Florida6.06.5see guide– / –
University of Georgia6.56.5– / 6.0– / –
University of Houston6.56.5see guide– / 53
University of Idaho6.06.5see guide48 / 58
University of Iowa6.57.06.0 / 6.0– / 68
University of Kansas6.56.5see guide53 / 60
University of Kentucky6.06.5see guide– / –
University of Louisville6.56.5– / 5.055 / 55
University of Maine6.56.5see guide53 / 65
University of Maryland7.06.5see guide– / –
University of Memphis6.06.5see guide50 / 59
University of Miami–6.5see guide– / –
University of Michigan7.06.5see guide68 / –
University of Minnesota6.56.5see guide59 / 59
University of Missouri6.56.56.0 / 6.059 / 59
University of Nebraska Omaha6.06.5see guide44 / 53
University of New Hampshire6.56.5see guide59 / 59
University of New Mexico6.06.5see guide47 / 53
University of Oklahoma6.56.5– / 6.053 / 60
University of Oregon6.57.0see guide– / –
University of Pittsburgh–6.5see guide– / –
University of Rhode Island6.56.5– / 6.553 / 53
University of San Francisco6.56.5see guide53 / 53
University of Tennessee6.56.5– / 6.053 / –
University of the Pacific6.56.5see guide53 / –
University of Toledo6.06.5see guide48 / 58
University of Tulsa6.06.5see guide48 / 56
University of Utah6.56.5see guide– / –
University of Vermont6.56.5see guide– / –
University of Virginia–6.5– / 6.5– / –
University of Washington6.06.5see guide– / –
University of Wyoming5.06.5see guide50 / 56
UNLV6.06.55.5 / 6.059 / 65
USF–6.5see guide– / 53
UT Arlington6.56.5see guide– / –
UT Austin6.56.5see guide– / –
UT Dallas6.56.5see guide67 / 67
UT Tyler6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Utah State6.06.55.0 / 5.0– / –
UTEP–6.5see guide44 / 53
UTRGV6.06.5see guide45 / 45
UTSA6.56.5see guide58 / –
UW–Madison6.56.5see guide– / –
VCU6.06.5see guide53 / 65
Villanova–6.5see guide– / –
Virginia Tech6.56.56.5 / –59 / –
Wake Forest–6.5see guide– / –
Washington State6.56.5see guide58 / 56
WashU–6.5see guide– / –
Wayne State University6.56.5see guide– / 58
West Virginia University6.56.5see guide53 / 53
Western Kentucky6.06.5see guide52 / –
Western Michigan University6.06.5see guide48 / 54
Wichita State6.06.5see guide49 / 58
WPI–6.5– / 6.5– / –
Yeshiva University7.06.5– / 6.0– / 61
Youngstown State6.06.55.0 / –50 / –
Arkansas State5.56.0see guide43 / 56
Cal State LA5.56.0see guide44 / 53
Campbellsville University5.06.0see guide52 / 53
Cleveland State6.06.05.0 / 5.0– / 50
CSUSB5.56.0see guide43 / 53
East Texas A&M6.06.0see guide53 / 53
Fairleigh Dickinson–6.0see guide– / 53
Georgia Southern6.06.0see guide– / –
Georgia State6.06.0see guide53 / –
Georgia Tech6.07.0see guide53 / –
Governors State6.06.0see guide51 / 53
Kean University6.06.0see guide– / –
Kent State University6.06.0see guide48 / 48
Lamar University6.06.0see guide59 / 59
Lawrence Tech5.56.0see guide50 / 60
LIU6.06.0see guide50 / 50
Mississippi State6.07.0see guide– / –
Missouri State5.56.0see guide– / –
MTSU5.56.0see guide59 / 70
Murray State6.06.0see guide51 / 51
NDSU6.06.0see guide50 / 50
New Mexico State6.06.0see guide– / –
Northwest Missouri State5.56.0see guide44 / 53
Nova Southeastern6.06.0see guide54 / 54
NYIT6.06.0see guide53 / 53
Ohio University6.06.05.5 / 6.048 / –
Ole Miss6.06.0see guide53 / 53
Oregon State6.06.0see guide48 / –
Rowan University6.06.0see guide50 / 50
Seattle University6.06.0see guide48 / 48
Seton Hall6.06.0see guide– / –
Southeast Missouri State5.56.0see guide45 / 53
St. John's University6.0–see guide– / –
Stevens Institute of Technology6.06.0see guide53 / –
Tennessee Tech5.56.0see guide52 / 48
Texas A&M6.06.0see guide– / –
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi6.06.0see guide53 / 53
Texas A&M-Kingsville6.06.0see guide44 / 53
Texas Southern5.06.0see guide– / –
Troy University5.56.0see guide46 / 54
UAH5.56.05.5 / 6.051 / 59
UHCL6.06.0see guide53 / 53
UMass Boston6.06.0see guide– / 53
UMass Dartmouth6.06.0see guide53 / 52
University of Bridgeport6.06.0see guide53 / 58
University of Central Missouri5.56.0see guide– / –
University of Nevada, Reno6.05.5see guide46 / 46
University of New Haven6.06.0see guide53 / 50
University of North Dakota6.06.0see guide50 / –
University of North Texas6.06.0see guide53 / 53
University of South Alabama5.56.0see guide44 / 48
University of South Dakota6.06.0see guide48 / 53
University of the Cumberlands6.06.0see guide– / –
UW-Milwaukee6.06.0see guide46 / –
UWF6.06.0see guide53 / 53
Webster University6.06.0see guide– / –
Western Illinois6.06.0see guide49 / 49
Wright State5.56.05.0 / –51 / 57
Cal State Fullerton5.57.0see guide43 / 65
Rivier University5.55.5see guide49 / 49
St. Cloud State5.57.5see guide47 / –
UMSL5.5–see guide44 / –

Bold: the level where IELTS 6.5 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.

Requirements vary by course. These are the lowest overall scores each university publishes for undergraduate or postgraduate entry; many courses ask more, and rules change between intakes. Confirm the score on the university's course page before you book a test.

Definition

How "accepting IELTS 6.5" 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 6.5 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 6.5

Not sure you are at 6.5 yet? Take a free IELTS Academic task and see your score per skill before you apply.

Check if you score IELTS 6.5 →

From the data

Questions

How many universities in the USA accept IELTS 6.5?+

269 of the 292 universities in the USA with a published IELTS minimum in our dataset ask for 6.5 or lower at one level or more: 239 for undergraduate entry and 248 for postgraduate entry.

Can I study a master's in the USA with IELTS 6.5?+

248 universities publish a postgraduate minimum of 6.5 or lower, including Arizona State University, Auburn, Ball State. 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 6.5 for a bachelor's degree?+

239 publish an undergraduate minimum of 6.5 or lower, including American University, Arizona State University, Auburn. Competitive courses such as medicine, law and teaching usually ask more.

What score do I need in each IELTS skill?+

46 of these 269 universities state one minimum for every skill; the most common is 6.0 (25 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?+

208 of them publish a PTE Academic minimum; the most common is 53 (60 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.

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

Check if you score IELTS 6.5