The TOEFL iBT that launched on 21 January 2026 is scored 1–6 and several universities have not finished deciding what to do with it. This tracker records, for 45 university-and-level rows in the UK and US, whether a TOEFL taken on or after that date is accepted, the score the university publishes, the official page that says so, and the date we read it.
By the LingoLeap TOEFL Content Team · Last verified: · Every row links to its source
34
Accepts the 2026 TOEFL
3
Conditional
4
Not accepted / not listed
4
Lists TOEFL, silent on the 2026 test
0
Unverified — page unreachable
If your target is on this list, a 2026 TOEFL score alone will not clear its English condition. Each line quotes the university's own page.
“We are only able to accept TOEFL iBT tests taken before 21 January 2026.”
University-wide answer (updated 10 Sep 2026). Oxford still lists IELTS, Cambridge English and the Oxford Test of English Advanced. · Oxford University FAQ answer 1152 — TOEFL · checked
“We are only able to accept TOEFL iBT tests taken before 21 January 2026.”
Same university-wide answer applies to graduate offers. · Oxford University FAQ answer 1152 — TOEFL · checked
“TOEFL is not mentioned on the undergraduate English language requirements page.”
Recorded as not accepted because the page lists the accepted tests and TOEFL is not among them. · Cambridge Undergraduate Study — English language requirements · checked
“TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition) taken on or before 21 January 2026 … if you complete your TOEFL and meet your condition score requirements after 21 January 2026, you will be asked to take an additional online assessment at the University of Cambridge Language Centre.”
A 2026 TOEFL alone does not clear the condition; an extra Cambridge Language Centre online assessment is required. · Cambridge Postgraduate Study — English language requirements · checked
“TOEFL iBT scores from tests taken before January 21, 2026 must meet current 0-120 requirements; scores from after this date will be reviewed case-by-case using ETS equivalency tables.”
TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition is not accepted. · University of Manchester — English language requirements · checked
“iBT or iBT Home Edition. Acceptable when taken on or after 21st January 2026 for September 2026 entry only.”
Accepted for September 2026 entry only as of our check; applicants for later entry should re-check. · University of Warwick — Undergraduate English language requirements · checked
“TOEFL iBT is not mentioned on the postgraduate English language requirements page.”
Recorded as not listed. Some departments (e.g. WMG) publish their own lists — check the course page. · University of Warwick — Postgraduate English language requirements · checked
2026 TOEFL means a TOEFL iBT taken on or after 21 January 2026, reported on the 1–6 band scale. Accepted means the page publishes a 1–6 requirement or states that post-January tests are accepted. Conditional means the test is accepted with a string attached (an extra assessment, case-by-case review, or a single entry year). Not accepted means the page either says so outright or lists its accepted tests and TOEFL is not among them. Not stated means the page lists TOEFL iBT but has not said anything about the 2026 test or published a band — ask the department. Unverified means we could not open the official page on the check date; we left the row blank rather than copy a number from a third-party list.
Scores are quoted as published. Where a university gives only the old 0–120 figure, that is what you see. We never convert an IELTS band into a TOEFL band on a university's behalf — several of the wrong numbers circulating online come from exactly that shortcut.
Levels. UK rows separate undergraduate and postgraduate because the policies genuinely differ (Cambridge is the clearest case). US rows are graduate-school pages; US undergraduate offices usually publish their own minimums.
21 rows · Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, LSE, Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow, King's, Warwick, Bristol
| University | Level | 2026 TOEFL | Required score, as published | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Oxford | Undergraduate | Not accepted | Not applicable — tests from 21 Jan 2026 are not accepted University-wide answer (updated 10 Sep 2026). Oxford still lists IELTS, Cambridge English and the Oxford Test of English Advanced. | Oxford University FAQ answer 1152 — TOEFL | |
| University of Oxford | Postgraduate | Not accepted | Not applicable — tests from 21 Jan 2026 are not accepted Same university-wide answer applies to graduate offers. | Oxford University FAQ answer 1152 — TOEFL | |
| University of Cambridge | Undergraduate | Not accepted | TOEFL not listed. Accepted: IELTS Academic 7.5 overall (7.0 in each element); C2 Proficiency 200 (no element below 185); C1 Advanced 193 (no element below 185) Recorded as not accepted because the page lists the accepted tests and TOEFL is not among them. | Cambridge Undergraduate Study — English language requirements | |
| University of Cambridge | Postgraduate | Conditional | Scores set per course — check your course page A 2026 TOEFL alone does not clear the condition; an extra Cambridge Language Centre online assessment is required. | Cambridge Postgraduate Study — English language requirements | |
| Imperial College London | Undergraduate | Accepted | Standard: 4.5 overall, min 4.5 in all elements (was 92, min 20). Higher: 5.0 overall, min 5.0 in all elements (was 100, min 22) Single sitting only; MyBest Scores not accepted. Tests from 21 Jan 2026 must meet the new requirement in full. | Imperial College London — English language requirements | |
| Imperial College London | Postgraduate | Accepted | Standard: 4.5 overall, min 4.5 in all elements. Higher: 5.0 overall, min 5.0 in all elements Same page covers undergraduate and postgraduate. Single sitting only; MyBest not accepted. | Imperial College London — English language requirements | |
| UCL | Undergraduate | Accepted | Tests from 21 Jan 2026, by level: Level 1 — 4.5 overall, 4.0 in each skill; Level 2 — 4.5 overall, 4.5 in each; Level 3 — 5.0 overall, 5.0 in each; Level 4 — 5.5 overall, 5.0 in each; Level 5 — 5.5 overall, 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and 6.0 in speaking Read in a browser on 16 Sep 2026 after UCL's server refused our fetcher. The programme page in the Undergraduate Prospectus states which level (1–5) applies. TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted; MyBest scores are not. UCL's TOEFL institution code is 9163. | UCL — English language requirements (undergraduate) | |
| UCL | Postgraduate | Accepted | Tests from 21 Jan 2026, by level: Level 1 — 4.5 overall, 4.0 in each skill; Level 2 — 4.5 overall, 4.5 in each; Level 3 — 5.0 overall, 5.0 in each; Level 4 — 5.5 overall, 5.0 in each; Level 5 — 5.5 overall, 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and 6.0 in speaking Read in a browser on 16 Sep 2026 after UCL's server refused our fetcher. Same five levels and the same 1–6 thresholds as the undergraduate page; each degree page states which level applies. TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition is accepted; MyBest scores are not. Institution code 9163. | UCL — English Language requirements (graduate) | |
| LSE | Undergraduate | Accepted | 5.5 overall, min 5 in Writing, 5 in Reading, 5 in Listening, 5 in Speaking (was 100 with W27 R25 L24 S24) One exam sitting only; valid for 2 years before programme start. | LSE — Undergraduate English language requirements | |
| LSE | Postgraduate | Accepted | Standard and Higher: 5.5 overall (R5 L5 W5 S4.5). Research (MPhil/PhD): 5.5 (R5 L5 W5.5 S4.5). Law: 5.5 (R5 L5 W5.5 S4.5) The page prints both the 0–120 and the updated-scale requirement side by side. | LSE — Graduate English language requirements | |
| University of Edinburgh | Undergraduate | Accepted | Published per degree in the Degree Finder (both scales) Single test only; TOEFL MyBest Score not accepted. | University of Edinburgh — Undergraduate English language requirements | |
| University of Edinburgh | Postgraduate | Accepted | Published per degree in the Degree Finder (both scales) Single test only; TOEFL MyBest Score not accepted. | University of Edinburgh — Postgraduate English language requirements | |
| University of Manchester | Undergraduate & Postgraduate | Conditional | No 2026 band published — post-21-Jan scores reviewed case by case TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition is not accepted. | University of Manchester — English language requirements | |
| University of Glasgow | Undergraduate | Accepted | Per programme. Example (English Language & Linguistics, standard undergraduate level): tests from 21 Jan 2026 — "92 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 23; Writing 21" Glasgow has no central undergraduate English-language page; each programme page carries the block. The two 2026-entry programme pages we read (English Language & Linguistics; Theatre Studies) print the same TOEFL figures, and both give the post-21-Jan-2026 requirement on the old 0–120 / 0–30 scale, not the 1–6 scale. Confirm with the programme before relying on the numbers. | University of Glasgow — English Language & Linguistics, English language requirements (example programme page) | |
| University of Glasgow | Postgraduate | Accepted | Per programme. Example (MSc Archives, Records & Information Management): tests from 21 Jan 2026 — "92 overall with no subtest less than 4.5" Glasgow lists TOEFL iBT for tests from 21 Jan 2026 on the programme pages we checked, but prints the post-21-Jan requirement in mixed scales (an overall on the old 0–120 range with subtests on the 1–6 range). Confirm the figures with the programme before relying on them. Requirements must be met in a single test, including MyBest. | University of Glasgow — programme English language requirements (example) | |
| King's College London | Undergraduate | Accepted | Band A: 5.5 overall, min 5 in each skill. Band B: 5 overall, min 4.5 each. Band D: 4.5 overall, min 4 each Each course is assigned a band; the page prints pre- and post-21-Jan-2026 requirements for every band. | King's College London — Undergraduate English language requirements | |
| King's College London | Postgraduate | Accepted | Band B: 5 overall, min 4.5 each. Band C: 5 overall, min 4.5 in R/W and 4 in S/L. Band D: 4.5 overall, min 4 each Each course is assigned a band. | King's College London — Postgraduate taught English language requirements | |
| University of Warwick | Undergraduate | Conditional | Band A and B: 4.5 (min 4.5 in each component). Band C: 5.0 (min 4.5 in each component) Accepted for September 2026 entry only as of our check; applicants for later entry should re-check. | University of Warwick — Undergraduate English language requirements | |
| University of Warwick | Postgraduate | Not accepted | TOEFL not listed on the central postgraduate page (IELTS bands A–D only) Recorded as not listed. Some departments (e.g. WMG) publish their own lists — check the course page. | University of Warwick — Postgraduate English language requirements | |
| University of Bristol | Undergraduate | Accepted | Profile B: 5 overall, 5 in Writing and 4.5 in all other skills. Profile E: 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills Each course is assigned a profile (A–F); Profiles B and E checked. | University of Bristol — English language Profile B | |
| University of Bristol | Postgraduate | Accepted | Profile B: 5 overall with 4.5 in all skills. Profile E: 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills Each course is assigned a profile (A–F); Profiles B and E checked. | University of Bristol — English language Profile B |
24 rows · MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, Columbia, Michigan, USC, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Cornell, Purdue, ASU, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Washington, Penn State, NYU, BU, Northeastern, Penn, Texas, Yale, Georgia
| University | Level | 2026 TOEFL | Required score, as published | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | Graduate | Not stated | Recommended minimum 100 (0–120 scale); no 1–6 band published The page does not address tests taken on or after 21 Jan 2026 or the 1–6 scale. MyBest, Essentials and ITP not accepted. | MIT Office of Graduate Education — TOEFL iBT | |
| Harvard University (Griffin GSAS) | Graduate | Accepted | 5 overall (95 before 21 Jan 2026) with Speaking 4.5 (23 before 21 Jan 2026) Home/online editions accepted; scores valid two years. | Harvard Griffin GSAS — English proficiency | |
| Stanford University | Graduate | Accepted | 4.5 for admission consideration (90 before 21 Jan 2026); 5.5 exempts from the English placement test (109) Programs may require higher. MyBest scores accepted. | Stanford Graduate Admissions — Test scores | |
| UC Berkeley | Graduate | Accepted | 5 minimum total, with 4.5 minimum in Speaking and Writing (90 total for tests 1 Jun 2025 – 20 Jan 2026) Higher than the 4.5 recorded in March 2026 — Berkeley's page now says 5. iBT and Home Edition accepted; ITP and MyBest not accepted. | UC Berkeley Graduate Division — Admissions requirements | |
| UCLA | Graduate | Accepted | 4.5 overall (87 before 21 Jan 2026); below 5 (100) admitted students take the ESLPE placement exam MyBest TOEFL not accepted. | UCLA Graduate Programs — English requirements | |
| Columbia University (GSAS) | Graduate | Accepted | 5.5 TOEFL iBT (test dates after January 21, 2026); 100 for pre-21-Jan-2026 tests Read in a browser on 16 Sep 2026 after the GSAS server refused our fetcher; this confirms the 5.5 our 19 Mar 2026 check recorded. Scores more than two years old are not accepted. ETS code 2162. | Columbia GSAS — Information for international applicants | |
| University of Michigan (Rackham) | Graduate | Accepted | TOEFL iBT (incl. ITP Plus and Special Home Edition): January 21, 2026 and after = 4.5 minimum overall; before January 21, 2026 = 84 Read in a browser on 16 Sep 2026 after Rackham's server refused our fetcher. This is the Rackham minimum; the page says some graduate programs require higher scores. Our unconfirmed March 2026 note of a "5–6 range" was wrong and is replaced by the published 4.5. Institution code 1839. | Rackham Graduate School — Tests | |
| University of Southern California | Graduate | Accepted | Master's: 4.5 or above with 4 or above in each section (was 90 / 20). PhD: 5 or above with 4 in each section (was 100 / 20) | USC Graduate Admission — English proficiency | |
| Georgia Tech | Graduate | Accepted | 4.5 or higher overall; Reading ≥ 4, Listening ≥ 4, Writing ≥ 4, Speaking ≥ 3.5 (was 90) TOEFL Essentials not accepted. | Georgia Tech Graduate Education — English proficiency | |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Graduate | Accepted | Full status: 5.0 (was 103). Limited status: 4.0 (was 79) TOEFL Essentials, MyBest and IELTS One Skill Retake not accepted. | Illinois Graduate College — English proficiency instructions | |
| Cornell University | Graduate | Accepted | Section minimums only. Professional master's: Speaking 4, Reading 4, Listening 3.5, Writing 4. Research degrees: Speaking 5.5, Reading 4, Listening 3.5, Writing 4 Minimums apply to Summer/Fall 2026 admission and are subject to change for later terms. | Cornell Graduate School — English language proficiency requirement | |
| Purdue University | Graduate | Accepted | 4.0 overall; Writing 4.0, Speaking 3.5, Listening 3.5, Reading 4.0 (was 80; W18 S18 L14 R19) Some programs require higher minimums. | Purdue Graduate School — TOEFL | |
| Arizona State University | Graduate | Accepted | 4 minimum (was 80) Home Edition accepted from 21 Jan 2026; Paper Edition not accepted. | ASU Admission — Graduate English proficiency | |
| University of Wisconsin–Madison | Graduate | Accepted | 5.0 (was 92); conditional admission 4.5 (was 80–91) Page has moved to info.grad.wisc.edu. | UW–Madison Graduate School — Requirements for admission | |
| Ohio State University | Graduate | Accepted | 4.0 (was 79) MyBest scores not accepted. | Ohio State Graduate and Professional Admissions — International requirements | |
| University of Washington | Graduate | Accepted | 4.0 minimum, 4.5 recommended (was 80 / 92) Policy 3.2; revised policy effective Winter 2027 keeps the same minimum. MyBest not admissible. | UW Graduate School — Policy 3.2 English language proficiency | |
| Penn State University | Graduate | Accepted | 4.5 total with 3.5 or greater on Speaking (was 80 / 19); provisional admission from 4 total Policy GCAC-305; revision history notes the new 1–6 scale. | Penn State Graduate School — GCAC-305 | |
| NYU (Tandon School of Engineering) | Graduate | Accepted | 4.5 Tandon engineering programs only; other NYU schools publish their own requirements. | NYU Tandon — English language proficiency testing | |
| Boston University (CAS PhD/MFA) | Graduate | Accepted | 5 total (1–6 scale) for tests on/after 21 Jan 2026; 100 for tests on/before 20 Jan 2026 College of Arts & Sciences PhD/MFA page; MyBest not accepted. | Boston University CAS — International students | |
| Northeastern University | Graduate | Not stated | Varies by college — no university-wide minimum on the page The page does not address the 21 Jan 2026 test or publish a score. | Northeastern Graduate — Applying as an international student | |
| University of Pennsylvania (LPS) | Graduate | Not stated | 100 (iBT) on the 0–120 scale; no 1–6 band published College of Liberal and Professional Studies page; it does not address the 21 Jan 2026 test. | Penn LPS — TOEFL | |
| University of Texas at Austin | Graduate | Accepted | 4 (6-point scale) or 79 (120 scale) Page has moved to graduate.utexas.edu. | UT Austin Graduate School — International applicants | |
| Yale University (GSAS) | Graduate | Not stated | TOEFL iBT accepted; no minimum score published on the page The page does not address the 21 Jan 2026 test or the 1–6 scale. | Yale GSAS — Standardized testing requirements | |
| University of Georgia | Graduate | Accepted | 4.5 overall with at least 4 on Speaking and Writing (was 80 with 20 on Speaking and Writing) Graduate Council policy update dated 14 Jan 2026 (note UGA's own cut-over date is 22 Jan). | UGA Graduate School — Policy update: TOEFL scores |
The revised TOEFL is not the old test with a new label. Reading and Listening are multistage-adaptive, the writing section adds Build a Sentence and Write an Email, speaking adds Listen and Repeat and an interview, and the result is a 1–6 band instead of a 0–120 total. A university that publishes a formal list of accepted qualifications has to decide where those bands sit against IELTS and its own thresholds, and some admissions offices have chosen to wait rather than guess.
Most have not waited: 34 of the 45 rows here already publish a 1–6 requirement, and most map the old thresholds the same way — 80 to 4.0, 90 to 4.5, 100 to 5.0 — though not all: UC Berkeley moved its 90 to a 5, and LSE its 100 to a 5.5. The exceptions are the ones that matter for a deadline: Oxford only accepts pre-21-January tests; Cambridge does not list TOEFL for undergraduates and adds a Language Centre assessment for postgraduates; Manchester reviews post-January scores case by case; Warwick's undergraduate page accepts the new test for September 2026 entry only. We record what each page says and nothing more.
If your target is one of those, the reliable route is IELTS Academic or a Cambridge English qualification — Cambridge, Manchester and Warwick all list both, and Oxford's application guide names IELTS, Cambridge English and the Oxford Test of English Advanced. See the FAQ below for the order we would try them in.
Know your band before you book
Our 2026-format mock test reports an estimated 1–6 band per section. It is an estimate from our own scoring, not an ETS score — use it to see whether a 4.5 or a 5.0 target is realistic before you pay for a sitting.
On 16 September 2026 we opened each university's own English-language-requirements page (the URL in the Source column) and recorded what it says about TOEFL iBT tests taken on or after 21 January 2026. Only official university domains count as sources; no rankings site, agent or forum post was used to fill a cell. Where the page was behind a block we could not pass, the row says Unverified and stays empty.
Universities revise these pages without announcement. Two examples from our own checks: UC Berkeley's graduate minimum read 4.5 in March 2026 and 5 in September 2026; Wisconsin and Texas moved their pages to new hosts in between. Treat the linked page as the source of truth, and this table as the map to it. If you spot a row that has gone stale, tell us and we will re-check it.
Practise the 2026 format with AI-scored Speaking and Writing and see your estimated band per section before test day.
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