Stanford, California, US
Stanford University: English test requirements
Stanford does not require an English proficiency exam for undergraduate applicants. Graduate Admissions (non-professional programmes) sets a TOEFL or IELTS minimum for those who are not exempt, and professional schools such as the Graduate School of Business set their own, higher scores. SAT or ACT is required for first-year entry.
Checked on 31 Oct 2026 against the university's own pages. Universities change their requirements, and some courses ask for more. Always confirm on the university's page before you book a test or apply.
IELTS
UG Not on the list
PG 7
MBA 7
TOEFL iBT
UG Not on the list
PG 4.5 / 90
MBA 5.0 / 100
PTE Academic
UG Not on the list
PG Not on the list
MBA 68
Duolingo English Test
UG Not on the list
PG Not on the list
MBA Not on the list
Undergraduate
Applicants may self-report scores from any English proficiency exam, but none is required and no minimum is stated. The page says fluency in English is a prerequisite for admission. English tests cannot replace the SAT or ACT.
| Test | Overall | Each part | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS | – | Not on the listNo test is named or required. | |
| TOEFL iBT | – | Not on the listNo test is named or required. | |
| PTE Academic | – | Not on the listNo test is named or required. | |
| Duolingo English Test | – | Not on the listNo test is named or required. |
“No, we do not require any English proficiency exams.”
Undergraduate admission: international applicants
Graduate (Graduate Admissions, non-professional programmes)
Applies to MA, MS and PhD programmes handled by Graduate Admissions. Law, business, medicine and other professional schools run their own admissions. Applicants are exempt if English is their first language, they hold a degree taught entirely in English, or they have two or more consecutive years of full-time English-language work or study in the past 10 years. Scores below the placement-test exemption level (TOEFL 109 for tests taken before 21 January 2026, TOEFL 5.5 for tests taken on or after, IELTS 8) mean an English Placement Test after admission. MyBest TOEFL scores are accepted. Scores are valid for two years.
| Test | Overall | Each part | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 7 | Accepted | |
| TOEFL iBT | 4.5 (taken on or after 21 January 2026) / 90 (taken before 21 January 2026) | AcceptedMinimum for exemption from the English Placement Test: 5.5 (taken on or after 21 January 2026) / 109 (taken before). | |
| PTE Academic | – | Not on the listNot named; the page names only TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic for the application. | |
| Duolingo English Test | – | Not on the listNot named; the page names only TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic for the application. |
“Each graduate program may set a higher minimum score for admission consideration as appropriate for the specific field of study.”
Graduate Admissions: test scores
Graduate School of Business full-time MBA
Citizenship and work experience do not exempt an applicant. A test is required if any undergraduate teaching was in a language other than English unless a later graduate programme was taught wholly in English; applicants whose degree was fully English-taught are not required to test. Scores are valid for two years. The online PTE and TOEFL MyBest are not accepted; official online and at-home TOEFL and IELTS are.
| Test | Overall | Each part | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 7.0 overall band score | Accepted | |
| TOEFL iBT | 5.0 (as of 21 January 2026) / 100 (before 21 January 2026) | AcceptedThe page says it generally requires a minimum total of 75 on the revised paper-delivered test. | |
| PTE Academic (test centre only) | 68 overall score | AcceptedThe online version of the PTE exam is not accepted. | |
| Duolingo English Test | – | Not on the listNot named; the page names TOEFL, IELTS and PTE. |
“Your citizenship and/or work experience do not exempt you from taking the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE.”
Graduate School of Business MBA: English language proficiency
Admissions tests
SAT / ACT · First-year applicants
Required
ACT or SAT scores are required, with no preferred exam and no minimum. The page says ACT and SAT scores were optional for the Class of 2029 and gives no start date for the requirement. English proficiency tests cannot replace them.
“ACT or SAT scores are required.”
GMAT / GRE · Graduate School of Business full-time MBA
Required
GMAT or GRE is required before applying, with no preference and no minimum score. LSAT, MCAT and Executive Assessment scores are not accepted in their place.
“There is no minimum GMAT or GRE score requirement for graduate study at Stanford”
The page says these are not accepted
- PTE Academic Online (MBA)
- TOEFL MyBest (MBA)
- LSAT, MCAT or Executive Assessment in place of GMAT or GRE (MBA)
“Not on the list” means the test does not appear on the university page we checked. It does not mean the test is refused: the course page or the admissions office may still accept it, so ask them.
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