TOEFL · Guides · October 30, 2026 · 7 min read
What is a good TOEFL score in 2026? What 12 US, UK and Canadian universities ask for
A good TOEFL score in 2026 is 5 or higher on the new 1–6 scale (about 95–106 on the old 0–120 scale and above). That meets the general graduate minimum at Harvard, MIT’s recommended level, Imperial’s higher level and full admission at Illinois. 4.5 (about 86–94) is enough for many strong universities, including Stanford graduate admission, Toronto, UBC and McGill. 5.5 (about 107–113) clears almost every requirement we found, including all four of LSE’s levels. Below 4 (under about 72), most universities will offer only conditional or pathway admission, if any.
ETS sets no pass mark: “good” means the score your programme asks for, overall and in each section. Below are the actual numbers from 12 universities’ own pages, checked on 30 October 2026, with links at the end.
Good TOEFL score by band
| Band (1–6) | Comparable 0–120 | CEFR | What it usually opens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 114–120 | C2 | every requirement we found, including teaching assistant speaking standards |
| 5.5 | 107–113 | C1 | top requirements: LSE, Stanford’s exemption from English placement testing |
| 5 | 95–106 | C1 | Harvard GSAS, MIT (recommended), Illinois full status, Imperial higher level |
| 4.5 | 86–94 | B2 | Stanford, Toronto, UBC, McGill, Imperial standard level |
| 4 | 72–85 | B2 | limited or conditional admission at some universities |
| 3.5 and below | 0–71 | B1 and below | usually a pathway or English course first |
The bands and their 0–120 ranges are ETS’s; the right-hand column is our summary of the university pages below. The full conversion for every band and how the overall is calculated are in the TOEFL score chart: 1–6 vs 0–120 and CEFR.
What 12 universities ask for (October 2026)
All of these are graduate-level requirements unless noted. “New” means a test taken on or after 21 January 2026; “old” means a test before that date.
United States
| University | New test (1–6) | Old test (0–120) | Section minimums |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences | 5 | 95 | Speaking 4.5 (old: 23) |
| MIT, graduate admissions | 5 recommended | 100 recommended | none; departments set their own |
| Stanford, graduate admissions | 4.5 | 90 | none; 5.5 (old: 109) exempts you from the English placement test |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Graduate College | 5 (full status); 4 (limited status) | 103; 79 | Speaking 5 (old: 24) for teaching assistants |
| Purdue University, West Lafayette (graduate) | 5 | 100 | Reading 4.5, Listening 5, Speaking 4, Writing 4.5 (old: 22 each); Speaking 5.5 for teaching assistants |
United Kingdom
| University | New test (1–6) | Old test (0–120) | Section minimums |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial College London (all levels) | 4.5 standard; 5 higher | 92; 100 | 4.5 in each (old: 20) for standard; 5 in each (old: 22) for higher |
| London School of Economics (graduate) | 5.5 at every level | 100 (109 for Law) | from R5 L5 W5 S4.5 (standard) to R5 L5 W5.5 S5.5 (Law) |
| University of Edinburgh, Finance and Investment MSc (example) | 5 | 100 | 4 in each (old: 20) |
| University of Cambridge (postgraduate) | no new-scale minimum yet | course-specific | — |
Cambridge is the cautionary case: its 2026–27 offer conditions guide accepts TOEFL iBT taken on or before 21 January 2026 and says that a newer TOEFL result, even one meeting the course requirement, may be referred to its Language Centre for assessment. Edinburgh sets requirements programme by programme; its central page says both scales are listed in the degree finder.
Canada
| University | New test (1–6) | Old test (0–120) | Section minimums |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies | 4.5 | 93 | Writing 4.5, Speaking 4 (old: 22 each) |
| University of British Columbia, graduate (minimum) | 4.5 | 90 | Listening 5, Reading 4.5, Writing 4.5, Speaking 4 |
| McGill University, graduate | 4.5 | 86 | Reading 4.5, Listening 4.5, Writing 4.5, Speaking 4 |
These are university-wide floors. Individual programmes can ask for more: Stanford and MIT both say departments may set higher minimums, so always check the programme page too.
What the numbers tell you
1. Section minimums decide more applications than the overall. Eight of the twelve set a minimum for at least one section. An overall 5 with Speaking 3.5 fails Purdue, Imperial’s higher level, UBC and McGill. Plan for your weakest section, not your average.
2. Speaking is often allowed half a band lower, unless you will teach. Toronto, UBC, McGill and Purdue accept Speaking 4 for admission. But teaching assistant roles ask for more: 5 at Illinois, 5.5 at Purdue. If your funding depends on a TA post, Speaking is your most important section.
3. Universities do not convert old scores the same way. Imperial puts 100 next to 5; LSE puts 100 next to 5.5; Toronto pairs 93 with 4.5 and Illinois 103 with 5. So “I need 100” does not translate into one band. Read the new-scale number on the programme page.
4. MyBest is usually not accepted. Harvard GSAS, MIT, Illinois, Imperial, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Toronto, UBC and McGill say they do not accept MyBest scores, or that all sections must come from one test. Stanford is the exception among these twelve. Assume you need every section in a single sitting.
5. The Home Edition is widely accepted. Imperial, LSE, Edinburgh, Illinois, Toronto, UBC and Harvard GSAS accept it explicitly. It is not accepted for Australian visas; see TOEFL Home Edition.
Good TOEFL score for US universities and the Ivy League
For US graduate schools, 5 is the safe target for the most selective programmes: it is Harvard GSAS’s minimum and MIT’s recommended score. 4.5 meets Stanford’s floor and many large public universities. For undergraduate admission, the University of California set a systemwide minimum of 4.5 in 2026 (see the score chart); highly selective colleges often recommend more. If a page lists only 0–120 numbers, ETS says admissions offices compare them with the 0–120 total on your score report.
How to set your target
- List your programmes and copy the overall and section minimums from each official page, on the new scale.
- Take the highest overall and the highest number for each section across the list. That is your target profile, for example 5 overall with Speaking 4.5.
- Add half a band of margin for the section you are least sure of.
- Take a full mock test and compare. Nomto’s adaptive mock tests report a 1–6 band for each section, the overall and the 0–120 total; speaking and writing are scored by AI on the official rubrics and marked as an estimate.
- If the gap is half a band, follow the 4-week plan in how to prepare for TOEFL; if it is a full band, the 8-week one.
Common questions
Is 100 a good TOEFL score? Yes. It sits in band 5 (95–106), which meets the minimum at most universities above and MIT’s recommendation. On the new scale, aim for 5 or more.
Is 4.5 a good TOEFL score? It is enough for Stanford, Toronto, UBC, McGill and Imperial’s standard level, as long as your section scores also meet their minimums.
What is the highest TOEFL score? 6 overall, comparable to 114–120.
Is 80 enough? 80 falls in band 4 (72–85). Some universities offer limited or conditional admission at 4 (Illinois’ limited status, for example), but most of the twelve above require 4.5 or more.
How long is a score valid? Two years from the test date.
Sources (all checked 30.10.2026)
- Harvard GSAS: English proficiency: 5 overall (95 before 21 Jan 2026), Speaking 4.5; home version accepted; each test reported separately.
- MIT: TOEFL iBT: “competitive score” of 100 or 5; departments set minimums; MyBest not accepted.
- Stanford: Test scores: 4.5 / 90; 5.5 / 109 for the placement-test exemption; MyBest accepted.
- Illinois: International applicants: 5.0 / 103 full status, 4.0 / 79 limited, Speaking 5.0 / 24 for TAs.
- Purdue: Graduate English requirements: 5 overall with R4.5 L5 S4 W4.5; 100 with 22 each; Speaking 5.5 for TAs.
- Imperial: English language requirements: standard 4.5 (4.5 each), higher 5.0 (5.0 each); “ETS at Home accepted”; MyBest not considered.
- LSE: Graduate English language requirements: 5.5 at levels A–D with section minimums; Home Edition included.
- Edinburgh: English language requirements and Finance and Investment MSc: 5.0 with 4.0 each; Home Edition included; single test.
- Cambridge: Offer conditions guide 2026–27: TOEFL iBT “if taken on or before 21 January 2026”; later tests may be referred to the Language Centre.
- Toronto: English language proficiency testing: 4.5, Writing 4.5, Speaking 4.0; 93 with 22/22; MyBest not accepted.
- UBC: Graduate English requirements FAQ: 4.5 with L5 R4.5 W4.5 S4; 90; Home Edition accepted; same sitting.
- McGill: English proficiency: 4.5 with R4.5 L4.5 W4.5 S4.0; 86; MyBest not accepted.
- ETS: score bands and CEFR levels from the TOEFL iBT score scale (see the score chart).
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