TOEFL iBT scores by school:
published requirements

What does each school publish for each application route?

For 28 schools, the table reproduces what each program’s admissions page says about the TOEFL iBT: a number when the school publishes one, along with its scale and time window; otherwise, “not published” or the rule as written. It adds no class averages, third-party figures, or scale conversions.

A recommended score is not a required minimum, and a threshold below which a school discourages applications (Harvard) is not a requirement. The schools are grouped into three tabs; the order is not a ranking.

Why is the same test score written as “100” or “5”?

Since January 21, 2026, ETS has reported TOEFL iBT scores on a 1–6 scale in half-point increments. The overall score is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half point. Each section is also scored from 1 to 6.

During the two-year transition period after January 2026, the score report also gives a comparable overall score on the 0–120 scale, representing, according to ETS, the midpoint of the corresponding total-score range. A school listing “100” is using the former scale; one listing “5” or “4.5” is using the new one. These are two scales, not a contradiction.

ETS publishes its own comparison table, shown here for the bands most often cited by schools. ETS says a band score of 5 corresponds to a total of 95 through 106; “+” marks the lowest total in a band. Another table in the ETS report links bands to the CEFR, with the same value for all four sections and the overall score.

Which score report does the school accept, and until when?

ETS says TOEFL iBT scores are valid for two years from the test date. Schools then set their own limits. ESSEC requires the test to be no more than two years old by the selected round’s deadline; London Business School requires it to be less than two years old at the August intake. Stanford says scores are valid for two years and the test must be taken before the round deadline; Chicago Booth says reports are valid for two years. For its 2027 AST 2, EDHEC counts only tests taken from January 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027; for fall 2027 entry, Berkeley Haas counts tests taken from June 1, 2025 onward.

The scale change adds transition rules that each school states differently. Stanford and Chicago Booth set thresholds based on test date. IESE says TOEFL iBT tests taken after January 2026 are still accepted and assessed on the existing 0–120 scale. For its Master of Finance, Cambridge Judge says candidates who meet its scores on a test taken after January 21, 2026, are directed to a Language Centre assessment. Its MPhil in Management page combines a section for tests taken by that date with a note suggesting an additional assessment for later tests. Review your program page when you register because these rules change.

Finally, check the score report itself. ETS says it shows scores from the selected test date and MyBest Scores, which combine your highest scores from the past two years. Stanford and the Berkeley Haas MFE page do not accept MyBest Scores. Stanford, EDHEC (MiM/MSc), Esade, LSE, Cambridge Judge (MPhil in Management and its currently linked MBA policy), Berkeley Haas (MFE), and ESSEC’s Rabat master’s programs say the Home Edition is accepted, subject to each program’s conditions. Silence on another page is not enough to draw a conclusion. Ask the school before choosing when and where to take the test.

What does “not published” mean?

“Not published” means that no numeric minimum was found on the listed pages for the specified programs; it does not mean the test does not matter. Harvard publishes a recommendation rather than a required minimum. INSEAD also publishes a recommended score, not a required minimum. No published minimum does not mean a waiver; requirements vary by program.

emlyon recommends CEFR level C1 for its Master in Management but does not give a score; St. Gallen’s policy for fall 2026 required an English test equivalent to C1 without naming a test or publishing a minimum. SKEMA says no minimum score is required. Harvard gives no minimum but discourages applications below 5 out of 6 or 109 out of 120. For its MBA, Columbia considers the GMAT or GRE Verbal score sufficient; its master’s programs require TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE with no minimum. Kellogg and Wharton list TOEFL without a minimum; Yale does not require it for its MBA; MIT Sloan does not accept TOEFL or IELTS for its three listed programs and assesses English during the interview.

Conversely, many schools waive the test. Stanford may grant a waiver after a degree taught entirely in English and may request an additional test. ESSEC may waive it after three years of higher education entirely in English for an international degree; KEDGE (direct application) after one year of study in English or work experience in an English-speaking country; IE (master’s programs) after two years of living and working in English, subject to the admissions committee’s approval; and Harvard after an undergraduate degree taught entirely in English or a qualifying graduate degree taught in English under its policy. Test waivers are covered in a separate article.

What should you check on your program’s page?

Rather than memorizing a school’s score, record exactly what your program’s page says.

• The exact program and application route: an AST admissions exam, an English-language master’s, and an MBA may have different rules at the same school.
• The score, its stated scale (0–120 or 1–6), and its status: required minimum, recommended minimum, or score below which the school discourages applications.
• The accepted test period: score validity, date window, or a specific rule for tests taken after January 21, 2026.
• Use “not published” if the page says nothing; do not fill the blank with a score found elsewhere.
• If your score report uses a different scale from the page, contact the school; it determines how your score is interpreted.