Guide · Score requirements · 4 min read
The English score you actually need, country by country, in 2026.
Three different numbers decide your English: the visa's minimum, your university's entry score, and the sub-scores it sets for each skill. The university's is almost always higher, and the sub-scores catch more students than the overall. For a master's in 2026, most programmes on our shortlists asked for IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, or the PTE or TOEFL equivalent. Australia's visa minimum is IELTS 6.0; the UK leaves degree-level English to your university.
The short version
- Your target is the highest of three numbers: the visa minimum, the university's overall score and its sub-scores for each skill.
- Typical master's entry on our 2026 shortlists: IELTS 6.5, no band below 6.0, PTE about 58 to 65, TOEFL 79 to 90.
- Australia's visa: IELTS Academic 6.0, PTE 47, TOEFL 67 (tests from 7 August 2025). UK degree level: the university confirms B2 on your CAS.
- Nursing in Australia (tests from 23 April 2026): IELTS 7 in listening, reading and speaking, 6.5 in writing.
- Scores are usually valid for 2 years. Book so the result arrives before your deadline, with time for one retake.
Three numbers, one target
| Number | Who sets it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Visa minimum | The government | Australia: IELTS Academic 6.0 |
| University overall | Each programme | Master’s in Sydney: 6.5 |
| University sub-scores | Each programme | No band below 6.0 |
Your target is whichever is highest, for every skill. Most students we meet know the overall and miss the sub-scores.
Country by country, master’s level
What the programmes on our 2026 shortlists asked for most often. Some ask for more, a few for less.
| Country | Visa rule | Typical IELTS | Typical PTE | Typical TOEFL iBT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 6.0 (PTE 47, TOEFL 67) | 6.5, no band below 6.0 | 58 to 65 | 79 to 90 |
| United Kingdom | University confirms B2 on the CAS | 6.5, no band below 6.0 (5.5 at some) | 58 to 64 | 80 to 92 |
| Germany | University’s rule | 6.5 | Where accepted, 58 to 65 | 80 to 90 |
| Finland | University’s rule | 6.5 (6.0 at some) | 58 to 62 | 79 to 92 |
| Sweden | University’s rule (“English 6”) | 6.5, no band below 5.5 | 62 | 90, writing 20 |
| Denmark | University’s rule | 6.5 to 7.0 | 58 to 65 | 83 to 100 |
| Norway | University’s rule | 6.5 | 58 to 62 | 90 |
| Netherlands | University’s rule | 6.5, no band below 6.0 | 58 to 65 | 90 |
| Belgium | University’s rule | 6.5 | Where accepted, 58 to 62 | 79 to 90 |
| Cyprus | University’s rule | 5.5 to 6.0, or its own test | Some accept | Some accept |
For a bachelor’s, take half a band off as a rough guide: usually IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.5. TOEFL scores here are on the 0 to 120 scale, which is still reported until January 2028.
Australia: the visa floor
| Situation | IELTS Academic | PTE Academic | TOEFL iBT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main course only | 6.0 | 47 | 67 |
| With a packaged English course (ELICOS) first | Lower; the minimum depends on the package | Lower | Lower |
Tests taken from 7 August 2025, at a test centre, within 2 years of applying. Tests taken on or before 6 August 2025 are assessed on the older scores. An English course before your degree means a longer, dearer visa and stricter Genuine Student reading, so we only suggest it when the gap is too big to close in a class.
UK: the university decides
At degree level, a UK university can assess your English itself and confirm it meets B2 on your CAS. That’s why some accept PTE, TOEFL, their own test or, for some programmes, a medium-of-instruction letter. Below degree level, such as a foundation year, the visa needs a Secure English Language Test (SELT): IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI, and others on the Home Office list. Read what your CAS will say before your interview. A credibility interviewer can still refuse you if your spoken English doesn’t match your paperwork.
Nursing: the strictest number in this guide
| Test (from 23 April 2026) | Australia’s nursing board asks for |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 7 in listening, reading and speaking; 6.5 in writing |
| PTE Academic | 63 overall, with set section minimums (listening 58, reading 59, writing 60, speaking 76) |
| OET, TOEFL | Set scores on the board’s page |
This is for registration, not for the visa or the university. A nursing master’s may admit you at 6.5 overall, but you can’t register to work as a nurse until you meet this. Plan for it before you go, not after.
The sub-band rule, in practice
| Your result | Programme asks for 6.5, no band below 6.0 |
|---|---|
| Overall 7.0; L 7.5, R 7.5, W 5.5, S 7.0 | Doesn’t meet it: writing is below 6.0 |
| Overall 6.5; L 6.5, R 6.5, W 6.0, S 6.5 | Meets it |
| Overall 6.0; all bands 6.0 | Doesn’t meet it: overall below 6.5 |
From our files. Binod Shahi from Kailali had an overall 6.0 three times, with writing stuck at 5.5. His UK master’s asked for 6.5 with no band below 6.0, so his overall alone would never have been enough. Manisha found the problem: he was answering a different question than the one asked. After 18 marked task 2 essays in 6 weeks he scored 7.0, writing 6.5, and started his MSc in Manchester.
Before you book a test
- Copy the English rule, word for word, from every programme on your shortlist.
- Write down the highest overall and the highest sub-score for each skill. That’s your target.
- Check whether the programme names one test only, or one version (Academic, UKVI).
- Check the deadline the score must reach the university by.
- Leave time for one retake. Scores rarely arrive exactly when you hoped.
Our view
Aim for the target with half a band to spare in your weakest skill. The students who miss a deadline are almost always the ones who met the overall and forgot the writing band. Our free level test tells you your four bands in one sitting, so you know which skill to spend the weeks on.
