Colleges that waive TOEFL or IELTS

Many colleges let you skip an English test if, for example, you studied in English or come from a country where English is an official language. The exact conditions vary, so read each college's wording below.

Every college below is listed only because its own official admissions page says so. We quote the page and re-check it before each update. Requirements are for first-year undergraduate applicants; graduate programs differ.

Colleges (35)

• Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, AZ
  “If you qualify for an automatic exemption, no action is required.”General-requirement programs. Nursing, higher-requirement engineering and journalism programs set higher minimums; new-scale TOEFL also needs 3.5 in each section.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Bentley UniversityWaltham, MA
  “The English Language Proficiency exam requirement can be waived if you meet one of the following criteria”Bentley calls these 'preferred' overall scores, with required sub-score minimums (TOEFL 4.5 / 20, IELTS 6.5). Duolingo preferred overall is 120-130 with section minimums. Exams must be from the last two years.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Boston UniversityBoston, MA
  “The decision to waive the English proficiency requirement is at the discretion of the Board of Admissions”BU describes the scores of its most competitive applicants (TOEFL 90-100 with 20+ per section; Duolingo 125-135); an IELTS of 7 satisfies the requirement. Waivers are at the Board of Admissions' discretion.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• DePaul UniversityChicago, IL
  “We will waive the English proficiency exam requirement”No TOEFL subsection below 17 (or 3.5 on the 2026 scale). TOEFL Home Edition not accepted.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Emerson CollegeBoston, MA
  “complete the English Proficiency Waiver in your Admission Portal”TOEFL section minimums: 4 (2026 and beyond) or 20 (before 2026).
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
  “The Office of Admissions will waive the English language proficiency test requirement for applicants who have completed one of the following”Undergraduate column. Subsection minimums apply (TOEFL 18 / 4.0, IELTS 6.0); College of Engineering and Computing applicants have different subsection rules.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Hofstra UniversityHempstead, NY
  “English Proficiency Requirement waivers”
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, IL
  “Waivers for UG”Applicants below these scores may be offered conditional admission.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA
  “Graduation from an accredited high school in a native English-speaking country where the applicant has resided for at least four years.”IELTS: three sub-scores 6.5+ and one 6.0+. Duolingo: three sub-scores 100+ and Production above 95.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Marymount UniversityArlington, VA
  “The English language proficiency requirement is considered fulfilled if a student has completed one of the following”Marymount lists TOEFL iBT 'within the range of 79' and Duolingo 'within the range of 100-105' (no single Duolingo minimum).
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• New York UniversityNew York, NY
  “All of your schooling for the three full consecutive academic years prior to the current year were taught entirely in English”NYU has no minimum scores; the figures are what it says competitive applicants receive.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
  “you may be eligible for a waiver”Northeastern has no minimum scores; it publishes the middle 50% of admitted students, which are not cut-offs.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Pace UniversityNew York, NY
  “Students who do not qualify for one of the English Proficiency exam waivers listed below”
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Radford UniversityRadford, VA
  “Prior attendence at an institution in our list of waiver countries”Radford lists TOEFL 68 without naming the scale (68 exists only on the pre-2026 0-120 scale). IELTS requires at least 5.5 in Reading. Scores must be within the last two calendar years.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Roanoke CollegeSalem, VA
  “a written statement from a school official verifying that the medium of instruction was in English”Roanoke publishes recommended scores, not minimums.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA
  “Exemptions to the test requirement”Engineering majors need TOEFL 80 (or 4 on the 2026 scale) and IELTS 6.5.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• St. John's University-New YorkQueens, NY
  “are not required to submit a language proficiency test score”Minimums for direct admission; lower scores may qualify for ELITE or conditional admission.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY
  “Applicants from native English-speaking countries are exempt”
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Suffolk UniversityBoston, MA
  “you can waive the test of English proficiency requirement”Suffolk lists TOEFL iBT 79 without naming the scale. An SAT EBRW of 520+ or ACT 19+ also meets the requirement.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY
  “The English proficiency exam requirement may be waived in certain situations at the discretion of the Admissions Committee”Syracuse publishes preferred scores that vary by college. Shown: the lowest tier (Arts and Sciences, Engineering, iSchool and others). Whitman and Architecture prefer TOEFL 90+/5 and IELTS 7.0+; Newhouse prefers TOEFL 102+/5, IELTS 7.0+ and Duolingo 130+.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• The University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX
  “TOEFL Exempt Countries”
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Tufts UniversityMedford, MA
  “enrolled in an English instruction school for at least three years”Tufts has no minimums; the figures are what successful applicants generally have.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY
  “may be exempted from the requirement of submitting an English proficiency test score”
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of Illinois ChicagoChicago, IL
  “Exemptions to the English Proficiency Requirement”Duolingo is accepted only for Fall 2027 and later (115 in each section). IELTS sections at least 6. Some colleges set higher minimums.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
  “you may request an English language requirement waiver”UMW's checklist lists 'TOEFL 4 IBT' (the 1-6 scale).
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA
  “(This waiver is not automatic and at the discretion of the Director.)”First-year applicants. TOEFL subscores no lower than 20 (old scale) or 4 (new); IELTS no subscore below 6.0.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of Massachusetts-BostonBoston, MA
  “Students from the following countries are exempt from submitting English language proficiency test scores”Applicants below the minimum may be offered provisional admission (not for nursing, engineering or management).
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of Massachusetts-LowellLowell, MA
  “First-year applicants may waive the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam or Duolingo if their secondary institution provides written verification that the means of instruction is in English”UMass Lowell lists TOEFL 79 without stating a 1–6 scale equivalent.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of MemphisMemphis, TN
  “Citizenship from an English-speaking country AND your native language is English, or your language of instruction in high school or college was English.”The page states TOEFL as "61 Prior to 2026 / 4 after 2025".
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of New Hampshire-Main CampusDurham, NH
  “English proficiency waivers from an institution are considered on a case-by-case basis.”
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI
  “Such exemptions are determined on a case-by-case basis.”6-year Pharm.D. applicants need higher scores. URI lists only the 1–6 TOEFL scale minimum on this page.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA
  “We will also waive the English proficiency requirement if you have been enrolled in an academically rigorous, English-medium secondary school for at least 4 years”Richmond publishes competitive scores, not minimums; lower scores are still considered.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• University of RochesterRochester, NY
  “must submit English proficiency exam scores or request a waiver by their application deadline”Rochester lists recommended scores, not minimums; applicants below them are still encouraged to apply.
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA
  “Applicants may be exempt from English proficiency tests if they meet any of the following criteria”
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare
• Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MA
  “Citizens of an English speaking country who attended an English speaking high school for four years may be exempt”WPI publishes recommended scores, not hard minimums (TOEFL sub-scores 20+, IELTS bands 6.5+).
  Official page · checked 2026-10-23 · Compare

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