International Students

We know that coming to a new country, new city and new school can be overwhelming, so we’ve prepared several resources to help you learn about your surroundings and get started at UT.

TOEFL and IELTS Testing

International students whose native language is not English must also submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Applicants should consult the graduate adviser for the program of interest to learn which test the program requires.

There is no institutional code for the IELTS examination. Test takers should have their official score sent to UT Austin at the following address:

A score of 550 (paper test), 213 (computer-based test), or 79 (internet-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is considered the minimum acceptable for admission to The University of Texas at Austin and the School of Information.

TOEFL or IELTS Exemptions

International applicants who are from a qualifying country (see list below) are exempt from this testing requirement. Additionally, applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or a qualifying country. The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master's—but not a bachelor's—degree from a similar institution.

• American Samoa
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Canada (except Quebec)
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Grand Cayman
• Guyana
• India
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Liberia
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• Trinidad/Tobago
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• United Kingdom
• U.S. Pacific Trust

Information concerning TOEFL schedules and test centers may be obtained from U.S. consulates or binational cultural centers in many countries or from the TOEFL web site.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is administered in more than 120 countries and is available off-site in additional countries. Information about IELTS test dates, locations, and procedures is published online.

The School reserves the right to require a re-administration of the TOEFL in Austin and/or to require an international student to take remedial work in English. The Graduate School offers courses in writing for graduate students for whom English is a second language. The School of Information often recommends that students who need further work with written English take these courses.

What you need to know to Maintain Your Immigration Status.

Please visit the UT iSchool's page on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for information on how to review and adhere to the Texas Global's CPT procedures.