University admissions guide
UAlberta English Language Requirements — IELTS, TOEFL & PTE
University of Alberta English language requirements for undergraduate and graduate admission. IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, and PTE Academic score targets with a free checker.
University of Alberta (Alberta) accepts IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Duolingo English Test for international applicants. Published planning baselines for UAlberta include Undergraduate: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall; minimum 6 per band; Published minimum for university-of-alberta; program-specific requirements may be higher.. Undergraduate: TOEFL iBT 90 total; min. 21 per section. Undergraduate: PTE Academic 61 overall; min. 60 per section. UAlberta is a research university in Alberta—professional faculties such as nursing, law, and engineering often publish higher minima than general admissions pages. Use the score table and checker below to compare your practice or official results against published undergraduate and graduate baselines before you book another test date.
Why score planning matters
Applicants often treat one overall score as enough for UAlberta, but published requirements frequently include per-skill minimums in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Graduate departments, co-op programs, and accredited faculties may require higher scores than the headline undergraduate minimum. Mapping your gap early helps you choose the right test variant and avoid an expensive retake during application season.
Admission score requirements
Undergraduate
IELTS Academic
6.5 overall
Min. 6 each band
Published minimum for university-of-alberta; program-specific requirements may be higher.
TOEFL iBT
90 total
Min. 21 per section
PTE Academic
61 overall
Min. 60 per skill
Duolingo
120 overall
No integrated subscore below 100.
Graduate
IELTS Academic
6.5 overall
Min. 6 each band
TOEFL iBT
90 total
Min. 21 per section
Tests on or after January 21, 2026 use 4.5 overall with 4.5 per skill.
PTE Academic
61 overall
Min. 60 per skill
Duolingo
120 overall
Programs emphasizing spoken English may require 140 with no subscore below 120.
Individual departments may require higher minimum scores.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming UAlberta uses one overall minimum for every faculty and program level.
- Submitting a test variant your program does not accept (for example IELTS General Training instead of Academic).
- Ignoring writing or speaking minimums when your overall score already looks sufficient.
- Booking Duolingo when your target faculty only lists IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE on the official page.
Your prep path
- Open the official admissions page and note which English tests and variants are accepted for your faculty.
- Compare undergraduate vs graduate minimums—graduate programs often publish higher thresholds.
- Check whether each band or section has a minimum, not only the overall score.
- Use the checker on this page with your latest practice or official results.
- If one section is below the published minimum, prioritize that skill before paying for another test date.
- Re-verify requirements before you submit—faculties can update thresholds between intakes.
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Check your scores
Enter your practice or official test scores to see whether you appear to meet common requirements.
UAlberta undergraduate — IELTS Academic
Scores appear below the requirement
Estimated overall: 0 (target 6.5). Improve: listening, reading, writing, speaking (min 6 each).
Practice IELTS AcademicFrequently asked questions
Which English tests does UAlberta accept?
University of Alberta lists IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Duolingo English Test for international applicants. Faculties may restrict variants—confirm on the official admissions page.
What scores do I need for UAlberta?
Published planning baselines for UAlberta include Undergraduate: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall; minimum 6 per band; Published minimum for university-of-alberta; program-specific requirements may be higher.. Undergraduate: TOEFL iBT 90 total; min. 21 per section. Undergraduate: PTE Academic 61 overall; min. 60 per section. Graduate departments and professional programs often publish higher thresholds than central admissions pages.
Do section or band minimums matter?
Yes. UAlberta often requires minimum listening, reading, writing, and speaking scores separately. One weak section can block admission even when your overall score looks sufficient.
Can I apply to UAlberta with conditional English?
Some programs offer conditional admission or pathway English, but this is not guaranteed. Verify your faculty's current policy rather than assuming a lower score will be accepted with extra coursework.
How should I prepare before retaking a test?
Use the checker on this page, identify the section furthest below the published minimum, and prioritize timed practice for that skill before booking another test date.
Planning reference only
Requirements change by program, faculty, and intake. Always confirm current rules with official immigration or admissions sources before applying.
Data version: university-admissions-2026-06-30-v3
Last verified: 2026-06-30