International students can meet Iowa State's English proficiency requirement by achieving a satisfactory score on one of the following exams or by qualifying under one of the categories outlined below:
| Option | Minimum score or grade required | Iowa State code |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL | 71 IBT with a 17 or above on the Speaking and Writing sections or 4.0 with a minimum band of 3.5 on the 6.0 scale (starting 1/21/2026) | 6306 |
| IELTS | 6.0 overall score with all subscores 5.5 or above | IELTS doesn't use codes |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | The minimum Duolingo English proficiency score for applicants is 105. | DET doesn't use codes |
| PTE | 48 overall score | PTE doesn't use codes |
| SAT | 460 Evidence-based Writing and Reading subscore (EWR) | 6306 |
| ACT | 19 English subscore | 1320 |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | 5 on any of the IB English courses (SL or HL) | |
| Advanced Placement (AP) | 3 on English Language and Composition or 4 on English Literature and Composition | |
| IGCSE (O Levels/AS & A Levels) | D in First Language English or C in English as a second language |
Note: We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) or TOEFL MyBest scores.
International students meeting any of the following criteria will be considered to have fulfilled the requirement:
- Those residing in a country where English is the sole official language and who are native English speakers
- Graduates from U.S. high schools
- Completion of the equivalent of Iowa State’s English 1500 or 2500 with a grade of B or higher at an accredited U.S. two-year or four-year college or university.