Neither test has a real preference problem anymore. Virtually every US and European university that requires English proficiency accepts both IELTS and TOEFL, and admissions offices generally don’t score one higher than the other. The real decision comes down to your own strengths, the specific country you’re applying to, and a few quirks in how each test is scored.
That said, “they’re both accepted” isn’t the whole story. Some countries lean noticeably toward one test in practice, some visa processes are built around a specific exam, and the two tests reward different skills. If you’re weak on one format and strong on the other, that difference can be worth several points on your final score. Let’s get into where it actually matters.
Do US and European universities actually prefer one test over the other?
No major university in the US or Europe officially states a preference for IELTS over TOEFL or vice versa. Both are recognized by organizations like ETS (which owns TOEFL) and the British Council/IDP (which co-own IELTS), and both map onto the same general framework of English competence that admissions committees use.
In the US, TOEFL has historically had a slight home-field advantage simply because it was built by an American company (ETS) and has been the default choice for decades. Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and pretty much every Ivy League school list both tests side by side on their admissions pages with identical minimum score requirements. Columbia, for instance, asks for a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 100 or an IELTS score of 7.0 — treated as equivalent, not as a hierarchy.
In the UK and much of continental Europe, IELTS tends to dominate simply because it’s more widely available and was originally co-developed with British institutions in mind. UK universities under the Home Office’s student visa system needed IELTS for Secure English Language Testing (SELT) purposes for years, though that requirement has loosened. Universities like Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College London accept both tests but list IELTS first on most of their pages — a small signal of familiarity, not a rule.
So the honest answer is: check the specific program you’re applying to. A computer science master’s at TU Munich and an MBA at London Business School might have completely different tolerances, even within the same country.
IELTS vs TOEFL: what’s actually different
The tests measure the same four skills — reading, writing, listening, speaking — but the format and feel are different enough that most people naturally perform better on one than the other.
| Feature | IELTS | TOEFL iBT |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Paper-based or computer-delivered | Fully computer-based (internet-delivered) |
| Speaking test | Face-to-face with a live examiner | Recorded responses spoken into a microphone |
| Scoring scale | Band score 0–9 | Total score 0–120 |
| Test length | Around 2 hours 45 minutes | Around 2 hours |
| Accent exposure | British, Australian, American, Canadian | Mostly North American accents |
| Result availability | 3–13 days (13 for paper-based) | 4–8 days |
| Cost (approx., varies by country) | $215–$255 | $185–$255 |
The speaking section is where people feel the biggest difference. IELTS puts you in a room with an actual examiner who asks follow-up questions and reacts to what you say, which rewards people who think well on their feet in conversation. TOEFL has you talk into a microphone in a booth, with no back-and-forth, which some people find less nerve-wracking and others find eerily robotic.
Listening is another split. IELTS uses a mix of British, Australian, and North American accents, and the audio often involves everyday scenarios like renting an apartment or planning a campus tour. TOEFL leans more academic — lectures, seminar discussions — and mostly sticks to American-accented speakers.
Which test is easier depends on you, not the exam
There’s no universal answer to “which one is easier” because the two tests reward different mental habits. A person who’s spent years watching American YouTube and using US textbooks will likely find TOEFL’s format and accent more comfortable. Someone with more exposure to British or Australian English, or who prefers a conversational speaking format, often does better on IELTS.
Reading and writing show real structural differences too. TOEFL’s reading passages are long and academic, closer to what you’d encounter in an actual US university textbook, and questions are multiple choice. IELTS reading includes more varied formats: matching headings, true/false/not-given questions, sentence completion — which trips up some test-takers who aren’t used to that style of question, regardless of their actual English level.
TOEFL also integrates skills more aggressively. You might read a passage, then listen to a lecture on the same topic, then write or speak a response combining both. That “integrated tasks” design tests your ability to synthesize information quickly, which is a specific skill separate from raw English fluency. IELTS keeps its four sections more separate and self-contained.
If you’re deciding between the two and have no strong preference yet, take one free practice test from each — ETS and IDP both offer sample tests online — and see which format feels more natural after 20 minutes. That’s a better predictor than anything else.
How country-specific requirements change the calculation
Beyond the university itself, immigration rules can force your hand. If you’re applying to the UK on a Student visa and your course isn’t at degree level or above, you may specifically need an IELTS for UKVI test — a version administered under UK Visas and Immigration oversight, not the standard academic IELTS. TOEFL currently isn’t accepted for UK visa purposes in most cases, even though many UK universities accept it for admission itself.
Germany, the Netherlands, and France generally treat both tests equally for university admission, but double-check because some German TU9 technical universities (like RWTH Aachen) publish minimum score tables only for TOEFL and IELTS, without stating a preference, while a few smaller programs list only one test by name — usually because that’s what the international office historically processed, not because of a policy decision.
In the US, the visa side (F-1 student visa) doesn’t require either test — it’s purely an admissions requirement set by the university, not the State Department. That’s different from the UK model, where the visa office itself sometimes dictates the test.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what to check before committing to one test:
- University admissions page: Look for the specific minimum score for each test — not just “English proficiency required.” Some schools set genuinely different bars, like requiring TOEFL 90 but IELTS 6.5, which aren’t perfectly equivalent on conversion charts.
- Visa requirements for your destination: UK Student visas sometimes require SELT-approved IELTS specifically. Check the UK government’s official SELT provider list before booking.
- Program type: Some professional programs (nursing, teaching credentials, certain law programs) require specific tests tied to licensing bodies, separate from university admission requirements.
- Test center availability: If you live somewhere with limited testing infrastructure, availability might decide for you — TOEFL is fully online and often has more frequent test dates in smaller cities.
Score conversion: comparing IELTS and TOEFL numbers
Universities and ETS itself publish rough conversion tables, but treat these as approximate, not exact, since the tests measure skills differently.
| IELTS band score | Approximate TOEFL iBT score |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 118–120 |
| 8.0 | 110–114 |
| 7.0 | 94–101 |
| 6.5 | 79–93 |
| 6.0 | 60–78 |
| 5.5 | 46–59 |
Most competitive US master’s programs ask for a TOEFL score around 90–100 or an IELTS score of 6.5–7.0. Top-tier programs, particularly at schools like Stanford GSB or MIT Sloan, push that to TOEFL 100+ or IELTS 7.5. European programs, especially at research universities, often set the bar slightly lower, in the TOEFL 80–90 or IELTS 6.0–6.5 range, unless the program is taught partly in the local language and English fluency is a secondary requirement.
Conclusion
Pick TOEFL if you’re more comfortable with American English, prefer speaking into a microphone rather than facing a live examiner, and you’re applying mostly to US programs. Pick IELTS if you’ve had more exposure to British or Australian English, do better in live conversation, or you’re applying to the UK and need to meet a visa-specific testing requirement. Beyond that, check your target university’s exact score threshold for both tests before you register, because the numbers aren’t always perfectly interchangeable, and a school might quietly expect more from one test than the other.
Frequently asked questions
Can I submit both IELTS and TOEFL scores to the same university?
Yes, but you don’t need to. Universities accept either test on its own, so submitting both doesn’t improve your application — it just adds an unnecessary cost. Pick the test you scored higher on, or the one you’re more confident about before you even test, and submit that.
Is TOEFL harder than IELTS for non-native speakers?
Neither test is inherently harder; difficulty depends on your background. TOEFL’s academic reading passages and integrated tasks (combining reading, listening, and writing) challenge people who aren’t used to synthesizing information quickly. IELTS’s varied question formats, like matching headings or true/false/not-given, trip up people unfamiliar with that specific style, even with strong English skills.
How long are IELTS and TOEFL scores valid for university applications?
Both IELTS and TOEFL scores are valid for two years from your test date. Most universities require the test to have been taken within that two-year window at the time of application submission, not at the time you enroll.
Do Ivy League schools require a specific test between IELTS and TOEFL?
No. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and the rest of the Ivy League accept both tests and list equivalent minimum scores for each, typically around TOEFL 100 and IELTS 7.0 for undergraduate admission. Some graduate programs within these universities set slightly different thresholds depending on the department.
Why do UK universities sometimes require IELTS for UKVI specifically?
The UK government requires IELTS for UKVI (a version administered under UK Visas and Immigration oversight) for certain Student visa categories, mainly courses below full degree level. This is a visa requirement set by the Home Office, separate from whatever English test the university itself accepts for admission purposes.
Which test is cheaper, IELTS or TOEFL?
Costs vary significantly by country, but TOEFL is often slightly cheaper, typically ranging from $185 to $255 depending on location, compared to IELTS at roughly $215 to $255. Check the official pricing for your specific test center, since fees differ by country and sometimes by city.