In addition to completing the prescribed graduate admissions process, international students applying to The University of Texas at Austin must submit either an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score report demonstrating an adequate knowledge of English. The Institutional TOEFL (ITP) and the IELTS General Training are not accepted.
Consult the website of your program of interest to determine which test is preferred.
Exemptions
International applicants who are from a qualifying country are exempt from this 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.
Minimum Scores
Minimum score requirements may vary depending upon your major and other considerations such as employment as a teaching assistant. The minimum scores considered acceptable for admission by the Graduate School are:
- TOEFL: 79 on the Internet-based test (iBT)
- IELTS: An overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination
Submitting Scores
Scores must be sent to the university by the testing agency (self-reported scores are not accepted). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) institution code for UT Austin is 6882. There is no institutional code for the IELTS examination. To fulfill the requirement with scores from the IELTS, please use the IELTS electronic score delivery service to send your scores to the “University of Texas at Austin” account.
Agents
The University of Texas at Austin does not use third party agents or agencies in the recruitment of international students for admission at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Title IV of the US Higher Education Act expressly prohibits the use of commission-based recruitment for students from the USA. While international students are exempted from this provision as they are not eligible for federal assistance, the Graduate and International Admissions Center believes this practice should extend to international recruitment as well. The Graduate and International Admissions Center will not enter into any contractual arrangements with third party recruiters in the international admissions process. Furthermore, the Graduate and International Admissions Center will not enter into discussions with third party recruiters retained by applicants or their families. The Graduate and International Admissions Center will deal directly with applicants and their families only in the admissions process. In this statement, we refer only to third party recruiters and not to admissions consultants that seek to educate overseas applicants and their families on the US higher education application process.