Quick answer: Duke publishes these English requirements on its official pages (checked October 27, 2026). Undergraduate admission: recommended 100 on the old scale. The Graduate School (general minimum): recommended band 5.0 or 90 on the old scale. Daytime MBA: TOEFL not accepted. Where a page states only an old 0 to 120 score, we show "Not stated" for the new band rather than converting it ourselves.
TOEFL requirements at Duke, program by program
| Program | Old scale (0 to 120) | New scale (1 to 6) | Section minimums | IELTS | MyBest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate admission | 100 (recommended) | Not stated | None stated | 7.0 | Not stated | Official page |
| The Graduate School (general minimum) | 90 (recommended) | 5.0 (recommended) | None stated | 7.0 | Not stated | Official page |
| Daytime MBA | Not accepted | Not required | None stated | Not stated | Not stated | Official page |
Checked on each official page on October 27, 2026. Old scale: TOEFL iBT tests taken before January 21, 2026. New scale: tests taken from that date.
Undergraduate admission
“If you are a non-native English speaker or if you are not currently studying in an English-medium curriculum, we recommend but do not require that you take an English proficiency test. ... TOEFL (including the TOEFL Home Edition) Minimum scores expected: 100 on the internet-based TOEFL 75 on the revised TOEFL paper-delivered test”
Recommended, not required. 100 is the score Duke says it expects on the 0-120 scale; no 1-6 band score is published. Duke uses your highest score and has no preference among tests.
The Graduate School (general minimum)
“The Graduate School generally seeks scores no less than: 90 for an Internet-based TOEFL* 7.0 for the IELTS Academic 125 for the Duolingo English Test ... * For exams taken before January 21, 2026, we generally seek scores no less than a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 90. For exams taken on or after January 21, 2026, we generally seek scores no less than a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 5.”
Worded as 'generally seeks scores no less than'; Duke notes admitted students average above these levels. Required if your first language is not English, unless the two-year English-medium study waiver applies. Institution code 5156.
Daytime MBA
“Fuqua does not accept ESL test scores. We will use other aspects of your application to assess language proficiency.”
TOEFL and other ESL scores are not accepted; English is assessed through the rest of the application. The exception is the MBA/MEM dual degree, where ESL scores are required for the MEM application.
What else Duke says about English tests
- Duke undergraduate admission recommends but does not require an English test; it accepts the TOEFL Home Edition, uses your highest score and has no preference among tests. (source)
- Duke undergraduate expected minimums for other tests: Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 180, Duolingo 130, IELTS 7 and PTE Academic 70. (source)
- Send TOEFL scores to the Duke University Graduate School with institution code 5156; any department code works. (source)
- Duke Graduate School scores must be dated no earlier than August 1 two years before the application year (for Fall 2027, August 1, 2024 or later). (source)
- Duke Graduate School waiver: two or more years of full-time study at a college or university where the sole language of instruction is English, in a country where English is the primary spoken language. (source)
- Fuqua's Daytime MBA does not accept TOEFL or other ESL scores, except for the MEM part of the MBA/MEM dual degree. (source)
How the new 1 to 6 scale applies to Duke
Since January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT scores are reported in bands from 1 to 6. Each band covers a range of old scores, so the same old minimum can sit anywhere inside a band.
- For Undergraduate admission, Duke asks for 100 on the old scale. On the ETS comparison, 100 falls in band 5.0 (which starts at 95; CEFR C1). The page we checked does not state its own band, so confirm with the admissions office before relying on a new-scale score.
- For The Graduate School (general minimum), Duke asks for 90 on the old scale. On the ETS comparison, 90 falls in band 4.5 (which starts at 86; CEFR B2). Duke itself publishes band 5.0, half a band or more above that, so plan for 5.0.
| Band | Old score (from) | CEFR |
|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 114 and above | C2 |
| 5.5 | 107 and above | C1 |
| 5.0 | 95 and above | C1 |
| 4.5 | 86 and above | B2 |
| 4.0 | 72 and above | B2 |
| 3.5 | 58 and above | B1 |
Source: ETS score scale update. This is the ETS comparison, not a university requirement. Convert your own scores with our TOEFL score converter.
What score should you aim for?
Our advice (not an official Duke rule): treat the published number as a floor. Aim half a band above the minimum for your program, so for a band 5.0 requirement plan for 5.5 on your practice tests, so one weaker section on test day does not take your overall score under the line. Check section minimums too: an overall band can hide a low Speaking or Writing score.
Duke compared with similar universities
| University | Program | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| MIT | Undergraduate (first-year) admissions | band 5.0 or 90 on the old scale |
| Yale | Yale College (undergraduate) | recommended band 5.0 or 100 on the old scale |
| Cornell | Undergraduate admissions | band 5.0 or 100 on the old scale |
| Penn | Undergraduate admissions | recommended band 5.0 or 100 on the old scale |
| UC Berkeley | Undergraduate admission (international) | band 4.5 or 90 on the old scale |
All universities: TOEFL requirements by university.
Prefer a teacher? Epic Exam Prep, the team behind PrepDrills, has taught TOEFL courses since 2010, one to one or in small groups.
By Jaclyn Caruana, MBA, co-founder of Epic Exam Prep. Requirements change: always confirm on the official pages linked above before you apply.