Quick answer: MIT publishes these English requirements on its official pages (checked October 27, 2026). Undergraduate (first-year) admissions: band 5.0 or 90 on the old scale. Graduate admissions (MIT GradAdmissions recommendation): recommended band 5.0 or 100 on the old scale. MBA: TOEFL not accepted.
TOEFL requirements at MIT, program by program
| Program | Old scale (0 to 120) | New scale (1 to 6) | Section minimums | IELTS | MyBest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate (first-year) admissions | 90 | 5.0 | None stated | 7 | Not stated | Official page |
| Graduate admissions (MIT GradAdmissions recommendation) | 100 (recommended) | 5.0 (recommended) | None stated | 7 | Not accepted | Official page |
| 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 (first-year) admissions
“We do have minimum and recommended scores for our English language tests. ... TOEFL (Taken before 1/21/26) Minimum: 90 Recommended: 100 ... Minimum: 5 Recommended: 5.5”
Minimum 90 (old scale) or 5 (tests on or after Jan 21, 2026); recommended 100 or 5.5. MIT strongly recommends, rather than requires, an English test if you have used English for fewer than five years or do not speak it at home or in school. IELTS minimum 7 (recommended 7.5).
Graduate admissions (MIT GradAdmissions recommendation)
“GradAdmissions recommends a competitive score of at least 100 (iBT) or 5 (iBT26), however each department has its own minimum score requirement for TOEFL. Department minimum score requirements supersede GradAdmissions recommended minimum score.”
100 (old scale) or 5 (new scale) is a recommended competitive score, not a hard cutoff; each department sets its own minimum, which takes precedence. TOEFL MyBest, Essentials and ITP are not accepted. IELTS: recommended minimum 7 (IELTS instructions page).
MBA
“Do I need a TOEFL/IELTS score to apply to the MBA Program? MIT Sloan does not accept TOEFL or IELTS scores. English language ability is assessed during the interview process.”
TOEFL is not accepted for the MBA; English is judged in the interview.
What else MIT says about English tests
- MIT undergraduate applicants self-report English test scores on the application; official reports are not required to apply and scores are verified upon enrollment. (source)
- MIT undergraduate minimums for other English tests: IELTS 7 (recommended 7.5), Duolingo English Test 120 (recommended 125), PTE Academic 65 (recommended 70), Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 185 (recommended 190). (source)
- MIT undergraduate admissions superscores: if you take the same test more than once, it primarily considers the highest score in each section. (source)
- MIT undergraduate testing deadlines: take required tests before November 30 for Early Action and before December 31 for Regular Action; English proficiency scores are accepted for Regular Action through the January test dates. (source)
- MIT graduate admissions TOEFL institution code is 3514 (MIT Sloan codes may differ). TOEFL MyBest, TOEFL Essentials and TOEFL ITP scores are not accepted. (source)
- MIT graduate admissions automatically exempts applicants whose primary language is English, or who within the last 5 years attended an English-speaking university for 3-4 years and earned an undergraduate degree there in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States. Requests for exemptions are not accepted; departments handle waivers. (source)
How the new 1 to 6 scale applies to MIT
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 (first-year) admissions, MIT asks for 90 on the old scale. On the ETS comparison, 90 falls in band 4.5 (which starts at 86; CEFR B2). MIT itself publishes band 5.0, half a band or more above that, so plan for 5.0.
- For Graduate admissions (MIT GradAdmissions recommendation), MIT asks for 100 on the old scale. On the ETS comparison, 100 falls in band 5.0 (which starts at 95; CEFR C1). MIT itself publishes band 5.0, which matches.
| 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 MIT 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.
MIT compared with similar universities
| University | Program | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| UCLA | Undergraduate admission | recommended band 5.0 or Above 100 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.