TOEFL & IELTS

To be eligible for graduate study at Stanford, you must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in spoken and written English.

If you meet one or more of the following criteria, you are not required to submit English proficiency test scores at the time of application. You may be required to submit supporting documentation as a condition of admission.

• You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Your first language is English.
• You earned a U.S. bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, or international equivalent from a university where all instruction was conducted in English.
• You have two or more consecutive years of professional or educational experience in English, in the past 10 years.

If you do not meet any of the criteria listed above, you are required to submit at the time of the application an official test score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT) or the International English Language Testing System Academic Test (IELTS Academic) that meets the university’s minimum score for admission consideration.

Minimum Score Requirements for English Proficiency

Stanford considers English proficiency test scores to be valid for two years. See below for the earliest test date Stanford considers TOEFL/IELTS scores to be valid.

Please note: If you are admitted to Stanford and accept the admissions offer, you will be required to take the Stanford English Placement Test if you earned a score below 109 on the TOEFL or below 8 on the IELTS at the time of application. The test is administered shortly before the first quarter of graduate study and determines whether a student is required or recommended to take English language courses at Stanford. These courses are designed to support students’ success in their graduate programs.

Reporting English Proficiency Scores

TOEFL Scores

We accept MyBest scores, which combine your highest section scores from all test dates within the last two years. All TOEFL scores we receive, including MyBest scores, will be made available to the admission committee. The admission committee may decide how they wish to evaluate the scores provided.

Self-Reported TOEFL Scores

You may use either of the following methods to self-report your MyBest scores on the application:

1. List all TOEFL tests you took within the past two years where you earned a section score that is included in your MyBest scores.- or -
2. List a single TOEFL entry with your MyBest scores. For the test date, enter the “as of” date listed on your most recent score report.

Any scores you self-report on the application are considered unofficial but sufficient for the initial review process.

Official TOEFL Scores

If you are submitting TOEFL scores, you must report your official scores directly to Stanford from ETS. Stanford’s ETS institutional code is 4704. If a department code is required, it does not matter which one you choose. As long as you select the institutional code of 4704, the scores are electronically delivered to Stanford.

When you arrange for your official TOEFL scores to be sent to Stanford, the report will include both your traditional scores from your selected test date and your MyBest scores. You do not need to have official scores from previous tests sent to Stanford as long as the most recent official score report includes the MyBest scores you wish to use.

IELTS Scores

All IELTS scores we receive will be made available to the admission committee. The admission committee may decide how they wish to evaluate the scores provided.

Self-Reported IELTS Scores

To self-report your IELTS scores, list all IELTS tests you took within the past two years that you wish to be considered by the admission committee. Do not enter “superscores” (a single entry that includes your highest section scores from multiple test dates). The application system will automatically display to the admission committee the highest score you earned in each section as well as all reported scores.

Any scores you self-report on the application are considered unofficial but sufficient for the initial review process.

Official IELTS Scores

If you are submitting IELTS scores to satisfy Stanford’s English proficiency test requirement, you must report your official scores directly to Stanford via the IELTS Results Service E-delivery option. Our organization’s account name is Stanford University - Graduate School of Business PhD Program. We do not accept test results via postal mail.