Do Canadian universities accept TOEFL iBT?

Yes, the great majority of Canadian universities accept TOEFL iBT for admission, typically alongside IELTS Academic. Minimum scores vary by institution and program level, so check the international admissions page of each specific school rather than assuming a single national standard applies.

What TOEFL score do I need for a Canadian master's degree?

Most Canadian graduate programs set a TOEFL total minimum somewhere between 90 and 100, with some competitive or professional programs asking for slightly more. Always verify the exact figure and any section-level minimums on the specific graduate program's admissions page before applying.

If I take TOEFL for university, will I need to retake an English test for immigration later?

Likely yes, if you eventually apply through Express Entry or a similar program. Since TOEFL is not accepted for those pathways, you would need to take IELTS General Training, CELPIP, or PTE Core separately when you become eligible to apply for permanent residence.

Does Canada's study permit require TOEFL specifically?

No, the study permit process itself does not mandate TOEFL. It requires proof of acceptance at a Designated Learning Institution, and that school sets its own English proficiency requirement, which may be TOEFL, IELTS, or another accepted test depending on the institution's policy. If permanent residence is even a possibility down the road, consider whether IELTS General Training or CELPIP might serve you better from the very start, since both of those are accepted for university admission and for Express Entry, which avoids paying for and studying toward two separate English tests over the course of your Canadian journey.

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TOEFL iBT Requirements

TOEFL Score for Canada

Q: Can I use TOEFL for Canadian permanent residence?

Generally no. Canada's main economic immigration pathways, including Express Entry and the Canadian Experience Class, require IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, or PTE Core. TOEFL is not on the approved list for these programs, even though it is widely accepted for university admission.

TOEFL iBT is widely accepted by Canadian universities for admission, but it generally cannot be used for Canadian immigration programs like Express Entry.

Quick answer

Canadian universities typically ask for a TOEFL total between 80 and 90 for undergraduate programs and 90 to 100 for graduate programs, though exact minimums vary by school and faculty. Importantly, TOEFL is generally not accepted for Canadian immigration pathways such as Express Entry, which require IELTS General Training, CELPIP, or PTE Core instead, so applicants pursuing both study and future immigration should plan carefully.

TOEFL Score Calculator Convert to IELTS

Typical TOEFL iBT requirements for Canada

Purpose	Typical TOEFL total	Notes
College diploma programs	70-80	Some accept lower for foundation-year entry
Undergraduate degree	80-90	Competitive faculties may ask for more
Master's degree	90-100	Professional programs often at the higher end
PhD / research program	90-100	Writing and Speaking often weighted heavily
Study permit (visa)	Set by school	IRCC does not mandate a fixed TOEFL number
Express Entry / immigration	Not accepted	Requires IELTS General Training, CELPIP, or PTE Core

Approximate; verify with each institution.

Canada has a large and well-established international student market, and most Canadian universities and colleges list TOEFL iBT as an accepted English proficiency test for admission, usually alongside IELTS Academic. Institutions across the country, from large research universities to smaller regional colleges, publish TOEFL minimums on their international admissions pages, and TOEFL scores are routinely used to support a student's application file for both undergraduate and graduate study. Where Canada differs sharply from many other study destinations is on the immigration side. If your longer-term plan includes applying for Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry or a provincial nominee program, TOEFL is not one of the designated language tests those programs recognize, which makes test choice a genuinely important planning decision rather than a minor detail. Students who arrive in Canada intending only to study and then return home are unaffected, but the number of international graduates who later decide to pursue permanent residence is significant enough that this caveat deserves attention before, not after, you register for a test.

TOEFL Acceptance in Canada

TOEFL iBT holds solid standing with Canadian university admissions offices because Canada's academic culture, like the US, leans on lecture-based instruction, seminar participation, and research writing, all of which TOEFL is designed to assess. Most Canadian universities accept TOEFL and IELTS interchangeably for admission purposes, and applicants can generally choose whichever test suits them better. The critical honest caveat is on the immigration side, not the study side. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada uses its own list of approved language tests for programs like Express Entry and Canadian Experience Class, and that list includes IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, and PTE Core, but not TOEFL. Students who only ever plan to study in Canada and return home afterward are unaffected by this, but anyone eyeing permanent residence later should factor it in early, since retaking a different test later adds cost and time. Some students choose to sit IELTS General Training or CELPIP from the outset even while applying to university with TOEFL, simply to keep every future pathway open without needing a second exam sitting down the line.

Common Use Cases

Undergraduate admission

TOEFL 80-90

Canadian universities commonly set undergraduate TOEFL minimums in the 80 to 90 range, with some competitive programs and faculties such as business or engineering asking for slightly higher totals. A handful of colleges accept scores as low as 70 to 75 for certain diploma or associate-level programs.

Graduate / Master's and PhD admission

TOEFL 90-100

Graduate programs typically expect a TOEFL total of 90 to 100, and some professional master's programs in business, law-adjacent, or communication-heavy fields ask for 100 or above. PhD programs sometimes place extra weight on the Writing and Speaking sections given the research and teaching responsibilities involved.

Study permit (visa) support

Set by school, not IRCC

Canada's study permit process does not itself mandate a specific TOEFL score; instead it requires proof of acceptance at a Designated Learning Institution, and that institution sets its own language requirement. Meeting your school's TOEFL minimum is what actually matters for both admission and the supporting visa documentation.

Immigration pathways (important caveat)

Not applicable, IELTS/CELPIP/PTE required

TOEFL is generally not accepted for Canadian permanent residence programs like Express Entry or the Canadian Experience Class. Those pathways require IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, or PTE Core instead, so students planning to stay in Canada long term after graduation should budget for a second, immigration-eligible test.

Score requirements vary by program and institution. Always verify current requirements directly with the institution before booking your test.

How to Plan Your Preparation

Decide early whether your plan is study-only or study-plus-immigration, since this single decision determines whether TOEFL alone is sufficient or whether you will eventually need IELTS, CELPIP, or PTE Core as well.

Check each Canadian school's published TOEFL minimum directly, since requirements differ noticeably between undergraduate and graduate programs and between faculties within the same university.

If immigration is part of your long-term plan, consider taking IELTS General Training or CELPIP alongside or instead of TOEFL from the start, so you avoid preparing for and paying for two different tests later.

Practice TOEFL's integrated tasks thoroughly, since Canadian academic culture, like the US, expects strong lecture comprehension and the ability to synthesize reading and listening material into coherent spoken and written responses.

Confirm your study permit institution is a Designated Learning Institution and check its specific documentation checklist, keeping your TOEFL score report organized alongside your acceptance letter and financial documents, since visa officers may ask to see the full application file together rather than any single document in isolation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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TOEFL Scores for Other Countries

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the USA

TOEFL iBT is the traditional home-turf English test for US university admission, and most American schools still list it alongside IELTS as an accepted option.

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the UK

Many UK universities accept TOEFL iBT for direct admission, but student visa routes often require a specific UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test instead.

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Australia

TOEFL iBT is accepted by Australian universities for admission and by the Department of Home Affairs as English evidence for the student visa.

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Germany

TOEFL iBT is widely accepted for English-taught bachelor's and master's programs at German universities, most of which charge little to no tuition.