Columbia University is an Ivy League research university in New York City with one of the most comprehensive ranges of professional schools of any US university — covering Law, Business, Medicine, Journalism, Social Work, International Affairs, and Engineering alongside a full arts and sciences graduate school.
Does Columbia Accept TOEFL?
Yes. Columbia University accepts TOEFL iBT across most of its graduate and professional schools. IELTS Academic is also accepted at most schools.
TOEFL MyBest Scores: Columbia schools individually set MyBest policies — most do not accept superscored results. Confirm with the specific school before relying on MyBest.
Columbia TOEFL Requirements by School
Columbia College / Engineering (Undergraduate)
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Formal TOEFL minimum | None stated |
| Competitive score | 110–120 |
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS)
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | 100 iBT |
| Per-section minimum | Writing 20, Speaking 20 (most departments) |
| Competitive score | 107–120 |
Columbia Business School (CBS) — MBA
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | No formal minimum |
| Typical admitted score | 109–120 |
| Notes | Waiver available for qualifying applicants |
Columbia Law School
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| JD minimum | No formal minimum |
| LLM minimum | 100 iBT |
| Competitive score | 107–120 |
| Notes | Writing section weighted most heavily |
Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (Medicine)
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| MD minimum | No formal minimum |
| Graduate programmes (MS, PhD) | 100 iBT |
| Competitive score | 107–120 |
School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | 100 iBT |
| Per-section minimum | Writing 22, Speaking 22 |
| Competitive score | 107–120 |
| Programmes | MIA, MPA, EMPA, PhD |
Mailman School of Public Health
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | 100 iBT |
| Competitive score | 100–115 |
School of Engineering and Applied Science (Graduate)
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | 100 iBT |
| Competitive score | 100–115 |
| Programmes | MS/PhD CS, EE, Biomedical Engineering |
Columbia Journalism School
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | 100 iBT |
| Per-section minimum | Writing 24+ expected |
| Competitive score | 107–120 |
Columbia Journalism is one of the world's most prestigious journalism schools. A strong Writing section score is especially important — competitive admits typically score Writing 24–30.
Teachers College (TC)
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum TOEFL | 100 iBT |
| Competitive score | 100–115 |
Columbia TOEFL — Summary Table
| School | Min TOEFL | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | None | 110–120 |
| GSAS (Graduate Arts & Sciences) | 100 | 107–120 |
| Columbia Business School (MBA) | None | 109–120 |
| Columbia Law (LLM) | 100 | 107–120 |
| Vagelos Medicine (Graduate) | 100 | 107–120 |
| SIPA (MIA/MPA) | 100 | 107–120 |
| Mailman Public Health | 100 | 100–115 |
| Engineering | 100 | 100–115 |
| Journalism School | 100 | 107–120 |
TOEFL Per-Section Strategy for Columbia
Writing (target 24–30)
Columbia Journalism's Writing requirement is the highest practical bar — competitive admits score Writing 24–30. All Columbia graduate programmes are writing-intensive.
Target: Writing 24+ for all graduate programmes; 26+ for Journalism, Law, and SIPA.
Speaking (target 24–30)
SIPA requires Speaking 22 as a per-section minimum. CBS's case-based format and Law's Socratic method require strong verbal communication. Speaking 24+ is competitive.
Reading and Listening (target 25–30)
GSAS and SIPA specify per-section minimums. Scores below 22 in either would be a concern.
Score Validity at Columbia
TOEFL scores are valid for two years. Columbia's application deadlines vary by school — Business, Law, and SIPA often have early deadlines from October to January.
TOEFL vs. IELTS for Columbia
Columbia accepts both at most schools. CBS and Columbia Law accept IELTS; confirm for each school you are applying to.
Common Mistakes Columbia TOEFL Applicants Make
Applying to Journalism with Writing below 24. Columbia Journalism is a writing school — a low Writing section score is a direct signal about your capacity to write at the professional journalism level.
Not checking CBS's "no minimum" correctly. CBS evaluates language holistically — a 90 alongside strong essays still signals potential inadequacy in a case-discussion MBA environment.
Ignoring SIPA's per-section requirements. SIPA requires Writing 22 and Speaking 22 as per-section minimums. A 100 overall with Writing 18 falls below the requirement.
Start TOEFL preparation with Gabble — AI-powered speaking and writing feedback with instant scores. Know exactly where you stand against Columbia's 107+ competitive benchmark before you book your test.