New York University (NYU) is a global research university with campuses in New York City, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai. NYU's diverse professional school portfolio — Stern Business, Law, Tisch Arts, Tandon Engineering, Grossman Medicine, and Wagner Policy — makes TOEFL requirements vary significantly across its colleges.
Does NYU Accept TOEFL?
Yes. NYU accepts TOEFL iBT across its schools and programmes. IELTS Academic is also accepted at most schools.
TOEFL MyBest Scores: NYU's policy on MyBest varies by school — most schools do not accept superscored results. Check the specific school's admissions page.
NYU TOEFL Requirements — Undergraduate
| College | Min TOEFL | Min Per-Section | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Arts and Science (CAS) | 100 | Writing 25, Speaking 22 | 107–120 |
| Stern School of Business (undergraduate) | 100 | Writing 25, Speaking 22 | 107–120 |
| Tisch School of the Arts | 90 | No formal floor | 100–115 |
| Steinhardt School | 90 | No formal floor | 100–115 |
| Tandon School of Engineering | 90 | No formal floor | 100–115 |
| Gallatin School | 100 | Writing 25 | 104–115 |
NYU TOEFL Requirements — Graduate
NYU Stern School of Business (Graduate)
| Programme | Min TOEFL | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|
| MBA (Full-Time) | No formal minimum | 109–120 |
| MS Finance | 100 | 104–120 |
| MS Accounting | 90 | 100–115 |
| MS Business Analytics | 90 | 100–115 |
| PhD in Business | 100 | 107–120 |
NYU School of Law
| Programme | Min TOEFL | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|
| JD | No formal minimum | 113–120 |
| LLM | 100 | 107–120 |
| SJD | 100 | 107–120 |
NYU Law is one of the US's top five law schools. The LLM's 100 minimum understates the competitive bar — admitted students typically score 107–120.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
| Programme | Min TOEFL | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|
| MPA | 100 | 104–115 |
| MUP (Urban Planning) | 100 | 100–115 |
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
| Programme | Min TOEFL | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|
| MD | No formal minimum | 113–120 |
| MS/PhD Biomedical | 100 | 104–115 |
Tandon School of Engineering (Graduate)
| Programme | Min TOEFL | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|
| MS Computer Science | 90 | 100–115 |
| MS Data Science | 90 | 100–115 |
| MS Cybersecurity | 90 | 100–115 |
| PhD Engineering | 90 | 100–115 |
GSAS (Graduate School of Arts and Science)
| Programme | Min TOEFL | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|
| PhD Economics | 100 | 107–120 |
| PhD History | 100 | 107–120 |
| PhD Philosophy | 100 | 107–120 |
| PhD Sociology | 100 | 104–115 |
NYU TOEFL — Summary Table
| School / Programme | Min TOEFL | Competitive Score |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate (CAS, Stern) | 100 | 107–120 |
| Undergraduate (Tandon, Tisch) | 90 | 100–115 |
| Stern MBA | No minimum | 109–120 |
| NYU Law (LLM) | 100 | 107–120 |
| Wagner (MPA) | 100 | 104–115 |
| Grossman Medicine (Graduate) | 100 | 104–115 |
| Tandon Graduate Engineering | 90 | 100–115 |
| GSAS Humanities | 100 | 107–120 |
TOEFL Per-Section Strategy for NYU
Writing (target 24–30)
CAS and Stern undergraduate require Writing 25 as a per-section minimum. NYU Law and Humanities PhDs require strong analytical writing throughout the programme.
Target: Writing 25+ for CAS, Stern, and Law applications; 24+ for all other programmes.
Speaking (target 24–30)
Stern's MBA is discussion-based. NYU Law uses Socratic method. CAS undergraduate requires Speaking 22. Competitive applicants score 24–30.
Reading and Listening (target 25–30)
Both sections should be strong for competitive NYU applications. Scores below 22 are specific weaknesses at NYU's competitive level.
Score Validity at NYU
TOEFL scores are valid for two years. NYU requires scores valid at the time of application.
TOEFL vs. IELTS for NYU
NYU accepts both tests at most schools. CAS and Stern undergraduate require TOEFL 100 or IELTS 7.5 — the equivalence is specifically published.
Common Mistakes NYU TOEFL Applicants Make
Applying to CAS or Stern undergraduate with exactly 100 but Writing below 25. Both programmes require Writing 25 as a per-section minimum. A 100 overall with Writing 20 falls below this requirement.
Treating Stern MBA's "no minimum" as a signal that language doesn't matter. The programme's case discussions and leadership seminars demand verbal precision. A score below 100 would weaken a Stern MBA application.
Applying to NYU Law LLM with exactly 100. The competitive bar is 107–120. A score of 100 positions you at the floor of the competitive distribution at one of the US's most selective law schools.
Start TOEFL preparation with Gabble — AI-powered speaking and writing feedback with instant scores. Know exactly where you stand against NYU's 107+ competitive benchmark before you book your test.