Columbia TOEFL Requirements 2026: Undergraduate and Graduate Rules
Columbia Undergraduate Admissions requires TOEFL 105 for tests taken on or before January 20, 2026, or 5.5 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, when an English proficiency exam is required. Columbia's graduate schools publish separate rules.
Verified Columbia requirement
Undergraduate: Minimum 105 on the 0-120 test through January 20, 2026, or minimum 5.5 on the 1-6 test from January 21, 2026. Scores must be reported directly with code 2116. Columbia Undergraduate Admissions does not accept TOEFL MyBest scores.
Graduate: There is no single Columbia-wide number. Teachers College publishes 100 before January 21, 2026, or 5.0 from that date. Columbia Engineering says it has no minimum to apply, although its FAQ identifies scores at or below 99 on the prior scale or 5 on the current scale as potentially needing improvement.
Verified July 15, 2026. Primary source: Columbia Undergraduate English Proficiency Requirements.
The undergraduate minimum is officially published on both scales
Columbia's undergraduate page gives a firm minimum and a date boundary. A test taken on or before January 20, 2026, is evaluated against 105 on the 0-120 scale. A test taken on or after January 21, 2026, is evaluated against 5.5 on the current scale. This is Columbia's own transition policy, not an approximate conversion.
The page also requires a complete score from one test administration and says MyBest scores are not accepted. Multiple complete results may be sent. Columbia lists alternative ways to fulfill English proficiency, so applicants should check the official criteria before assuming an exam is required.
Graduate schools use different rules
A graduate applicant must use the rule published by the selected school and program. Teachers College publishes 100 for tests before January 21, 2026, and 5.0 for tests from that date. It can accept MyBest when the official report reflects that score.
Columbia Engineering states that there is no minimum English test score to apply. Its FAQ nevertheless says improvement may be necessary at 99 or lower on the old scale or 5 or lower on the current scale, and it does not accept MyBest. These policies cannot be merged into one Columbia graduate cutoff.
| Columbia unit | Prior scale | Current scale |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Admissions | 105 minimum through January 20, 2026 | 5.5 minimum from January 21, 2026 |
| Teachers College | 100 minimum before January 21, 2026 | 5.0 minimum from January 21, 2026 |
| Columbia Engineering | No application minimum; FAQ flags 99 or lower | No application minimum; FAQ flags 5 or lower |
Why Columbia's official conversion overrides a general table
ETS recommends 5.0 when an institution moves from a common 100 requirement. Columbia Undergraduate Admissions used a different prior threshold, 105, and officially chose 5.5. That decision shows why an applicant should never convert a university requirement without checking the university's current page.
Use the free TOEFL score converter to understand the ETS ranges, but enter Columbia's official 5.5 when building an undergraduate target.
Minimum versus competitive context
For undergraduate admission, 105 or 5.5 is a minimum. The cited page does not publish an admitted-student TOEFL distribution or claim that a higher score creates a particular outcome. Meeting the floor removes one eligibility problem; it does not predict the admission decision.
For graduate study, the correct context is school-specific. A Teachers College applicant plans against its stated minimum. An Engineering applicant records the absence of a formal minimum and the FAQ's improvement guidance without turning that guidance into a cutoff.
Build a Columbia target with T-G-R
Start T-G-R with the exact Target: Columbia unit, test-date scale, minimum, MyBest policy, and reporting method. Next record the Gap from current timed evidence. Then choose a Route tied to the section or task family that keeps the application below its binding rule.
The free Essentials Edition of the Target Score Diagnostic Workbook separates official requirements from planning estimates and keeps evidence from different test dates from being mixed.
Columbia TOEFL FAQ
Is Columbia's undergraduate TOEFL minimum 100?
No. The current undergraduate page publishes 105 for tests through January 20, 2026, and 5.5 for tests from January 21, 2026.
Does Columbia accept TOEFL MyBest scores?
Undergraduate Admissions does not. Teachers College can accept MyBest under its stated reporting process, while Columbia Engineering says it does not. Check the exact school.
Do all Columbia graduate programs require 5.0?
No. Teachers College publishes 5.0, but Columbia Engineering has no formal application minimum. Other schools and programs may publish different requirements.
Related verified requirement pages
Compare Columbia's policy with the verified pages for MIT, Stanford, and Harvard.
Admission requirements change; always confirm current requirements on the university's official admissions page.
