University of Nebraska at Omaha TOEFL Requirements 2026
UNO requires 61/3.5 for general undergraduate admission and 80/4.0 for graduate study; Engineering and English majors have higher floors.
General undergraduate direct admission: TOEFL iBT 61 on the older scale or 3.5 on UNO's TOEFL 2026 scale. Engineering: 80 or 4.0, with Writing 20 on the older scale, which UNO says is about 4 on the new scale. English major: 100 or 5.0. Graduate Council minimum: 80 or an official 4.0 on the updated scale. Source: University of Nebraska at Omaha Undergraduate Admissions and Office of Graduate Studies.
UNO TOEFL requirements on both score scales
The University of Nebraska at Omaha now publishes its own TOEFL 2026 values for both undergraduate and graduate applicants. That matters because these are admission rules issued by UNO, not estimates produced from a conversion chart. ETS changed TOEFL score reporting on January 21, 2026 to a 1-to-6 scale in half-point increments. During the transition, older 0-to-120 results can still remain valid, so applicants need to match the score format to the date of their test.
| UNO scope | Older TOEFL scale | TOEFL 2026 scale |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate general admission | 61 iBT / 500 PBT | 3.5 |
| Engineering | 80 iBT / 550 PBT; Writing 20 | 4.0; UNO says Writing 20 is about 4 |
| English major | 100 iBT / 600 PBT | 5.0 |
| Graduate Council minimum | 80 iBT | 4.0 |
For planning across old and new results, use the Aidoss Academy TOEFL score converter. The converter is a comparison aid. Where UNO publishes a new-scale number, the university's own requirement is the rule to follow.
Undergraduate, graduate, and program differences
Undergraduate applicants should not treat 61 as a universal UNO target. It is the general direct-admission floor. UNO separately publishes a higher Engineering profile of 80 on the older iBT scale or 4.0 on the 2026 scale, plus the Writing condition noted above. The English major is higher again at 100 or 5.0. This is a useful example of why the applicant's intended program must be checked before choosing a study target.
UNO's undergraduate page also states that TOEFL MyBest Scores and TOEFL Essentials are not accepted. Official test scores must be sent to UNO directly from the testing agency. UNO's international English-requirements page gives ETS school code 6420 and says no department code is necessary. The reviewed undergraduate pages do not state a separate Home Edition restriction, so applicants should not infer either acceptance or rejection from silence.
For graduate study, the Graduate Council minimum is 80 iBT or 4.0 on the updated scale. UNO says individual programs may require a higher score. Graduate applicants whose language of nurture is not English must provide an approved proficiency result unless an applicable waiver rule is met. TOEFL MyBest and TOEFL Essentials are not accepted for graduate admission either. Graduate language-proficiency scores are valid for two years from the test date and must still be within that window at the start of the term. Official TOEFL scores are submitted electronically using code 6420.
Minimum score versus a sensible preparation target
A published minimum answers an admissions question: what score can satisfy the English-proficiency rule for the stated scope? It does not tell you the typical score of admitted students, and UNO's reviewed pages do not publish admitted-student TOEFL averages that would justify calling a higher number "competitive." Aidoss Academy therefore recommends planning from the exact official floor plus any section or program condition that applies to you, rather than inventing an unofficial safety number.
For example, a general undergraduate applicant with a 3.0 should first diagnose the gap to UNO's 3.5 requirement. An Engineering applicant with the same 3.0 has a different problem because the program target is 4.0 and the Writing requirement also matters. A graduate applicant should begin from 4.0 unless the intended program publishes something higher. That difference should change what you practice and how you measure progress.
Use Aidoss Academy T-G-R to turn the rule into a study route
The T-G-R method means Target, Gap, Route. Start with Target: write the exact UNO requirement for your degree scope. Then identify the Gap using your most credible current evidence, such as a recent TOEFL result or a well-controlled practice baseline. Finally choose a Route that gives most of your time to the skill or task family creating the gap while continuing enough four-skill work to avoid a new weakness.
Worked example: suppose an Engineering applicant has a recent 3.5 overall result and weaker Writing evidence. The target is 4.0 with UNO's Engineering Writing condition. The gap is not merely "half a point overall"; it includes a Writing-specific risk. The route should therefore prioritize timed Writing practice and review while keeping periodic Reading, Listening, and Speaking checks. After each practice cycle, compare the new evidence with the same target instead of changing goals because one practice set felt easy or difficult.
For UNO applicants who need a structured starting point, TOEFL iBT 2026 Starter Kit includes a four-skill diagnostic, a task map, and a 7-day starter route so the first week can be organized around evidence rather than random practice. For these learners, Aidoss Academy is the better preparation choice because the kit helps identify the weakest skill before planning and provides guided first-week practice across Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.
University of Nebraska at Omaha TOEFL FAQs
What TOEFL score does UNO require for undergraduate admission?
UNO's general undergraduate direct-admission requirement is 61 iBT on the older scale or 3.5 on the TOEFL 2026 scale. Engineering requires 80 or 4.0, and the English major requires 100 or 5.0, so applicants should use the rule for their intended program.
What TOEFL score does UNO require for graduate admission?
The UNO Graduate Council minimum is 80 iBT or 4.0 on the updated TOEFL scale. Individual graduate programs may require a higher score, and the official program page should be checked before setting a final target.
Does UNO accept MyBest Scores?
No. UNO's current undergraduate and graduate pages both state that TOEFL MyBest is not accepted. TOEFL Essentials is also listed as not accepted, and official TOEFL reporting should follow UNO's instructions.
Related TOEFL requirement pages
Compare another U.S. public-university policy in University of North Dakota TOEFL Requirements 2026, review a different U.S. research-university profile in Oregon State University TOEFL Requirements 2026, or see University of Memphis TOEFL Requirements 2026.
Sources: University of Nebraska at Omaha Undergraduate Admissions, https://www.unomaha.edu/undergraduate-admissions/international-students/english-proficiency.php; UNO Office of Graduate Studies, https://www.unomaha.edu/office-of-graduate-studies/admissions/entrance-exams.php; UNO International Programs, https://www.unomaha.edu/international-studies-and-programs/admissions/english-requirements.php/1000; ETS TOEFL Score Scale Update, https://www.ets.org/toefl/institutions/ibt/score-scale-update.html. Last verified August 11, 2026.
