Admission Information

Graduate Academic Requirements

USF graduate students in a classroom.

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To apply to a graduate degree program at the University of South Florida, you must meet the following minimum requirements. Ask your program of interest about additional application requirements (e.g. test scores, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose and resume).

Applicant Requirements
International Graduate Information
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You must have one of the following to apply:

Graduate Applicant Requirements

A bachelor’s degree satisfying at least one of these criteria:
  • “B” average (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better in all work attempted while registered as an undergraduate student working toward a bachelor’s degree
  • “B” average (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better in all work attempted while registered as a graduate student working toward a graduate degree
A bachelor’s degree with a “B” average or better and a previous graduate degree with a “B” average or better Note: If you have both a bachelor’s and a graduate degree at the time of admission, admission will be determined based on the credentials and GPA of your graduate degree.
The equivalent bachelor’s and/or graduate degrees from a foreign institution
  • Bachelor’s degrees from institutions in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) are considered equivalent based on the Bologna Accord.
  • If you have a 3-year bachelor’s degree with less than 120 hours that was received at a non-Bologna Accord institution, we require a transcript evaluation from a NACES member to confirm equivalency.

International Graduate Information

If you are an applicant from a country where English is not the official language, you must also demonstrate proficiency in English by submitting acceptable scores on one of the English proficiency tests listed below. 

Look at the list of English-speaking countries to determine whether you must meet this requirement.

English Speaking Countries

  • Antigua
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Barbuda
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Botswana
  • Canada, except Quebec (French)
  • Cayman Islands
  • Commonwealth Caribbean
  • Dominica
  • England (UK)
  • Fiji
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland (UK)
  • Irish Republic
  • Jamaica, Republic of
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Malawi
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Northern Ireland (UK)
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Rwanda (if secondary school completed after 2009)
  • Scotland (UK)
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • South Africa (if Afrikaans is not listed as native language)
  • St. Kitts & Nevis
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Trinidad
  • Tobago
  • Uganda (UK)
  • United Kingdom
  • United States, except Puerto Rico
  • Virgin Islands
  • Wales (UK)
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Scores must have been earned within two (2) years of the desired term of entry. Applications submitted with English proficiency scores that do not meet the minimum requirements will be denied.

Minimum Test Scores to Demonstrate Proficiency

  1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) prior to January 21, 2026
    79 or higher

  2. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) after January 21, 2026
    4.5 or higher

  3. International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
    6.5 or higher

  4. Cambridge English First (FCE/B2 First)
    176 or higher (with minimum sub scores of 169)

  5. Cambridge English Level 1 Advanced/Business (C1)
    180 or higher

  6. Cambridge English Level 2 Proficiency/Business (C2)
    200 or higher

  7. Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE-A)
    53 or higher

  8. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Exam Verbal Score
    153 or higher

  9. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) Verbal
    30 or higher

  10. Duolingo English Test (DET)
    110 or higher

  11. TOEFL Essentials Exam
    8.5 or higher

Learn more about our English proficiency requirements for international students, including alternative ways to meet this requirement, on the International Graduate Academic Requirements page.

 

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