Is IELTS Compulsory for European Scholarships?
IELTS is not compulsory for every European scholarship, but most applicants will still need an accepted form of English-language evidence for university admission. The scholarship may have no separate IELTS condition while the selected university requires IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge English or another approved qualification.
For general planning, an applicant targeting English-taught European programmes should aim for at least IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 90–92 on the former 120-point scale, PTE Academic 62–65, or Cambridge C1 Advanced at 180. Competitive courses in law, medicine, public policy, humanities and research may demand IELTS 7.0 or an equivalent higher score.
List of European Countries Universities With Acceptable English Language Tests With Scores for Admissions
Following is the complete list of countries where universities offer admissions on fully-funded European scholarships to international students with least possible English language requirements mentioned below:
| European Study Destination | Commonly Accepted English Tests | Typical Minimum Score Range for English-Taught Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, Cambridge English, TOEFL and approved Secure English Language Tests | Degree-level requirements commonly fall around IELTS 6.0–7.5, PTE 59–84, Cambridge 169–191, or TOEFL 60–114 on the former scale, depending on whether the course requires B2 or C1 proficiency. Universities may demand minimum scores in every component. |
| Sweden | IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | Sweden’s standard English 6 requirement is IELTS 6.5 with no section below 5.5, PTE 62 with writing 61, or Cambridge C1 Advanced 180. Programmes requiring the higher English 7 level may ask for IELTS 7.0, PTE 68, or Cambridge C2 at 200. For older TOEFL results, the usual totals are 90–100; tests taken from 21 January 2026 use the new 1–6 scale, with minimums of 4.5 or 5.0 depending on the required level. |
| Germany | IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge qualifications, depending on the university | Germany has no national English score for English-taught degrees. A representative Technical University of Munich requirement is IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 88 or PTE Academic 65. Other German universities may set lower or higher thresholds, and DAAD applicants must meet the language condition of the selected degree course. |
| Netherlands | IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge English, PTE, LanguageCert and sometimes TOEIC | Dutch institutions commonly require approximately IELTS 6.5–7.0, TOEFL iBT 90–100, or Cambridge 180–190. For example, a Radboud programme requires IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90, while some University of Amsterdam master’s programmes require IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 100 or Cambridge 190. Exact scores remain institution- and programme-specific. |
| Finland | IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | The University of Helsinki requires IELTS 6.5 with writing 6.0, TOEFL iBT 92 with writing 22 on the former scale, or PTE Academic 62 with at least 54 in every communicative skill. A passing Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency result is also accepted. Other Finnish universities set their own programme requirements. |
| Ireland | IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge English and, at some institutions, Duolingo | Trinity College Dublin’s standard level is IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in each skill, PTE 69 with 59 in each section, Cambridge 180, or Duolingo 120. Courses with higher language demands may require IELTS 7.0, PTE 75, Cambridge 190 or Duolingo 130. Trinity lists TOEFL 90–100 on the former scale, or 4.5–5.0 under the post-January 2026 scale. |
| Italy | IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge English, PTE Academic and other CEFR-recognised certificates | Many English-taught Italian programmes use CEFR B2 as the entry level. The University of Bologna equates B2 with IELTS 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, Cambridge 160–179, or PTE Academic from 50. More demanding C1 programmes may require IELTS 7.0–8.0 or TOEFL 95–113. |
| France | IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge English and sometimes Duolingo, depending on the institution | France does not impose one score for all English-taught programmes. As a selective example, Sciences Po uses C1 English, represented by IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 100 on the former scale or 5.0 on the new scale, Cambridge C1 Advanced, or Duolingo 130 for relevant programmes. Other French universities may accept B2-level scores. |
Can a Medium-of-Instruction Letter Replace IELTS?
Sometimes—but it is not a dependable Europe-wide exemption. Sweden normally rejects a general letter merely stating that the applicant studied in English, except where previous studies meet its specific country and credit rules.
The University of Helsinki accepts an English-taught degree only when it was completed in specified countries or regions and was taught and assessed entirely in English. Trinity College Dublin may consider an exemption based on an English-medium degree, but it requires formal documentation and approval. By contrast, the University of Padua may accept a previous qualification completed entirely in English when the language of instruction is clearly documented.
What English Test Score Should a Scholarship Applicant Target?
An applicant who has not yet selected a European university for scholarship based admission should aim for:
- IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall, preferably no component below 6.0
- TOEFL iBT: about 90–92 on the former scale
- PTE Academic: 62–65
- Cambridge C1 Advanced: 180
- Duolingo: 120 or above, but only after confirming that the selected university accepts it
A score at this level meets many standard European admissions requirements, but highly selective programmes may require IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 100, PTE 69–75 or Cambridge 190.
The safest rule is to check the English condition on the specific university course page, not only the scholarship website. Chevening, Erasmus Mundus, DAAD EPOS, Stipendium Hungaricum and other major programmes can place applicants at universities with different language tests, minimum scores, component requirements and exemption policies.