1. Princeton University
Degree background requirement: Recognized university and bachelor's degree.
Language requirements: For fall entry, Princeton Graduate School does not set a minimum TOEFL or IELTS requirement. However, based on previous years' standards, Princeton Graduate School requires TOEFL scores not lower than 104; according to the IELTS official Chinese website, the IELTS requirement for Princeton graduate students is 7.0. Therefore, international students should aim for a TOEFL score of no less than 100 and an IELTS score of no less than 7.0.
GPA requirement: No minimum GPA requirement is set.
GRE requirement: GRE scores are required for all programs, and some programs also require GRE Subject scores.
Note: Additionally, Princeton Graduate School clearly stipulates that if an international student's TOEFL speaking score is lower than 28 (or IELTS speaking score lower than 8.0), they must take the school's English proficiency test upon enrollment, and based on the test result, it will be determined whether they need to take some ESL courses.
2. Harvard University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university and bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: No minimum GPA requirement is set.
Language requirements: TOEFL score must be no lower than 80; IELTS or any other language test is not accepted; no sub-score requirements; some programs have higher requirements.
GRE requirement: GRE scores are required for all programs, and some programs also require GRE Subject scores.
3. Yale University
Degree background requirement: Undergraduate degree from an accredited university and a bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: Yale does not set a minimum undergraduate or graduate GPA, but typically US graduate programs require a GPA, especially for the last two years of undergraduate study, of no less than 3.0; individual programs or departments may have higher requirements.
Language requirements: The minimum TOEFL/IELTS score requirements at Yale are based on program data; a significant proportion of admitted graduate students have TOEFL total scores around 100 and IELTS total scores around 7.0. For PhD programs, teaching assistantships in the first two years have higher speaking requirements, usually requiring a TOEFL speaking score around 26.
GRE requirement: Most programs require GRE scores; some science programs also require or recommend GRE Subject scores; some programs can (or can only) use GMAT/LSAT/MCAT scores.
4. University of Chicago
Degree background requirement: Four-year undergraduate degree from a domestic institution.
GPA requirement: No minimum GPA requirement; based on US graduate admission standards, a minimum GPA of 3.0 is expected; no special requirements.
TOEFL/IELTS score requirements: Division of the Physical Sciences (including Astronomy & Astrophysics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geophysical Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, etc.) requires TOEFL total score no less than 90 and IELTS total score no less than 7.0. Other schools or departments require TOEFL total score no less than 104 with each sub-score no less than 26; IELTS total score no less than 7.0 with each sub-score no less than 7.0.
5. Columbia University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university and bachelor's degree;
GPA requirement: US graduate programs generally require an undergraduate GPA no less than 3.0.
Language requirements: TOEFL total score no less than 84, with reading, listening, speaking, and writing sub-scores no less than 21, 18, 23, and 22 respectively. IELTS total score no less than 7.0. Some programs have higher language requirements, e.g., English education, law, public health, etc., where TOEFL and IELTS total scores must be no less than 100 and 7.0 respectively.
GRE requirement: Applicants must submit GRE; some programs also require GRE Subject scores; business-oriented programs require GMAT; law programs require LSAT; some medical or public health programs require MCAT.
6. Stanford University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: No minimum GPA requirement is set, but generally not lower than 3.0.
Language requirements: Except for some master's programs in the School of Engineering, all other programs require TOEFL score of no less than 100, with no sub-score requirements; IELTS is not accepted. Engineering master's programs require TOEFL no less than 89, also with no sub-score requirements, and IELTS is not accepted.
GRE requirement: GRE scores are required for all programs, except for the Law School, School of Medicine, and Business School, which require LSAT, MCAT, and GMAT respectively.
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
Language scores: IELTS 7.0 or above; some programs only require 6.5, some require 7.5 or above, no sub-score requirements. TOEFL: minimum 90, generally 100, no sub-score requirements.
8. University of Pennsylvania
Degree background requirement: Four-year bachelor's degree from a domestic university.
GPA requirement: No minimum GPA requirement is set; typically US graduate admission requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0. GRE requirement: No minimum score requirement.
TOEFL requirements: See specific requirements of each school and program.
9. Duke University
Degree background requirement: Bachelor's degree and above.
GPA requirement: No minimum GPA requirement is set.
Language requirements: TOEFL: 90 or above, no sub-score requirements. IELTS: 7.0 or above, no sub-score requirements.
GRE requirement: Required; some programs also need GRE Subject scores; the business school can use GMAT instead of GRE, no minimum GRE score requirement.
10. California Institute of Technology
GPA requirement: Caltech has no minimum GPA requirement, but most students have a GPA above 3.5, class ranking in the top 5% or 10%.
Language requirements: All programs at Caltech do not set minimum TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, GPA scores. According to IELTS official site, Caltech's IELTS requirement is 7.0. Correspondingly, based on experience, TOEFL scores should not be lower than 90. Caltech offers ESL courses (having ESL courses does not necessarily mean conditional admission), and all non-native English-speaking international students are required to take an English placement test upon enrollment. The school will determine whether students need ESL courses based on the test results. The ESL courses are not open to external students and are only for Caltech's internal English enhancement.
GRE requirement: All departments (programs) at Caltech require GRE scores; no minimum GRE score requirement, but except for programs in the table below, GRE Subject scores are not required:
Note: (1) SR=Strongly Recommend; R=Require
(2) Indicates that students should choose a GRE Subject test closely related to their field, such as Biochemistry, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, etc.
Application timeline: Caltech generally only accepts fall entry applications; deadlines vary by program, typically around mid-December and early January.
11. Johns Hopkins University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university and bachelor's degree.
Language requirements: TOEFL total score no less than 100, IELTS total score no less than 7.0. (Note: The music school has slightly lower language requirements, TOEFL and IELTS no less than 79 and 6.5 respectively; whether updated is unknown).
GPA requirement: US graduate programs generally require an undergraduate GPA no less than 3.0.
GRE requirement: Applicants must submit GRE; some programs, such as Biomedical Sciences, also require GRE Subject scores; business school programs require GMAT.
Application timeline: Most programs accept fall entry applications, deadlines between February and April; some programs also accept spring and summer entries, deadlines around October-November and February respectively. Generally, PhD programs only accept fall entry, deadlines between early December and mid-January.
12. Dartmouth College
Degree background requirement: No specific degree background requirement, but generally requires graduation from a four-year accredited university with a bachelor's degree.
Language requirements: No minimum TOEFL or IELTS scores set. Generally, international students should aim for TOEFL score no lower than 100 and IELTS no lower than 7.0.
GPA requirement: No minimum GPA requirement is set.
GRE requirement: GRE scores are required for all programs, and some programs also require GRE Subject scores.
13. Northwestern University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university and bachelor's degree.
Language requirements: International students must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores; some programs do not accept IELTS, such as Communication. Most master's programs require TOEFL total score no less than 80, IELTS total score no less than 7.0; PhD programs require TOEFL no less than 90, IELTS no less than 7.0; some programs require TOEFL no less than 100, or IELTS no less than 7.5. For PhD applicants applying for TA funding, TOEFL speaking sub-score must be no less than 26.
GPA requirement: No minimum undergraduate GPA requirement; typically US graduate programs require an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above.
GRE requirement: Applicants must submit GRE; some programs also require GRE Subject scores; business-oriented programs require GMAT.
Application timeline: Northwestern graduate programs mainly accept fall entry applications, deadlines usually between late December and late January; some master's programs accept winter and spring entries—please check program-specific instructions.
14. Brown University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: No minimum GPA requirement is set.
GRE requirement: All PhD programs require GRE scores; if GRE Verbal is below 144 or Quantitative below 153, an explanatory letter is required; master's programs do not set a minimum.
Language requirements: TOEFL no less than 90, IELTS no less than 7.0.
Application timeline: Deadlines mostly between early December and early February.
15. Cornell University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
Language requirements: Cornell Graduate School only accepts TOEFL, does not recognize IELTS/PTE; TOEFL total score must be 77 or higher, with sub-score requirements: Writing no less than 20, Listening no less than 15, Reading no less than 20, Speaking no less than 22.
Application deadlines: See individual schools and departments; scholarship deadline is February 15, scholarship acceptance deadline is April 1.
16. Vanderbilt University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
Language requirements: TOEFL no lower than 88; IELTS accepted but score requirement not specified. Applicants should take the test no later than November.
GRE requirement: GRE scores required for all programs; some programs require or recommend GRE Subject scores; business programs require GMAT; law programs require LSAT. Applicants should take the GRE no later than November.
Application timeline: Most Vanderbilt graduate programs only accept fall entry, deadlines between mid-December and early February; some programs accept spring entry, deadlines between mid-October and early November.
17. Rice University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
GRE/GMAT: Requirements vary by program; GMAT typically for business, GRE for science/engineering.
Language score requirements: TOEFL total score no less than 90, IELTS total score no less than 7.0; those with a bachelor's degree from an English-speaking country are exempt from language scores.
18. Washington University in St. Louis
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
Language requirements: TOEFL/IELTS scores must be submitted but no minimum score requirement is set.
GRE/GMAT scores: Required for most programs, but no minimum score requirement.
Application deadlines: Most departments require submission no later than January 15; some departments have deadlines as early as December 1; admission notifications are concentrated in March.
19. University of Notre Dame
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: Undergraduate GPA not lower than 3.0.
GRE/GMAT: Requirements vary by program; GMAT typically for business.
Language score requirements: TOEFL total score no lower than 80, speaking no lower than 23; IELTS total score no lower than 7.0, no sub-score requirements.
Application deadlines: No unified application deadline.
20. Georgetown University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree; undergraduate transcripts recommended to be submitted via WES evaluation; some programs have GPA requirements.
TOEFL/IELTS: TOEFL no lower than 80, IELTS no lower than 7.0; some programs also require TOEFL no lower than 100, IELTS no lower than 7.5. No sub-score requirements.
Most programs require GRE/GMAT scores (business); some science and engineering programs also require GRE Subject scores.
21. University of California, Berkeley
Degree background requirement: Accredited bachelor's degree, GPA no lower than 3.0, especially in junior and senior major courses; international students do not need to calculate GPA. Relevant undergraduate major background is required.
TOEFL no lower than 90, or IELTS no lower than 7.0, no sub-score requirements; requirements may vary by department or program. Some programs require GRE scores, some also require GRE Subject scores, but some do not. At least 3 letters of recommendation, personal statement, writing sample (required for some humanities programs), undergraduate transcripts, and CV/Resume are needed.
22. Emory University
Application fee: $75 (waived if application form and materials are submitted before October 31)
Application term: Most programs accept only fall entry; Master's program in Computer Science also accepts spring entry.
GRE scores: Laney Graduate School requires GRE scores; doctoral programs in the business school accept GRE/GMAT; Master's program in Music does not require GRE.
Doctoral application background: Usually, a bachelor's degree is sufficient for PhD programs; only Behavioral Sciences and Health Education and Religion require a master's degree.
Transfer applications: Most programs accept transfer credit, typically up to 9 course credits, some programs may accept more, but no more than 18.
Application deadlines: Laney Graduate School deadline is January 3; some programs may have deadlines as early as December 1; admission notification concentrated around April 15.
23. University of Southern California
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited bachelor's degree from a domestic university.
GPA requirement: Minimum 3.0.
GRE/GMAT: GMAT scores mainly for business programs.
Application deadline: December 1.
Language requirements:
PhD programs: TOEFL total score no lower than 100, each sub-score no lower than 20; IELTS total score no lower than 7.0, each sub-score no lower than 6.0.
Master's programs: TOEFL total score no lower than 90, each sub-score no lower than 20; IELTS total score no lower than 6.5, each sub-score no lower than 6.0.
TA funding language requirements: TOEFL total score no lower than 100, speaking sub-score no lower than 29, listening sub-score no lower than 25; IELTS total score no lower than 7.0, speaking sub-score no lower than 8.5, listening sub-score no lower than 7.0.
24. University of California, Los Angeles
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
Language requirements: TOEFL total score no lower than 87, with writing no lower than 25, speaking no lower than 24, reading no lower than 21, listening no lower than 17; IELTS total score no lower than 7.0, no sub-score requirements.
GPA requirement: Most programs do not set a minimum GPA requirement.
GRE/GMAT: Required, but most programs do not set minimum score requirements.
Note: UCLA has its own English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE); all admitted students must take this test upon enrollment, and based on the result, they may need to take ESL courses first; some programs have higher language requirements.
25. Carnegie Mellon University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: Most programs do not set a minimum GPA requirement.
TOEFL/IELTS: No unified requirement. Computer Science, Biological Sciences programs require TOEFL no lower than 100; engineering programs require no lower than 84; IELTS mostly above 7.0.
GRE/GMAT: Required, but most programs do not set minimum score requirements.
26. University of Virginia
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university and bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: US graduate programs generally require an undergraduate GPA no less than 3.0.
Language requirements: UVA has no unified language requirements; some programs do not even specify language requirements. Overall, most programs require TOEFL total score no less than 90, IELTS total score no less than 7.0. Some schools, like the College of Arts & Sciences and the Law School, have sub-score requirements.
GRE requirement: Applicants must submit GRE; some programs also require GRE Subject scores; business-oriented programs require GMAT; law school programs require LSAT.
Application timeline: Most programs accept only fall entry, deadlines range from mid-December to February; please check program-specific instructions.
27. Wake Forest University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: Most programs do not set a minimum GPA requirement.
Language requirements: TOEFL total score 79-80 or above, IELTS total score 6.5 or above, no sub-score requirements; some programs have higher requirements.
GRE/GMAT: Most programs require these scores, but most do not set minimum score requirements.
28. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: GPA no lower than 3.0.
TOEFL no lower than 84, IELTS no lower than 6.5; some programs have higher requirements.
Most programs require GRE scores; some require GMAT or MCAT scores.
29. Tufts University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university and bachelor's degree.
GPA requirement: Graduate programs generally require an undergraduate GPA no lower than 3.0.
Language requirements: International students must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores; TOEFL total no lower than 80, IELTS total no lower than 6.5.
GRE requirement: Applicants must submit GRE; some programs also require GRE Subject scores.
Application timeline: Most programs' fall entry and scholarship application deadlines are January 15. Some programs accept spring entry, deadlines usually around September. Please check program-specific instructions for exact deadlines.
30. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree.
GPA: Not lower than 3.0, roughly equivalent to an average of 75-80 in Chinese scale.
TOEFL: No lower than 79, IELTS no lower than 7.0, no sub-score requirements.
GRE or GMAT scores required, except for Studio Art, Dramatic Art, and Dentistry programs.
Note: All international students, regardless of language test scores, must take an English placement test upon enrollment; the school will provide corresponding English enhancement suggestions and support based on the test result. This test does not affect student visa status.
30. New York University
Degree background requirement: Four-year accredited university bachelor's degree; apply through NYU's website or application systems like Apply Yourself, Embark, etc.
Language scores: TOEFL generally no lower than 100; some schools do not accept IELTS.
Most programs require GRE/GMAT scores (business); some science and engineering programs also require GRE Subject scores.
Writing sample: Required by some humanities and social science programs.
Portfolio: Required by some art and drama programs.
