How to choose the best English test for US college admissions

Reading time: 4 minutes

Applying to a US college as an international student means proving your English language proficiency. But with so many exam providers—PTE Academic, TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo—it can be challenging to decide which one fits your goals best. 

The best test for US college admission depends on several factors: which exams your chosen university or college accept, your preferred format, budget, and how soon you need your scores. This guide walks you through each key step, helping you select the right test and prepare with confidence.

Confirm program acceptance and score requirements

Your first step should be confirming which English proficiency tests your target colleges accept. While many institutions list general requirements, individual departments—especially in competitive majors, can have different policies or higher score thresholds.

Make a master list of your target colleges, recording accepted tests and minimum scores. A minimum score or section cutoff is the lowest score required on an English test, either for the total or for specific skills like speaking or writing.

Many US colleges accept Pearson PTE Academic alongside TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo. Checking official college websites early prevents costly surprises and helps you plan effectively.

You can organize your research in a simple table:

College name Accepted tests Minimum score Notes
Example University
  • PTE Academic
  • TOEFL iBT
  • IELTS Academic
 PTE 55 overall  Engineering requires 60+ in writing

Set competitive target scores

Once you know each program’s minimum requirements, set your personal goal higher to boost your admission chances. A competitive score is one that exceeds the listed minimum, strengthening your profile and potentially supporting scholarships or honors program consideration.

Aim 5–10 points above the minimum required score on PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT, or about one band higher in band-scaled tests like IELTS Academic. This buffer protects against test-day variability and can help in competitive admissions.

Confirm if your programs require skill-specific scores for each section (speaking, writing, reading and listening). Some universities only consider applicants who meet every individual section requirement, not just overall.

Consider creating a helpful reference table:

College Minimum (overall) Target (recommended)
State University PTE 55 PTE 60–65
Tech Institute TOEFL 80 TOEFL 90+

Evaluate test formats for your strengths

Different English tests suit different learning preferences. Exploring official practice questions and preparation resources helps you find which format feels most natural.

Test design varies. Fixed-format tests , like PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT, and use academic content designed to assess the language skills needed for university study, which is one reason they remain the most widely accepted tests for university admissions. An adaptive test, such as the Duolingo English Test, adjusts question difficulty as you progress through the exam.

Here’s how the main exams compare:

Test  Format & skills Delivery Duration Key feature
Duolingo English Test Adaptive, integrated tasks Online 45–60 mins Fast, low cost
IELTS Academic 4 skills, speaking face to face Paper or computer ~2 hrs 45 mins Conversation-based speaking
Pearson PTE Academic Fully computer-based, all skills integrated Global test centers ~2 hrs Secure AI scoring and fast results
TOEFL iBT Reading, listening, speaking, writing Computer or at-home ~2 hrs Academic content focus

Frequently asked questions

Related Content

  • A female model watching movie
    Great movies to help you learn English
    By PTE Author
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Learning a language is much easier when you’re enjoying yourself – which is why watching movies can be a great way to immerse yourself in the language.

    What better way is there to pick up new phrases and slang terms that you would not learn in the classroom, all with popcorn in hand?

    It can be hard to know which movie to choose so here are our top ten to help you get started. These films are chosen for their language clarity and cultural insights, offering a fun way to improve English skills for beginners and advanced learners alike.

    If you are not feeling confident, watch with subtitles and you will soon pick things up.

    1. Forrest Gump (1994)

    A fantastic choice for beginners, this film teaches English while taking you through the heart of American history. This movie is one of the best English movies for learners as Forrest speaks so slowly throughout the entire movie. It is also an iconic 90’s movie which will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

    2. Harry Potter series

    Perfect for all ages, these films are a treasure trove of rich vocabulary set in a magical world. Many things make the Harry Potter series great for your linguistics skills! Aside from the rich vocabulary, due to the sheer number of films in the series you will get to build up your understanding of different characters, their personalities, accents and ways of communicating.

    3. The King's Speech (2010)

    What a great idea for learning English – watching a film where the main character – a historic British figure – is learning to speak! King George VI struggles to communicate due to a speech impediment, which means pronunciation is a very big focus in this movie.

    4. Pride and Prejudice (2005)

    For lovers of classic literature, this film offers a window into historical British English. The movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will also expose you to societal norms, colloquial expressions, formal language and phrases as this movie is set in the early 19th century England.

    5. Home Alone (1990)

    This is one of the best English movies to watch, especially for beginners. It is full of day-to-day phrases and a slower pace, so it is easier to follow along. It is also a Christmas classic for all the family.

    6. Love Actually (2010)

    Great for picking up informal turns of phrases, slang and expressions used by British people. It also showcases a variety of British (and Irish) accents, so you can expose yourself to a breadth of British ways of speaking.

    7. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

    A charming film for mastering conversational American English.

    8. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

    Immerse in everyday conversational English set in contemporary America.

    9. Brave (2012)

    Animated and perfect for beginners, this film is set in Medieval Scotland so you will get to experience the Scottish accent and culture as well as learning some everyday phrases and idioms.

    10. Inception (2010)

    This movie should be on your list if you are focusing on advanced language learning. The language and the plot are both really complex. You will be exposed to advanced vocabulary and narratives which are really thought-provoking.

    These films offer an immersive, engaging, and often emotionally resonant context for language learning. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your skills, each movie is a step forward in your language-learning adventure.

    More ways to prep

    Ready to prepare for your English language test? Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

    • Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

    • It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

    • Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

  • Portrait of student learning online with headphones and laptop taking notes in notebook sitting at her desk at home - mixed race Asian Chinese model
    Build all-round confidence with Smart Prep
    By PTE Author
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Smart Prep brings all our free and paid preparation into one convenient place, so you can mix and match to fit your unique needs. Perfect if you have booked your test and are not sure where to start with your preparation journey.

    Here are four top tips to help you get started:

    1. Explore Smart Prep

    All you need to do is set up your free myPTE account, and you will have access to all our free and official prep resources — so everything you need to be ready ace your test is at your fingertips.

    2. Use Scored Practice Tests to track your progress

    As close as you can get to the test without taking the real thing. Our unique Scored Practice Tests are just like a mock test and are marked in the same way as your PTE test. So you can see how you score and then focus on the areas you need to improve.

    With five to choose from, we recommend you use them throughout your prep journey to check your progress.

    3. Practice with 300+ questions

    Practice makes perfect and our PTE Academic Question Bank is packed full of questions with model answers, plus samples for speaking and writing. So you have plenty of opportunity to practice before the real thing.

    4. Read our handbook and Score Guide

    Finally, don’t forget to download our free PTE Academic Handbook and Score Guide.

    The handbook covers everything you need to know about taking PTE Academic - from how to prepare and test day policies, to how to retake your test if necessary.

    And, the PTE Score Guide helps you understand things like what you’re graded on, how automated scores work, and how our scores compare with those of other English language tests.

    Ready to achieve your dreams?

    PTE is more than an English language test. It’s your ticket to studying abroad.