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It’s not just the jaw-dropping views or the iconic landmarks — Canada also boasts a range of world-class education institutions, vibrant culture, communities and food that makes you feel right at home. All that consistently makes it one of the most popular study destinations for students from all over the world.

If you’ve got your eye on the Great White North for the next chapter of your studies, you may be required to sit for an English proficiency test both for gaining admission into university or to have your study permit approved by Canada’s immigration, such as the IELTS Academic test.

Attaining a minimum IELTS band score may lead you to enrol successfully into the school or programme of your choice, and also helps if you decide to stay on to work in Canada post-graduation.

Minimum scores for Canadian universities

Should you need an English language requirement as part of your university application, you have to attain a minimum overall score of 6.5 in the IELTS Academic test at either undergraduate or postgraduate level.

International students looking to enter a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) will have to provide a provincial attestation letter or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) before applying for a study permit.

Among other study permit requirements for eligibility, you will need a letter of acceptance (LOA) for enrolment into the university as well as a letter of explanation stating your reasons for studying in Canada.

Keep reading for the minimum IELTS scores required by top-ranked universities in Canada.

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Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings in 2025

One of the world’s most established metrics, the Times Higher Education world rankings assesses universities based on the following five key performance indicators: teaching, research quality, research environment, international outlook and industry income.

Rank

University

Global rank

IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)

IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)

1

University of Toronto

21

6.5

7.0

2

University of British Columbia

41

6.5

6.5

3

McGill University

45

6.5

6.5

=4

McMaster University

=116

6.5

6.5

=4

University of Alberta

=116

6.5

6.5

6

Université de Montréal*

125

-

-

7

University of Waterloo

163

6.5

7.0

8

University of Ottawa

191

6.5

6.5

9

University of Calgary

201 – 250

6.5

6.5

10

Western University

201 – 250

6.5

6.5

11

Université Laval

251 – 300

6.5

6.5

12

Dalhousie University

301 – 350

6.5

7.0

13

Queen’s University

301 – 350

6.5

7.0

14

Simon Fraser University

301 – 350

6.5

6.5

15

University of Victoria

301 – 350

6.5

6.5

16

University of Saskatchewan

351 – 400

6.5

6.5

17

University of Guelph

401 – 500

6.5

6.5

18

University of Manitoba

401 – 500

6.5

6.5

19

York University

401 – 500

6.5

6.5

20

Carleton University

501 – 600

6.5

6.5

*At this university, the language of instruction is French and proficiency in English is not an admission requirement.

QS World University Rankings in 2025

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world rankings is another global premier ranking system that rates universities by institution and subject through academic reputation, citation, faculty to student ratio, employer, international research and sustainability indicators.

Rank

University

Global rank

IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)

IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)

1

University of Toronto

25

6.5

7.0

2

McGill University

29

6.5

6.5

3

University of British Columbia

38

6.5

6.5

4

University of Alberta

96

6.5

6.5

5

University of Waterloo

115

6.5

7.0

6

Western University

120

6.5

6.5

7

Université de Montréal*

159

-

-

8

McMaster University

176

6.5

6.5

9

University of Ottawa

189

6.5

6.5

10

Queen’s University at Kingston

193

6.5

6.5

11

University of Calgary

198

6.5

7.0

12

Dalhousie University

275

6.5

7.0

13

Simon Fraser University

319

6.5

7.0

14

University of Saskatchewan

340

6.5

6.5

15

University of Victoria (UVic)

349

6.5

6.5

16

York University

362

6.5

7.5

17

Concordia University

415

6.5

7.0

18

Université Laval

423

6.5

6.5

19

University of Guelph

456

6.5

6.5

20

University of Windsor

547

6.5

6.5

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Take your IELTS test with IDP

Are you planning to pursue your studies in Canada?

Take the next step with IELTS by IDP! As a co-owner of the IELTS test, IDP has decades of experience in helping students to prepare and achieve their target IELTS score for study abroad.

Start on the right foot with IDP IELTS Prep Hub, your one-stop online test resource for accessible how-to videos, IELTS Academic practice tests and preparation tips from IELTS experts.

Book your IELTS test today!