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TOEIC® for university

What TOEIC score do you need for university?

Not a vague range, but the real requirements at named universities in Korea and Japan, with official sources. For transfer (편입), graduation, and graduate-school admission.

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How universities actually use TOEIC

There is no single university number. TOEIC is used differently depending on the school and purpose: as a graduation requirement, a transfer-admission (편입) score, a graduate entrance-exam component, or an English class-placement test. It is also usually one of several accepted tests (TOEFL, TEPS, IELTS). Below are real, verified examples, but always confirm your own program.

Korea: real examples (verified)

Korean graduate schools commonly set a specific TOEIC number as an English requirement. Note that Korea University abolished its mandatory undergraduate certified-English graduation requirement for 2016 and later entrants, so these are graduate-level figures.

800 Korea Univ. · Graduate School

TOEIC 800 as the passing criterion for the graduate English requirement (also TOEFL iBT 80, TEPS 361, IELTS 6.0), for master's and doctoral students. Official source ↗

900 / 750 Hanyang · GSIS

By language track: TOEIC 900+ for the major-language track, 750+ for the second-language track (also TOEFL, TEPS, IELTS, TOEIC Speaking, OPIc). Submit within four semesters. Official source ↗

Japan: real examples (verified)

Japanese universities often use TOEIC without publishing a single fixed cutoff. Instead it is converted to exam points, required as a submission, or used to place you at your level.

Points Kyoto Univ. · Grad. Science

The master's entrance exam uses TOEIC in place of a written English test. Both L&R and Speaking & Writing are required, combined and converted to exam points on a CEFR-referenced scale. No fixed minimum. Official source ↗

Required Meiji Univ. · Grad. Info & Comm.

Submitting one external English certificate is mandatory for the graduate entrance exam; TOEIC L&R is accepted (the IP test is not), within the past 2 years. No fixed minimum score is published. Official source ↗

Placement Ritsumeikan · Law

All first-year students take a TOEIC L&R IP test that sorts them into four English levels for class placement, with a second test in December re-determining later levels. No pass/fail cutoff. Official source ↗

Each example is program-specific and quoted from the university's official page (linked). Requirements and accepted tests vary by university, department and entry year, and can change, so always confirm with your target program before relying on a number.

So what should you actually aim for?

750–800 covers most

A score in this range clears most graduate and graduation requirements seen above and keeps you competitive for transfer. A sensible default target.

900 high-track programs

If your target lists a top track (like Hanyang GSIS major-language), plan specifically for the higher number well ahead of the deadline.

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Admission or graduation: the requirement changes with the purpose

TOEIC shows up at two very different moments in a university career, getting in (admission) and getting out (graduation), with placement and funding in between. Which moment you are at decides the number that counts, and whether there is a fixed number at all. The table below shows the typical pattern across Korea and Japan. Treat every range as general guidance, then confirm the exact figure with your own program.

When TOEIC is usedWho it affectsTypical range or roleWatch for
Undergraduate admission
English-taught degrees		International applicantsRoughly 750 and up, higher at competitive schoolsScore usually from the last 2 years
Transfer (편입 / 編入)Students moving in from another collegeCommonly around 700+ where a number is setSome schools run their own English exam instead
Graduate admission (대학원 / 大学院)Master's and doctoral applicantsOften 700 to 900, or converted to exam pointsA high score may waive a written English test
Graduation requirement (졸업요건 / 卒業要件)Enrolled studentsVaries by school and major where it still appliesSeveral schools have eased or dropped it lately
Class placementFirst-year and language-course studentsNo pass or fail, sorts you into a levelOften uses the in-house IP test
Exchange & scholarshipsOutbound and funded studentsSet by the program, TOEIC often one accepted proofTOEFL or IELTS may be preferred for English-medium study

These are general patterns, not fixed rules. Exact cutoffs, accepted tests and validity windows are set per university, department and entry year, so always confirm with your target program.

Undergraduate or graduate: what actually changes

Most of the verified examples above are graduate-level, because that is where a fixed TOEIC number is most common. The picture is different for undergraduates.

Undergraduate admission or graduation

For domestic undergraduates, TOEIC has historically appeared as a graduation requirement (졸업 인증), with the number varying by school and major, though many universities have relaxed or removed it for recent entrants. International applicants to English-taught undergraduate programs are more likely to meet TOEIC at the admission stage, where competitive programs look for roughly 750 and up.

Graduate admission or requirement

At the graduate level TOEIC is more consistently required, either as a fixed English requirement to clear before graduation (often 700 to 900 by school and track) or as a component of the entrance exam. A strong score can sometimes replace a department's own written English test.

Public test or IP test: which score counts

Universities on this page treat the two TOEIC formats differently, so it pays to know which one your program means before you register.

Public official open test

The open, secure test you register and pay for yourself, run by the local operator (IIBC in Japan, YBM in Korea). It comes with an official score certificate. Admission and graduation requirements almost always mean this test.

IP Institutional Program

Arranged by a school or company using past test forms, often cheaper and taken on campus. Some universities use it for class placement or accept it internally, but many, including certain graduate schools, do not accept it for admission. Confirm before you rely on an IP score.

How to submit your TOEIC score to a university

The score is only half the job. Getting it to count follows a predictable sequence.

StepWhat to do
1. Confirm accepted testsCheck whether the program accepts TOEIC L&R, and whether TOEIC Speaking & Writing is also needed, since a few ask for both.
2. Check public vs IPConfirm whether it takes the official public test, the IP test, or both. Most admissions want the public test.
3. Check the validity windowMost programs accept only a score from the last two years, counted to the application or submission date.
4. Sit the test in timeRegister for a public test date early enough that results are issued before the deadline.
5. Send the official reportProvide the official score certificate or an ETS score send, as instructed, rather than a screenshot or photocopy.
6. Meet the real deadlineNote that graduation and requirement deadlines can fall in a set semester or within a fixed number of semesters, not only at application.

Common mistakes to avoid

IP is not public format

Assuming an IP score will be accepted for admission. Check first, since several graduate schools take only the official public test.

Expired score timing

Submitting a score older than two years. Most programs count validity to the deadline, so retest in good time rather than at the last minute.

Wrong target planning

Aiming at a generic "good" score instead of your program's actual figure, which may be higher for a top language track, or replaced by converted points.

L&R only skills

Forgetting that some programs also want TOEIC Speaking & Writing, or combine both into the entrance-exam score.

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Questions, answered

TOEIC for university, answered

What TOEIC score do you need for university?
It varies. Real examples: Korea University's Graduate School uses 800, and Hanyang's GSIS asks 900 or 750 by track. Many Japanese universities require TOEIC for grad admission or placement without a fixed cutoff. Always confirm your school.
What TOEIC score does Korea University require?
Korea University's Graduate School sets TOEIC 800 as the passing criterion (also TOEFL iBT 80, TEPS 361, IELTS 6.0). This is graduate-level; the university dropped its mandatory undergraduate certified-English graduation requirement for 2016+ entrants.
Is TOEIC accepted for 편입 (transfer admission)?
Many Korean universities accept an official English score including TOEIC for transfer, though some run their own exam and requirements vary. Confirm accepted tests and any minimum with the admissions office.
Do Japanese universities require a fixed TOEIC score?
Often not. Kyoto's Graduate School of Science converts TOEIC (L&R + S&W) into exam points, Meiji's grad school only requires you submit a valid test, and Ritsumeikan's Law faculty uses TOEIC IP for placement. TOEIC matters, but as points or placement, not one minimum.
What score for graduate school (대학원 / 大学院)?
It depends on the program. Korean graduate schools often set a number (roughly 700 to 900 by school and track), while many Japanese programs use TOEIC in the entrance exam without a published minimum. Check the specific school.
Does the requirement differ by department?
Yes, significantly, even between departments of one university. The examples here are program-specific and verified from official pages, but confirm the exact requirement for your target program and entry year.
Is a TOEIC IP test accepted?
It depends. Some schools use TOEIC IP themselves for placement (Ritsumeikan), while others explicitly do not accept IP for admission (Meiji grad school). Check whether your target accepts the public test, the IP test, or both.
What score is safe to aim for?
Because requirements vary, around 750 to 800 clears most graduate and graduation requirements here and keeps you competitive. For a higher track like Hanyang GSIS 900, plan for that specifically.
How long to reach my target score?
It depends on your starting point, but focused study often adds around 100 points over a few months. Take a timed mock first to find your baseline, then drill your weakest section.
How do I check my level for free?
Take a free full mock for a 10 to 990 estimate with AI feedback, then use the score converter for your CEFR band.
What is the difference between the admission and graduation TOEIC requirement?
Admission requirements decide whether you can enter a program, so they act like an entry filter or an entrance-exam component. Graduation requirements (졸업요건 / 卒業要件) are a condition you clear while enrolled, before you can finish. The same university can set different numbers for each, and some set one but not the other.
Do I need TOEIC for undergraduate admission in Korea or Japan?
For domestic applicants, undergraduate entrance usually rests on the national exam rather than TOEIC, and TOEIC appears later as a graduation requirement that many schools have since eased. International applicants to English-taught undergraduate programs are more likely to need it at admission, where competitive programs look for roughly 750 and up. Confirm with the specific program.
How recent does my TOEIC score have to be?
Most universities accept only a score from the last two years, usually counted to the application or submission deadline rather than the day you register. Because ETS reissues an official certificate within that same two-year window, plan to retest in good time if your score is aging.
Does TOEIC Speaking & Writing matter for university, or just Listening & Reading?
Listening & Reading is the score most requirements refer to, but not always the only one. Some graduate programs, such as Kyoto's Graduate School of Science, combine TOEIC L&R with Speaking & Writing and convert both into exam points, so read the wording carefully before assuming L&R alone is enough.
Is TOEIC or TOEFL better for university?
It depends on the program. For English-medium degree admission, TOEFL or IELTS is often preferred and sometimes the only accepted test, while TOEIC is very widely used for graduate requirements, graduation rules and placement in Korea and Japan. Check which tests your target lists, then pick the one you can score highest on. See our TOEIC vs TOEFL guide for a fuller comparison.

University requirements verified from official pages (linked in each card): Korea University graduate.korea.ac.kr, Hanyang gsis.hanyang.ac.kr, Kyoto biol.sci.kyoto-u.ac.jp, Meiji meiji.ac.jp, Ritsumeikan ritsumei.ac.jp. Program-specific and subject to change; confirm your target program. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS.