TOEFL Requirement for New Zealand Universities: Minimum Score

Typical minimum: 80 overall (iBT) is the figure published by the universities in this research that accept TOEFL (Auckland, Canterbury, Massey, Waikato), generally with a minimum writing score of 19 to 21. A newer four-section TOEFL format, scored out of 30, is being phased in for tests from around January 2026, with an equivalent minimum of about 4.0 overall at the universities that have published it., verified 7 September 2026.

Not every New Zealand institution in this research accepts or publishes a TOEFL figure; several state IELTS or PTE only. This row is a roll-up from this research's per-university records rather than a single government-published national figure.

Verified universities in New Zealand and their minimum

Southern Institute of Technology

Invercargill, New Zealand, public

NZ$19,000 to NZ$26,000
IELTS 5
University of Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand, public, founded 1883

NZ$40,230 to NZ$86,560
IELTS 6
University of Waikato

Hamilton, New Zealand, public, founded 1964

NZ$32,400 to NZ$48,350
IELTS 6
Massey University

Palmerston North, New Zealand, public, founded 1927

NZ$34,220 to NZ$114,340
IELTS 6
University of Canterbury

Christchurch, New Zealand, public, founded 1873

NZ$34,880 to NZ$51,900
IELTS 6

Sources, checked 7 September 2026

https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/applications-and-admissions/entry-requirements/undergraduate-entry-requirements/undergraduate-english-language-requirements.html