English language tests compared: IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo, CAEL and PTE scores for Canadian universities

Start with the waiver rules, not the test. Most universities excuse you if you've done three or four years of full-time study in English, either in Canada or in a country where English is the main language. uOttawa and Queen's count three years. U of T, UBC, McGill, York, TMU and McMaster count four.

Citizenship doesn't decide it. uOttawa says its rule depends on where you studied, not your passport, and McMaster says Canadian citizenship alone isn't enough. Waterloo decides from the Declaration of Academic Experience you fill in after applying. It also excuses students with three recent years at a Toronto District School Board high school and 80% or more in Grade 12 U English.

Grade 12 English on its own doesn't replace a test at TMU, York or McMaster. U of T and TMU still expect every applicant to present a senior English course like ENG4U.

If you studied at an English-language school in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana or the Bahamas, check the country lists first. U of T, UBC, McGill, York, uOttawa and TMU all include those countries, so enough years of study there usually removes the test. UBC adds that the four years must be consecutive and come right before you start.

CSEC English can also count. U of T and TMU both accept a final grade of A (I) or B (II) in CSEC English, and U of T asks you to upload the Statement of Results issued by CXC. York says students completing CSEC and CAPE may be eligible for a waiver. The other pages we checked don't mention CSEC, so ask admissions before you rely on it there.

Where a waiver isn't automatic, a school letter usually does the work. Queen's asks your school to confirm that teaching was entirely in English, with the principal's contact details. Western asks applicants outside Ontario for a signed letter on school letterhead. More on the Caribbean route is in our Caribbean pathways guide.

ETS moved TOEFL iBT to a 1 to 6 scale, in half-point steps, on January 21, 2026. The new scores line up with CEFR levels. For two years, score reports also show a comparable total on the old 0 to 120 scale, and ETS says scores stay active for two years.

That's why every university in the table lists two TOEFL minimums. The new-scale number applies to tests from January 21, 2026. The old number covers older tests that are still valid. ETS says a 4.5 lines up with a 90 on the old scale.

Watch the section rules. Waterloo wants 5 in Writing and Speaking, UBC wants 5 in Listening, and U of T wants 4.5 in Writing. MyBest scores, which combine sections from different dates, aren't used at U of T, Waterloo, McGill, McMaster or TMU. uOttawa accepts them.

Pick the test every school on your list accepts. That rules out CAEL if Waterloo is on your list. Then compare section minimums, not only the total: Waterloo's IELTS rule needs 6.5 in Writing and Speaking, and its Duolingo rule needs 125 in Literacy and Production.

Think about retakes too. Waterloo, McMaster, York, uOttawa and TMU accept IELTS One Skill Retake results. U of T, UBC and McGill don't.

Take the test early enough for the score to arrive before your document deadline. TMU's Fall 2027 deadline for test scores is April 1, 2027. Western wants Fall 2027 applicants to write before March 2027. UBC's English documents are due February 15.

Old scores expire. York, Queen's and McMaster treat scores as valid for two years, and uOttawa wants the test taken less than two years before you start. Waterloo accepts only tests from May 1, 2025 onward, Western from January 1, 2025, and UBC's 2027/28 applicants from January 1, 2025.

Universities accept only official scores sent by the test provider. Emails, faxes and student copies don't count. Register for the test with exactly the same name and date of birth as your application, or the score may not attach to your file. U of T, Waterloo, Western, Queen's and uOttawa all warn about this.

TOEFL uses institution codes. Use the right one: U of T 0982, UBC 0965, McGill 0935, Waterloo 0996, Western 0984, McMaster 0936, Queen's 0949, York 0894, uOttawa 0993 and TMU 0886.

A low score rarely ends your application. Most universities run a pathway program that starts you on English while holding your place. Western offers English Boost in the summer. McMaster has STEP and the MELD diploma. Queen's has QBridge. Waterloo has BASE. uOttawa can admit you on condition of its English Intensive Program.

Send the result anyway. U of T says you won't be penalized for an unacceptable result, and Queen's says a score below its requirement won't harm your application.

Check the waiver rules before paying for a test. Plenty of students who studied in English for four years don't need one, and a school letter can settle the question at Queen's and Western.

If a test is needed, book it so the official score arrives before the earliest document deadline on your child's list. Our international students hub covers the rest of the paperwork.