How to Send IELTS Score to Universities in USA
You have mastered your IELTS exam, and now the finish line for your US university application is in sight. Sending your IELTS score to universities in the USA might seem like a final hurdle, but trust me, it is a straightforward process once you know the ropes. Your official IELTS test report form is your golden ticket, proving your English language skills to the admission committess. Let’s make sure it reaches them smoothly and effectively.
How to send IELTS score to universities in USA. The future American student you have put in the hard work studying for and taking the IELTS exam, and that’s a huge achievement. Now, the crucial step is making sure your IELTS scores officially land in the hands of the universities in the USA you are eyeing. This is not just about emailing a PDF UD universities need verified, official proof of your English proficiency.
Your IELTS test report form is your academic passport. Now guides you on how to get it stamped and delivered to the right places. It’s simpler than you might imagine, and we’ll break it down using easy-to-understand words.
The IELTS Test Report Form
First things first, let’s talk about your IELTS test report form. This is the official document, whether it’s a paper copy or a digital version known as an eTRF IELTS, that confirms your IELTS band scores. It meticulously details your performance in the listening, reading, writing, and speaking sections, along with your overall band score. Universities in the USA, like academic institutions worldwide, rely on this document as concrete evidence of your English language proficiency. Keep in mind that your IELTS TRF is typically valid for two years from your test date, so definitely keep that timeframe in mind during your application process.
How Do US Universities Prefer to Receive Your IELTS Score?
Before you even think about hitting send or dropping something in the mail, it’s super important to figure out how each of your target universities in the USA prefers to get your IELTS scores. Most institutions in the USA have a strong preference for receiving your results directly from the official IELTS testing organization, either IDP IELTS or the British Council. This direct transmission is crucial because it assures them that your scores are authentic and haven’t been altered.
Generally, there are two primary ways US universities accept IELTS scores.
- Electronically (Most Common): A large number of universities in the USA are subscribed to the IELTS results service delivery. This is a secure digital system where IELTS can directly send your verified scores to the university’s admission system. It’s usually the fastest and most preferred method.
- By Post (Paper TRF): While less common now, some US universities might still specifically request an official physical copy of your test report form to be mailed directly to their admissions office.
How to send an IELTS score to universities in USA online
This is usually the quickest and most efficient way to get your scores where they need to go for your study in the USA plan. Here’s a simple breakdown of how it typically works, covering both IDP IELTS and British Council processes.
- During IELTS Registration: When you first register for your IELTS test, you will often have the option to list up to five institutions to receive your scores directly from the testing organization. This service is usually free of charge if requested at this initial stage. Make sure you have the full, accurate names and official email addresses for the admissions offices of your chosen US universities ready. The system is designed to guide you through this.
- After Getting Your Results: If you didn’t list universities during registration, or if you decide to apply to more than five institutions later, no problem, you can easily do this through the test-taker portal of the organization you took the test with. You will need your passport or ID number and your unique candidate number to log in. This is key to how to send IELTS score to universities IDP online or via the British Council.
3. Locate the Score Sending Option: You will need to find the screen or menu option entitled sending scores or requesting more TRFs after you have logged into your portal. You will be required to look for and pick the universities in the US where you would like to receive your results. When choosing the institution, be very careful to pick the right one, and in case of the required campus and department.
4. Select the Electronic Delivery: Remember that you have to choose electronic delivery. The majority of the universities in the United States receive their scores through the IELTS Results Service e-delivery. The system will normally confirm as soon as your scores have been effectively sent.
5. Follow Up: A week or so after you have requested that electronic copy of the scores be sent to the admissions office of your US university, it would be prudent to send a very short email to them, informing them that you have done so. This is just a way of giving them a head-up that your official scores are coming their way.
This method shows how to send your IELTS score to universities electronically regardless of your test provider.
How to Send IELTS Score to Universities in USA After Your Test Date
And what happens when you have already taken the test and did not name institutions, or when you want to apply to more than the first five free? This is where it would be important to know how to send an IELTS score to USA universities after the test date. You might order Additional Test Report Forms (ATRF) online on your Test Taker Portal. themselves distribute IELTS:
- How to submit the IELTS score to universities through IDP: Enter your account on the IDP site. Check the tab to add TRF or send additional score reports. You will pick up the university from their list, make a selection of electronic delivery, and confirm the request. Additional requests could be charged in addition to the initial free requests.
- How to send IELTS scores to universities from the British Council: Click on your British Council Test Taker Portal to send your IELTS scores to universities. Go to the sending results or ordering further TRFs section. You will identify the institution and delivery. Once more, there can be possible charges. Delivery through the electronic method requires approximately 1 to 5 business days, which is the only process that ensures that your scores are processed as fast as possible.
IELTS USA University Requirements: What Scores Do You Need?
Learning the rules about IELTS USA university requirements is very important, as by know how to send the scores. The US universities apply a different, specific minimum score in IELTS, which may change according to:
University Ranking Prestige: Universities that are highly ranked require higher IELTS scores than others that are competitive.
Program of Study: Program of study. Arguably, some of them demonstrate a stronger dependence on communication (journalism, literature, or law), and may demand larger scores than others. There are also usually higher demands on graduate programs are subject to than on undergraduate programs. Level of Study: A Bachelor’s degree may even need an overall of 6.0-6.5, whereas a Master’s degree or a doctorate program may need a 6.5 -7.5 overall.
Though some universities may accept an absolute minimum score of as low as 5.5 in the IELTS, a competitive score in the majority of reputable universities in the USA is preferably at about 6.0 to about 7.5. The exact IELTS score requirements of each program may be obtained directly from the official admission page of the particular university. As another example, MIT or Harvard may ask to have a 7.0-7.5, whereas most of the state universities may not mind a 6.0-6.5.
Important Things to Remember When Sending Your IELTS Score to Universities in the USA
Get it right: Triple-check every and all possible details: name of university, campus, department, mailing address/email in case the electronic one is involved. Even the smallest wrong can cause hours of backup.
Direct-source Result: US universities almost always request that their scores be sent to them directly by IDP IELTS or the British Council. Do not send them informal copies of your own, unless they specifically ask whether doing so is admissible as a preliminary reading; they will then demand official confirmation as well.
Be Prepared (Time is the Key!): There is a delay in sending scores, which is more so when they are sent by post. Delivery of electronic documents is quicker (usually 1-5 business days), yet it will be prudent to start the process early to avoid the last-minute rush to application deadlines.
Write Down Your Requests: You should also have a record of all your requests, whether as a soft copy or a hard copy of all the other confirmations you may be issued by IELTS or the universities. It is invaluable when there are any problems and this can be documented. What happens when My Test Centre Is Closed? Don’t worry! As long as you know the test center where you have taken your IELTS exam has been closed so it is possible to request that your results be forwarded to the US universities you have selected.
You normally will be required to complete an application for an additional TRFs (from closed test centers) document, which you can generally find on idp or British Council website. The service normally operates up to two years on your test date and may require a certain fee.
Score Validity: Your IELTS score can be outdated after more than two years, and it is assumed to be outdated by the majority of US colleges. Sadly, it will require you to redo IELTS to acquire a score that is valid to present.
Final Thoughts:
The process of sending your score in IELTS score to universities in the USA is a very crucial but can easily be done, the last stage in your education abroad. By knowing the various means possible, mostly by electronic transmission of the IELTS Result Service request and adhering to the instructions carefully, you will finally be able to have your results delivered to the admissions staff successfully and safely.
The procedure of how to send IELTS scores to universities in the USA online with the help of the IDP IELTS portal or the British Council is made in a way to be friendly in use. You have done everything you can to get your IELTS score, don’t let your care to get it fail you now, make it enhance your access into your American studies! Visit the websites of all your universities to find out the exact IELTS USA university requirements as well as the preferences that these universities give to their submission applications, and do it with no hassles. Your American dream of studying in the USA is now right at your fingertips.
