TOEFL Accepted in Canada: Top 10 Universities in 2026

Is TOEFL accepted in Canada? Yes, TOEFL iBT is accepted in Canada for university admissions and student visa. Most Canadian institutions accept TOEFL scores as proof of English language proficiency. Tier 1 and Tier 2 universities especially, require a score range of 80 to 110. For language courses, MBA, MIM, etc., the minimum score requirement is higher. Interestingly, more than 80% of graduate programs in Canada prefer TOEFL iBT over other tests.

Since TOEFL is accepted worldwide, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recognises its significance and requires TOEFL scores from international students to apply for a Canadian Student Visa and then study. 

Table of Contents 

• Why International Students need to take the TOEFL to study in Canada?
• Top TOEFL Accepting Universities In Canada
• Top TOEFL Accepting Colleges In Canada
• Universities Accepting TOEFL iBT Home Edition Series
• Conclusion
• FAQs

Why International Students need to take the TOEFL to study in Canada?

There are about 400+ TOEFL accepted universities in Canada offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs. As an international student intending to study in Canada, you need to take TOEFL at trusted institute like Kanan's TOEFL Online Live Coaching. It helps you to attain the minimum score requirements based on the study program and the university. Here’s why:

• Accepted Worldwide - The TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) is accepted worldwide to evaluate English proficiency. More than 11,500 universities and other institutions in 160+ countries accept TOEFL scores. 
• Accessible Worldwide - The TOEFL iBT test is accessible worldwide, with testing available in more than 200 countries and territories.
• Exam At Your Convenience - There are three types of TOEFL tests: TOEFL iBT Home Edition, TOEFL iBT test centres and TOEFL iBT Paper Edition. You can choose any one at your convenience and give your best performance. 
• Overall Better Experience - Compared to other standardised tests, TOEFL offers an easy registration process, instant scores, shorter test timing, and many more. Thus, it gives an overall better experience to test takers.

Top 10 TOEFL Accepting Universities In Canada

International students who are non-native English speakers notice that some institutions set a minimum requirement of a TOEFL score of 90 and above. Nevertheless, several universities set a discretionary range of TOEFL scores of 75 in Canada. Below is the list of the top 10 TOEFL accepting universities in Canada based on the QS World University Rankings 2026.

S No	TOEFL Accepted Universities	QS World Rankings 2026	TOEFL (iBT) Accepted Scores
1	University of Toronto	29	93.0 - 107.0
2	University of Alberta	94	88.0 - 92.0
3	Université de Montréal	168
4	McGill University	27	86.0 with 30 in each section
5	University of Calgary	211	86.0
6	The University of British Columbia	40	90.0 (22 - reading, listening. 21 - writing, speaking)
7	Queen's Univeristy at Kingston	191	88 overall
8	Western University	151	86 overall
9	McMaster University	173	86 overall
10	University of Waterloo	119	90.0

Sources: University websites

Top TOEFL Accepting Colleges In Canada

TOEFL accepted colleges in Canada are given below in an infographic. It includes the top TOEFL accepting colleges along with TOEFL accepted scores for bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Universities Accepting TOEFL iBT Home Edition Series

Most of the universities are TOEFL Home Edition accepted in Canada. Below is the list of institutions accepting the minimum TOEFL iBT (Home Edition) scores and their programs.

TOEFL iBT Home Edition Accepted Universities	Program (UG/PG)
University of Alberta	Undergraduate (UG)
University of Calgary	Undergraduate (UG)
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)	Undergraduate (UG)
University of Montreal	Master in Comparative Common Law and Master in Business Law
University of Victoria	Postgraduate (PG)
University of Waterloo	Postgraduate (PG)
University of Regina	Postgraduate (PG)
University of Saskatchewan	Postgraduate (PG)
Seneca College	All programs
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (NAIT)	All programs
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (SAIT)	All programs

Source: ETS

Conclusion

To study in Canada, international students who do not speak English as a native language must take the TOEFL to prove their English language proficiency. This post has given you the top educational institutions accepting TOEFL scores. Get to know the minimum score requirement of your targeted university and prepare accordingly. For more information related to “TOEFL accepted in Canada,” student visa, PR, work permit, etc., follow our FAQs below.

FAQs

1. Is TOEFL accepted in Canada colleges?

Yes. TOEFL is accepted in almost all Canadian universities and colleges. 11,000+ Canadian colleges & universities accept TOEFL as proof of English language proficiency. The minimum TOEFL iBT score for Tier 1 universities ranges from 79 to 100. As per the IRCC, TOEFL is accepted in Canada for university admissions and student visas but not for Permanent Residence (PR).  

2. Is TOEFL sufficient for Canada?

To meet the language proficiency requirements, TOEFL is sufficient for Canada universities. In fact, the Tier 1 universities in Canada may require a TOEFL score of 110 and above.

3. Can I use TOEFL for a Canada visa?

Yes. TOEFL scores are accepted for a Canada visa. Moreover, TOEFL results are accepted as evidence of English proficiency by more than 10,000 universities across the world.

4. What is the benefit of TOEFL in Canada?

The main benefit of TOEFL in Canada is that the Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) accept TOEFL and it is officially recognised for student visa application purposes. Candidates must submit proof of language proficiency in English despite other qualifications. A research study revealed that there is a moderate to substantial level of improvement on each of the TOEFL iBT sections, with different score gain patterns for students (Source: ETS Research Report Series).

5. What is the TOEFL cut-off for admissions in Canada?

The TOEFL cut-off for admissions in Canada depends on the university and the area of study. Generally, Canadian colleges require a minimum score of 80 for UG and 90 for PG admission respectively. However, in case of language courses, the minimum score requirement is even higher than 90.

6. Which universities in Canada accept TOEFL?

Some of the top universities in Canada accepting TOEFL include the University of Toronto, University of Alberta, McMaster University, University of Waterloo, University of British Columbia, York University, McGill University, University of Victoria, University of Calgary, and many more.

7. Does Canada accept the TOEFL test for a student visa?

Yes. Canada and its universities accept the TOEFL iBT test scores for a student visa. As per the ETS official data, more than 80% graduate programs in Canada require TOEFL scores for university admissions.

8. Is TOEFL accepted in Canada for PR?

No. TOEFL is not accepted in Canada for PR (permanent residence). However, candidates can take IELTS General Training or CELPIP General tests and demonstrate their English proficiency. 

9. Is TOEFL accepted in Canada for work permit?

No. IRCC does not accept TOEFL for a work permit in Canada. Either IELTS General Training or CELPIP General test scores are required to apply for a work permit.

10. What is the TOEFL exam fee for India?

As per the ETS, the TOEFL exam fee for India is INR 14,197.44 (US $173). Similarly, the other fees details are as follows:

• TOEFL exam late fee - $40 (INR 3,280)
• TOEFL cancellation fee - $20 (INR 1,640)
• TOEFL rescheduling fee - $60 (INR 4,920)

11. Does Canada accept TOEFL or IELTS?

Canada accepts both TOEFL (iBT) and IELTS (AC/GT) scores along with other English language proficiency tests results like the PTE, Duolingo, CELPIP, CAEL, etc.