Many students dream of studying in France. The country’s culture, history, cuisine, and art make it an appealing destination for students completing their degrees abroad. France is also home to many globally recognized universities offering high-quality education. Therefore, earning a degree from a French university can expand a student’s academic knowledge and create opportunities after graduation.
International students should also consider the admission requirements set by French higher education institutions, including language proficiency. Programs in France may be taught in French, English, or a combination of both, and applicants to English-taught programs may need to demonstrate their proficiency through an accepted examination such as the TOEFL iBT. Read on to learn about French universities that accept TOEFL scores.
TOEFL Scores Accepted at French Universities
TOEFL iBT is a widely recognized English proficiency examination accepted by universities around the world. However, French universities do not always set a single institution-wide minimum. Requirements may differ by degree, program, study level, or application route. Below are six French institutions that accept TOEFL scores and their currently published requirements.
| INSTITUTION NAME | MIN. SCORE (UNDERGRADUATE) | MIN. SCORE (GRADUATE) |
|---|
| École Normale Supérieure de Lyon | Program-specific; no institution-wide minimum | Program-specific; B2 or C1 may be required |
| HEC Paris | B2 English; no universal TOEFL score published | Program-specific; many master’s programs set no minimum, while the MBA requires TOEFL 5/6 |
| Sciences Po | Program-specific; English-taught tracks generally require C1 | Program-specific; no universal TOEFL minimum |
| École Polytechnique | 90 on the comparable 0–120 scale | 95 for MSc&T programs on the comparable 0–120 scale |
| American University of Paris | 4.5 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026 | 5 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026 |
| EDHEC Business School | No universal minimum published for the international BBA | 92 for many master’s programs; 95 for the Global MBA |
On January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT introduced a new score scale ranging from 1 to 6. During a two-year transition period ending in January 2028, score reports also include a comparable score on the former 0–120 scale. Some university admissions pages continue to state their requirements using the 0–120 scale, so applicants should check both the required score and the date on which they took the test.
1. École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon)
The École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon) is located in Lyon and has roots dating back to 1880. It is a public higher education institution specializing in the sciences and humanities and is part of the Université de Lyon academic community.
ENS de Lyon does not publish one TOEFL minimum that applies to every undergraduate and graduate applicant. English-language requirements depend on the discipline and study level. The English equivalency grid linked from the university’s language-requirements page lists B2 as approximately 65–78 and C1 as approximately 94–101 on the former TOEFL iBT scale. Some programs impose a specific level; for example, the master’s program in Computer Science requires C1 English. Applicants should therefore consult the current requirements for their chosen program rather than relying on a university-wide score.
2. HEC Paris
HEC Paris is a business school offering undergraduate, master’s, MBA, and doctoral programs. Its programs focus primarily on business, management, economics, finance, data, and related fields. Although many programs are taught in English, English-language requirements are not identical across every degree.
The joint HEC Paris–Bocconi Bachelor of Arts and Science in Data, Society and Organisations is taught entirely in English and requires applicants to demonstrate at least B2-level proficiency. HEC Paris does not publish a universal TOEFL score of 72 for bachelor’s applicants. At the graduate level, many pre-experience master’s programs accept TOEFL without specifying a minimum passing score. Other degrees have their own thresholds; for example, the HEC Paris MBA currently requires C1 English, corresponding to a TOEFL iBT score of 5 on the new 1–6 scale. Applicants should check the admissions page for their specific program.
3. Sciences Po
Sciences Po is a research university specializing in the social sciences and humanities. It enrolls approximately 15,000 students, around half of whom are international students representing about 150 countries. For the 2026–2027 academic year, tuition for students whose tax residence is in the European Economic Area ranges from €0 to €14,900 for undergraduate study and from €0 to €20,640 for graduate study, depending on household income. Newly admitted students whose tax residence is outside the European Economic Area generally pay €14,900 for undergraduate study or €20,640 for graduate study, subject to applicable exemptions and special program fees.
Sciences Po does not require every applicant to obtain a TOEFL iBT score over 95. Language requirements depend on the campus, track, and degree. English-taught undergraduate tracks generally require C1 English, although submitting an English test may be optional during the initial application process in some admission routes. Graduate requirements also vary: some programs require a particular English level at admission, while others do not set a specific admission-level requirement but expect students to reach C1 by the end of the two-year master’s degree. Applicants should check the requirements for their selected undergraduate or graduate program.
4. École Polytechnique
Located in Palaiseau, south of Paris, École Polytechnique is a public higher education and research institution supervised by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces. Its programs include the Bachelor of Science, engineering and doctoral education, and specialized graduate degrees such as Visual and Creative Artificial Intelligence and Data and Economics for Public Policy.
Applicants to the Bachelor of Science must obtain a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 90 on the comparable 0–120 scale. Applicants to MSc&T programs must generally obtain at least 95. Under the updated TOEFL scale, these scores correspond approximately to 4.5 and 5, respectively. Requirements may differ for other degrees, so applicants should consult the relevant bachelor’s or MSc&T program page.
5. American University of Paris
The American University of Paris is a private international university founded in 1962 as the American College in Paris. Its student body represents more than 100 nationalities, and it offers undergraduate and graduate programs across the arts, humanities, social sciences, business, communications, international affairs, and related disciplines. For the 2026–2027 academic year, published full-time undergraduate tuition is €19,040 per semester, or €38,080 for the academic year, excluding mandatory fees and living expenses. Graduate tuition varies according to the program and number of credits.
For TOEFL tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, the American University of Paris requires a minimum score of 4.5 for undergraduate applicants and 5 for graduate applicants. For tests taken before that date, the university lists the former minimums of 88 for undergraduate admission and 101 for graduate admission.
7. EDHEC Business School
EDHEC Business School is a private higher education institution offering business and management programs at the undergraduate, graduate, MBA, and executive levels. Its current international BBA admissions page does not publish a universal TOEFL minimum. An official language certificate is optional at the application stage, and shortlisted candidates complete an online English assessment.
Graduate requirements vary by degree. Many EDHEC master’s programs list a minimum TOEFL iBT or Home Edition score of 92, while the Global MBA requires 95 unless the applicant qualifies for an English-language waiver. Applicants should consult the requirements for their selected program in the university’s course catalog.
Because English-language requirements are often program-specific and may change between admission cycles, applicants should verify the current policy on the official page for their chosen degree. They should also check score-validity rules, accepted test formats, and whether supporting language documents must be submitted with the application.
You can also find more information on French and European universities in the Study in France and Available Programs for International Students!
