English requirements for a Hong Kong master’s come in two layers: the university sets a general minimum, and a programme can ask for more. This page lists each university’s general English requirement, shows how requirements actually spread across the programmes on this site, and then covers sub-scores, the new TOEFL scale and how long results stay valid.
Who needs an English test
Every university’s rule targets applicants whose qualification comes from an institution that does not teach in English. HKU’s wording: applicants admitted on a qualification from an institution whose language of teaching and/or examination is not English must obtain one of the listed results (HKU admission requirements). HKUST and HKBU state that a bachelor’s degree from an English-medium institution is exempt from TOEFL or IELTS (HKUST, HKBU). If your Mainland degree was not taught in English, plan your test around the requirements below.
English requirements at the eight universities
| University | IELTS (Academic) | TOEFL iBT | CET-6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0, no band below 5.5 | 80 / 4.5 | Not listed | |
| CUHK | 6.5 | 79 / 4.5 | Not accepted |
| 6.5, every band 5.5 | 80 / 4.5 | Not listed | |
| 6.0, plus an English interview | 79 / 4 | Accepted; score set by programme | |
| 6.0 | 80 / 4.5 | Not listed | |
| 6.5 | 79 | Not in the general rule; some programmes accept it | |
| 6.0 | 79 / 4 | 450, plus proof of spoken English | |
| EdUHK | 6.0 | 80 / 4.0 | 430 |
HKU’s Faculty of Arts asks for more: IELTS 7 with no band below 5.5, and a TOEFL Writing score of 25 (5 on the new scale), except the Centre of Buddhist Studies and the MA in Chinese Historical Studies (HKU admission requirements). CityU lets each college set a higher bar, and applicants with IELTS 6.0 or a new-scale TOEFL 4 must pass an English interview with the department (CityU).
Our data: the IELTS requirements of 746 programmes
At programme level, the requirements spread like this. We counted each programme’s own IELTS requirement, or the university’s general one where the programme states none. Counted 2026-10-26 from data checked on 2026-10-23.
- IELTS 5.5
- 5
- all at Lingnan
- IELTS 6.0
- 424
- IELTS 6.5
- 223
- IELTS 7.0
- 39
- 27 of them at HKU
Another 55 programmes have no IELTS minimum, 44 of them taught in Putonghua. Of the 691 programmes with an IELTS requirement, 217 state a minimum band score, 209 of them 5.5; 57 programmes ask for more than their university’s general minimum, 33 of them at HKU. To find programmes by score, use programmes by IELTS score, for example IELTS 6.0 or below.
Reading sub-scores
A sub-score is the minimum for each of the four bands: listening, reading, writing and speaking. HKU’s general rule is 6.0 overall with no band below 5.5; HKUST’s is 6.5 overall with every band at 5.5. CUHK, CityU and PolyU set only an overall score in their general rules; where only the overall score is given, still check the programme page for band minimums.
The new TOEFL scale and test formats
For TOEFL tests taken on or after 21 January 2026, the universities give minimums on a 6-point scale: 80 or 4.5 at HKU, HKUST and PolyU; 79 or 4.5 at CUHK; 79 or 4 at CityU and Lingnan; 80 or 4.0 at EdUHK. Use the line that matches the test date on your score report.
Test formats differ too: CUHK accepts the TOEFL iBT Home Edition and IELTS Online (CUHK); PolyU, HKBU and EdUHK accept neither (PolyU, HKBU, EdUHK).
How long results stay valid
Validity is the part of the English requirement that is easiest to overlook. IELTS results generally count for two years, but each university counts back from a different date:
| University | Validity rule |
|---|---|
| HKU | From the 2026 intake, IELTS and TOEFL must be taken within two years before 1 September of the admission year (source) |
| CUHK | IELTS and TOEFL valid for two years from the test date (source) |
| CityU | Valid for two years; results must come from the two years before the application period opens (source) |
| PolyU | Taken in a single sitting within two years (source) |
| HKBU | Within two years of the date the offer letter is issued (source) |
| Lingnan | IELTS and TOEFL two years, CET-6 five years, both counted from the date the application is submitted (source) |
| EdUHK | Valid within two years; for 2027/28 entry, the test must be taken on or after 1 January 2025 (source) |
Can you use CET-6?
CET-6 is clearly accepted at CityU, Lingnan and EdUHK, and by some HKBU programmes:
- CityU: CET-6 is in the general rule, with the score set by each programme (CityU). Of the 60 CityU programmes on this site that accept it, 51 ask for 450 and the rest 490 to 520.
- Lingnan: 450 or above, plus spoken English shown through a programme interview or grade B or above in the CET-6 Speaking Test (Lingnan).
- EdUHK: a total of 430, taken at a test centre and valid within two years, for English-medium programmes (EdUHK).
- HKBU: not in the general rule, but some programme pages accept it; 24 programmes on this site, at 450 to 500.
CUHK’s Graduate School FAQ says CET-6 is not accepted (CUHK FAQ), and the general rules at HKU, HKUST and PolyU do not list it. The full list is at programmes accepting CET-6.
FAQ
Which programmes can I apply to with IELTS 6.0?
6.0 overall is the general minimum at HKU, CityU, PolyU, Lingnan and EdUHK. This site lists 429 programmes asking for 6.0 or less (counted 2026-10-26); see IELTS 6.0 or below. HKU also requires 5.5 in every band, and at CityU an IELTS 6.0 means an English interview.
Is IELTS or TOEFL easier for a Hong Kong master’s?
There is no single answer; all eight universities accept both. What you can compare is each university’s rules: at CityU, IELTS 6.0 or new-scale TOEFL 4 means an interview, while a comparable old-scale TOEFL 79 or above on the score report may be exempt (CityU); CUHK accepts the TOEFL Home Edition and IELTS Online, PolyU, HKBU and EdUHK do not. Choosing the test by your target universities’ rules is the safer approach.
When does IELTS validity start?
Most universities allow two years, from different starting points: CUHK counts from the test date, HKU back from 1 September of the admission year, HKBU back from the date of the offer letter, and Lingnan from the date you apply. See how long results stay valid.
Can I apply before my test result is out?
That is up to the programme, and an offer may be conditional on an English score. HKBU says that applicants who miss the required English score by the due date can write in with proof (HKBU FAQ); HKUST does not refund the deposit if you did not attempt the test named in the offer condition (HKUST FAQ).