IELTS for a master's in Europe

IELTS for a master's in the Netherlands or Germany: check each part

At the Dutch universities here, each part of IELTS has its own minimum, so a low Writing score can stop you. TUM and TU Berlin ask only for an overall score, and KIT for 6.5 with no part below 5.5.

Practice for your master's See the Academic chart checker

Up to 10 essays free, no card. Need more?

01 / The rules

The official IELTS rules for a master's in Europe, with their links.

Netherlands

TU Delft, MSc programs (example)

IELTS Academic (UKVI Academic too)

Listening: 6.5
Reading: 6.5
Writing: 6.5
Speaking: 6.5
Overall: 7.0

One Skill Retake: accepted.
IELTS Online Academic: only if test centers are closed or travel is not safe.
Your certificate must be no older than 2 years when you apply.

Official page Last checked: 19 October 2026

Netherlands

TU Eindhoven (TU/e), master's programs (example)

IELTS Academic, at a test center

Listening: 6.0
Reading: 6.0
Writing: 6.0
Speaking: 6.0
Overall: 6.5

All scores from one test date.
IELTS Online and One Skill Retake: not accepted.
Results no older than 2 years.

Official page Last checked: 19 October 2026

Netherlands

Leiden University, Computer Science MSc (example)

IELTS Academic, on paper or computer

Listening: 6.0
Reading: 6.0
Writing: 6.0
Speaking: 6.0
Overall: 6.5

Each master's program sets its own score.
IELTS Online Academic: only if test centers are closed or unsafe.
Results no more than 2 years old.

Official page Last checked: 19 October 2026

Also from: Leiden University: English tests for master's programs (PDF)

Netherlands

University of Amsterdam, Graduate School of Humanities (example)

IELTS Academic, in person only

Listening: 6.5
Reading: 6.5
Writing: 6.5
Speaking: 6.5
Overall: 7.0

You need the score when you apply, not later.
IELTS Online, One Skill Retake and IELTS Indicator: not accepted.
Tests from the 2 years before you apply.

Official page Last checked: 19 October 2026

Germany

Technical University of Munich (example)

IELTS Academic or IELTS Online Academic

Listening: Not set
Reading: Not set
Writing: Not set
Speaking: Not set
Overall: 6.5

No minimum for each section.
One Skill Retake: accepted if you upload the new, complete test report form, not only the retake certificate.

Official page Last checked: 19 October 2026

Germany

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), many English-taught master's (example)

IELTS Academic

Listening: 5.5
Reading: 5.5
Writing: 5.5
Speaking: 5.5
Overall: 6.5

6.5 overall, with no section below 5.5.
Some programs set other rules, so check your program's own statute.
A degree taught only in English can replace the test.

Official page Last checked: 19 October 2026

Germany

TU Berlin, master's programs (example)

IELTS Academic

Listening: Not set
Reading: Not set
Writing: Not set
Speaking: Not set
Overall: 6.5

This is the B2 level. Programs that ask for C1 need 7 overall.
Each program says which level it needs.

Official page Last checked: 19 October 2026

02 / Your case

Each part, or only the overall?

This one difference decides a lot. Here is an example in our own numbers: Listening 8, Reading 8, Speaking 7.5 and Writing 6. The overall is 7.5.

TU Delft and Amsterdam's humanities masters: not enough. Writing is below 6.5, and a high overall does not change that.
TU Eindhoven and Leiden's Computer Science MSc: enough. Every part is 6.0 or more, and the overall is above 6.5.
TUM, KIT and TU Berlin: enough. TUM and TU Berlin look only at the overall, and KIT's floor of 5.5 for each section is met.
So where a university sets a minimum for each part, Writing can stop you even with a high overall.

03 / Why Writing

For a master's in Europe, Writing often holds the band back.

In IELTS's own 2024-2025 Academic data, test takers from Germany averaged 8.10 in Reading but 6.63 in Writing, and those from Spain 7.49 in Reading but 6.33 in Writing. IELTS test taker performance data, 2024-2025.

One Skill Retake: TU Delft accepts it, and TUM does if you upload the new, complete test report form. TU Eindhoven and Amsterdam's Graduate School of Humanities do not.
Who accepts One Skill Retake

04 / Your plan

A Writing plan for a master's in Europe.

Set your target band.
Choose the Writing score your university wants as your target. For TU Delft and Amsterdam's humanities masters, that is 6.5 in Writing; for TU Eindhoven and Leiden's Computer Science MSc, 6.0. The rewrite lifts your own answer to your target, so you can see what changes.
Write the tasks your test has.
Practice Academic Task 1 chart reports and Task 2 essays, and turn on the practice timer for each.
Fix your lowest criterion first.
Where each part has a minimum, Writing alone can stop you, so start with your lowest criterion and its labeled corrections. Look at your latest Task 1 and Task 2 bands before you book a test.

05 / What VoyaLang does

What VoyaLang does for a master's in Europe, and what it does not.

VoyaLang does: It works on three kinds of answer: Academic Task 1 chart reports, General Training letters of 11 types, and Task 2 essays, even on a question you paste in. You get four criterion bands back, a label on every mistake it fixes, and a rewrite at your target band. You can time each task, and count down the days left to your exam.
VoyaLang does not: It scores Task 1 and Task 2 one at a time, never the whole Writing test, and none of it is an official IELTS score. It does not test Listening, Reading or Speaking, or prepare you for TOEFL. It does not book your test, upload your application to a university, or give admission advice.

FAQ

Questions about IELTS for a master's in Europe.

What IELTS score do I need for a master's in the Netherlands?

It depends on the university and often the program. TU Eindhoven and Leiden's Computer Science MSc ask for 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each part. TU Delft and Amsterdam's Graduate School of Humanities ask for 7.0 with 6.5 in each part.

What IELTS score does TU Delft need?

For an MSc, IELTS Academic with 7.0 overall and at least 6.5 in each section. UKVI Academic also counts. The certificate must be no older than 2 years when you apply, and One Skill Retake is accepted.

Do German universities ask for an IELTS Writing score?

Some do not. TUM asks for 6.5 overall in IELTS Academic with no minimum for each section, and TU Berlin names only an overall score too. KIT asks many programs for 6.5 overall with no section below 5.5. Each university sets its own rule, so check yours.

Does One Skill Retake count for a master's in the Netherlands?

At TU Delft, yes. TU Eindhoven and Amsterdam's Graduate School of Humanities do not accept it. Other Dutch universities set their own rules, so ask yours before you book a retake.

Is IELTS Online accepted for a master's in Germany?

At TUM, yes: it accepts IELTS Online Academic as well as IELTS Academic. Other German universities may differ, so check your program's page.

Do Dutch universities accept IELTS Online?

Rarely. Of the universities on this page, TU Delft and Leiden take it only if test centers are closed or it is not safe to travel. TU Eindhoven and Amsterdam's Graduate School of Humanities do not take it.

Does INSEAD need IELTS?

If you are not a native speaker, INSEAD asks for a TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic score. A university degree taught in English can replace it. For the MBA, one academic exchange year fully taught in English also counts. For the Master in Management, an exchange program does not count. INSEAD recommends at least 7.5 in IELTS Academic, from a test less than 2 years old at the application deadline.

Related goals

This page sums up official rules in plain words. It is not immigration or legal advice. Rules change, so check the official page before you book or apply. Every rule here was checked on or after 19 October 2026. VoyaLang is not affiliated with or endorsed by IELTS, the British Council, IDP, or Cambridge Assessment English.

Keep reading