TOEFL Adequate command of spoken and written English is essential to success in graduate study at Harvard. Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who received their undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is not the primary language of instruction must take the Internet based test (iBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). A minimum score of 80 is required, but some programs may require a higher score. No test other than the iBT TOEFL will be accepted as proof of English proficiency; a master's degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency. IELTS GSAS does not accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). GRE The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General test is required.We strongly recommend that applicants take the GRE General test no later than September 2017 to ensure that score reports arrive in time to be considered. Scores are valid for five years. They are valid from 10/1/2011 onward for the 2018 – 2018 application year. For more information, visit the GRE website or call the Educational Testing Service at 609-771-7670.