University of New Brunswick IELTS Requirement

Direct answer

The University of New Brunswick (UNB) asks for IELTS 7.0 overall for its graduate programmes, with most of them also requiring at least 6.0 in each band. This is the highest base minimum among the universities compared in this guide — don't assume 6.5 will do, because at UNB it won't. For undergraduate programmes, UNB's own English-language policy isn't specified in the data we hold here; check the figure directly on UNB's admissions page before a student commits to it (unb.ca/admissions).

UNB postgraduate requirements at a glance

Requirement	UNB figure
IELTS minimum	7.0 overall BASE minimum (most demanding in this report); most programmes: 7.0 overall / 6.0 per band
Minimum GPA	3.0
Minimum percentage equivalent	~70%
Competitive GPA	3.3–3.5
Competitive percentage	73–80%
3-year TU bachelor's accepted?	Conditional — see below
WES required?	Mandatory (WES ICAP)

The catch here is the IELTS figure. A student who scores 6.5 overall — a perfectly good result that clears most Canadian master's programmes — is still short at UNB. Counsellors should treat 7.0 overall as the real screening line, not a stretch target, and test early rather than after an offer is already in hand.

Does UNB accept a 3-year Tribhuvan University bachelor's?

UNB has no blanket rejection of 3-year TU degrees, but it has no blanket acceptance either. A 4-year TU degree (BE and similar) is accepted directly for graduate entry. A standard 3-year TU bachelor's (BA, BSc, BCom) is assessed case by case — in practice, WES ICAP often evaluates a 3-year TU bachelor's plus a completed TU Master's as the equivalent of a 4-year degree, which creates a workable pathway. Students who only hold the 3-year bachelor's with no further qualification should contact UNB's graduate admissions office directly before applying, because there is no published guarantee either way.

WES ICAP — the part students miss

UNB requires WES ICAP (International Credential Advantage Package, Course-by-Course) for every international graduate applicant. This is not optional and not case-by-case — it applies across the board. Budget for it properly:

Cost: around $330 CAD
Processing time: 7–8 weeks

That processing time matters more than the fee. A student who starts the WES ICAP application after receiving a conditional offer, rather than before, can lose weeks they don't have against a programme deadline. Build the WES step into the application timeline from day one, not as an afterthought once other documents are ready.

Undergraduate entry at UNB

Item	UNB figure
Minimum GPA equivalent	2.8
Minimum percentage equivalent	~65–70% in relevant Grade 12 subjects
Foundation/pathway programme	Not confirmed — verify with the institution
WES required for undergraduate?	No

UNB is described as a research university that is comparatively accessible for international undergraduate applicants, with campuses at Fredericton and Saint John. There's no confirmed foundation-year pathway on record for students who fall short of the academic threshold — if a student's grades sit close to the 65–70% line, the only reliable step is to ask UNB admissions directly whether a bridging option exists for that specific case.

Living costs in Fredericton

UNB's main campus is in Fredericton, which is one of the lower-cost cities in this comparison.

City	Estimated monthly cost of living
Fredericton (UNB)	$2,200
Winnipeg	$2,200
Saskatoon	$2,200
Halifax	$2,500
Toronto	$3,500
Vancouver	$3,500

Fredericton's monthly figure is listed as low cost relative to the rest of Canada. That's a genuine advantage for a student weighing total cost of a programme in New Brunswick against one in Toronto or Vancouver, but tuition, WES fees, and other one-off costs still need to be checked separately — a lower monthly living cost doesn't automatically mean a lower total cost of the degree.

Proof of funds for the study permit

Nepali applicants to any Canadian university, including UNB, need to show proof of funds as part of the study permit process. The published figures by family size are:

Family size	Proof of funds required
1	$23,448
2	$29,192
3	$35,888
4	$43,572
Each additional member	$6,318

These figures are general Canadian study-permit proof-of-funds figures, not a UNB-specific fee or deposit — treat them as the funds test a visa officer applies, separate from tuition and separate from WES or application costs. For a full breakdown of how funds, tuition and living costs fit together across Canadian destinations, see the Canada hub.

Common questions

What IELTS score does UNB require for a master's degree?

UNB's graduate programmes ask for IELTS 7.0 overall as a base minimum, and most programmes also require at least 6.0 in each band. This is the highest IELTS floor among the universities compared in this guide, so a student should treat 7.0, not 6.5, as the real target score.

Does UNB need WES for graduate applications?

Yes. UNB requires WES ICAP (Course-by-Course) for every international graduate applicant, with no stated exceptions. It costs around $330 CAD and takes 7–8 weeks to process, so it needs to be started well before any application deadline.

Can a student with a 3-year Tribhuvan University degree apply to UNB for a master's?

It depends. A 4-year TU degree such as BE is accepted directly. A 3-year TU bachelor's is assessed case by case, and WES ICAP often treats a 3-year bachelor's plus a completed TU Master's as equivalent to a 4-year degree. Students with only the 3-year bachelor's and no further qualification should confirm directly with UNB graduate admissions before applying.

Is Fredericton cheaper to live in than Toronto or Vancouver?

Yes, based on the figures here. Fredericton's monthly cost of living is listed at $2,200, compared with $3,500 for both Toronto and Vancouver. Tuition and WES costs still need to be checked separately — use the Master Reckoner tool to line up entry requirements, costs and English scores together, and browse more destination guides on the blog.