How to Study Abroad without IELTS or TOEFL?

Did you know that it is possible to study abroad without IELTS or TOEFL scores? Here are the complete details of countries and universities where TOEFL and IELTS are not required.

International students willing to study abroad without IELTS or TOEFL have alternative admission options to fulfil their dream. Scores of basic English proficiency tests such as CanTEST, PTE, or CAEL may be considered for admission. Students having a formal education in English may be exempted from providing their IELTS or TOEFL scores.

Is it possible to study abroad without IELTS or TOEFL? Yes, international students will be delighted to learn that it is possible for them to study abroad without IELTS or TOEFL. As language proficiency tests are the biggest criteria for premier universities, there are other alternatives for IELTS/TOEFL tests that can make way for admission to premier universities and institutes.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) are the most common English proficiency exams students can take to pursue their studies abroad. But the challenge here is the difficulty level, and their exam fees are also quite high when compared to other English proficiency exams. Moreover, if you are not able to clear these exams in the first attempt, it will add to further expenses. These are the common problems for students from non-native English speaking nations like India.

Table of Contents

Study Abroad Universities without IELTS or TOEFL
Study Abroad Exams
- CanTEST
- PTE
- CAEL

Study Abroad Exams

The universities that show less importance to IELTS/ TOEFL tests may conduct their entrance tests to see if the candidate can understand and communicate in the English language. As most of the courses and lectures are in English, so their basic requirement is a candidate's proficiency in the English Language. Some of the English proficiency tests include:

CanTEST
PTE
CAEL

CanTEST

CanTEST is a standard English proficiency test for scholars and trainees that are used to determine if the candidates can meet the admission requirements of Canadian universities providing post-secondary education o non-native student. Canadian Test of English. The candidate needs to be fully qualified with an overall minimum score of 4.5 in each area of the test. This test includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as well.

PTE

Pearson Test of English (PTE) is a computer-based English language test accepted by educational institutions around the world. Students who intend to go abroad for studies or immigration in English speaking countries take the PTE academic exam to prove their English language efficiency. PTE focuses on examining candidates in English speaking, reading, listening, and writing proficiency. A candidate requires an overall score of 63 with a minimum score of 59 in each area.

Read More: PTE

CAEL

Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) exam can be taken as an alternative to TOEFL or IELTS unless the university specifies the submission of CAEL scores during the admission process.

Study Abroad Universities without IELTS or TOEFL

When it comes to studying abroad, a higher percentage of students choose their desired university from countries like Australia, the USA, Canada, and European countries like Germany, UK, and other countries. In these popular study abroad destinations, many universities admit students without or with less IELTS or TOEFL. Given below are the major study abroad destinations, along with the top universities that consider admissions without IELTS/TOEFL scores.

Canada
Australia
United States of America
United Kingdom
Germany

Canada

Following universities in Canada exempt students from taking TOEFL/IELTS:

If the students are native English speakers or have a formal degree education of three or more years, then the university may not demand IELTS or TOEFL scores. Similarly, students who have completed either an O-Level (Ordinary Level) or A-level examination English proficiency test also earn an exemption in IELTS/TOEFL score.
Several universities have their set of exemptions and requirements in IELTS/TOEFL scores to prove the applicant's English language proficiency.

Australia

Some of the Australian universities that do not require TOEFL/IELTS are listed below:

Qualifying IELTS/TOEFL tests are a challenging task for students from Non-English speaking countries who aspire to graduate education in Australia. But some universities in Australia overlook the IELTS/TOEFL score if their language of instruction in secondary school was English. Some Australian universities grant admission to students without a TOEFL/IELTS score if they submit a recommendation letter from an undergraduate university certifying that their medium of instruction was English.

United States of America

List of Universities in the USA that do not require IELTS/ TOEFL include the following:

United States of America is another great choice to study abroad without IELTS or TOEFL as some American universities grant admission to international students without considering these exams. Students must meet any of these requirements to be considered for admission to these universities:

Students should have completed a one-year full-time study in any of the US institutions.
Students should have taken the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) instead of IELTS/TOEFL.
Students may take Pathway programs conducted by American Universities.
Students should meet the skills and communication norms required by the university.

United Kingdom

Students can study abroad without IELTS or TOEFL scores in the following UK universities:

Any student intending to pursue undergraduate or graduate programs in the United Kingdom should have secured 70% or above in 12th or undergraduate programs, respectively. Universities of the UK offers students admission without IELTS/TOEFL scores if they possess excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Moreover, a majority of the universities consider admitting students if their last educational institution certifies prove that their medium of study was English. Some of the universities in the UK grant admission to international students without considering IELTS/TOEFL if they meet some of the following criteria:

The applicant must possess excellent communication skills.
The applicant is from a native English speaking country and has proof that they pursued their education in an English medium institution.
The applicant is not from an English speaking country and has their English proficiency proof.
The applicant underwent an institution’s assessment through telephonic or video interviews.

Germany

German Universities that grant admission without IELTS/TOEFL scores are as follows:

University of Siegen
University of Kaiserslautern
University of Giessen
University of Koblenz and Landau
University of Berlin
Esslingen University of Applied Sciences
Braunschweig University of Technology

German universities are a dream for most engineering graduates. If your field of studies is going to be lectured in English, you are supposed to take the proficiency test in which universities require a minimum score of 550 points (TOEFL paper-based test) or 213 points (TOEFL computer-based test) or Band points 6.0 for bachelor degree and 6.5 for master degree (IELTS). A question among many international students will be that if it is possible to study in Germany without IELTS or not. The answer would be yes with the criteria given below:

The applicant should hold a bachelor’s degree in English as the language of instruction.
Some universities need letters of recommendation from undergraduate or postgraduate universities as proof of English language proficiency.
If the applicant applied for English Philology, then they are supposed to qualify for the English Language test conducted by the university.