Several top universities allow students to study in USA without IELTS. Students should fulfill other conditional requirements to demonstrate English proficiency.
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Did you know that you can study in USA without IELTS? The biggest hurdle for aspirants from non-English speaking countries is attempting the IELTS and TOEFL tests - standardized English tests that are hard to crack and extremely competitive. These aspirants, however, need not worry as there are plenty of US universities that accept students without an IELTS (or TOEFL) band score requirement.
Students should consider that the selection criteria will differ across universities and programs, and students must do their due diligence in that regard. Through this article, you will get complete information about studying in the USA without IELTS.
Top Universities in USA without IELTS
The following universities have programs where students do not have to present IELTS scores. However, there are conditional requirements/alternatives for admissions into these programs.
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University |
Alternatives for IELTS |
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TOEFL, Duolingo |
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Students attending UPSP or Bridge Program |
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PTE, iTEP, Duolingo |
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Conditional (IELP), TOEFL, iTEP, PTE, Duolingo |
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Conditional (IELP), TOEFL, Duolingo |
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English Language for Internationals(ELI) |
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Conditional (IELP), TOEFL |
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|
TOEFL |
University of Colorado, Boulder
The University of Colorado, Boulder is home to over 30,000 students, of which over 22% live on campus. This university has a very generous admission policy, as it has an acceptance rate of 84%, along with a large number of seats available. It accepts applications during the fall, summer, and spring terms. Applicants who wish to study at the University of Colorado, Boulder without providing IELTS scores must meet the following conditional requirements:
- Must be a native of an English speaking country
- Completed an academic year in the USA
Read More: University of Colorado, Boulder
Drexel University
Drexel University is home to 23,589 students, including 14,616 undergraduates and 8,973 graduate students, 6.5% of which are international students from all over the world. The university admits students on a rolling basis. However, students must submit their applications at least 6 weeks prior to the start of the course. Applicants are not required to provide IELTS scores if they are pursuing the University Preparation Summer Program (UPSP) or Bridge Program at Drexel University.
University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as architecture, law, creative writing, agriculture, business, etc. Students seeking to enroll at University of Arkansas can apply for admission in two intakes: the Fall and the Spring, and the nonrefundable application fee costs 50 USD. Almost 18,800 applications are received for admission every year, and about 66% are accepted. Students enrolled in the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) at the University of Arkansas are not required to submit IELTS scores.
Read More: University of Arkansas
University of Dayton
US News & World Report ranked University of Dayton #37 among Best Value Schools. The university offers 80+ UG programs, 50+ PG programs and 12+ doctoral programs through its five academic departments. Admissions to the University of Dayton are available for three semesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer. The deadline to apply for the upcoming Fall semester is July 15, 2022, for both undergraduate and graduate programs. If students are attending the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) at the university, they are exempted from the IELTS requirement.
Read More: University of Dayton
University of New Orleans
The University of New Orleans (UNO) admits students from 140+ countries each year to its bachelor's and master's programs. This university follows a semester-based academic calendar and accepts applications during Fall, Spring, and Summer intakes. The entire application process for UNO is conducted online, with students completing an application form and submitting a 20 USD application fee.
If students are enrolled in the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) at UNO, they do not have to provide IELTS scores. However, in the UNO IELP, students must have the following minimum scores:
- IGVR: 63+
- Writing: 70+
Read More: University of New Orleans
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware is ranked #301-350 by Times Higher Education 2021. There are 23,600 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the University of Delaware, and over 185,000 alumni worldwide. With an acceptance rate of 63%, the university is moderately selective for its admissions. For students pursuing the ELI (English Language for Internationals) program at the university, IELTS scores are not required.
Read More: University of Delaware
Auburn University, Alabama
Auburn University has an acceptance rate of 74%, making it a moderately selective university. There were 31,526 students enrolled in the university in 2021. Home to more 3000 international students, the university offers offers 200+ programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. To study without IELTS at Auburn University, students can attend the IELP program or take the TOEFL exam.
Read More: Auburn University, Alabama
University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida (UCF) offers admissions three times a year, in the Fall, Summer, and Spring semesters.Through its 13 colleges, UCF offers around 230 degree programs at the associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral levels. According to US News & World Report 2022, UCF is ranked #148 among National Universities. Admission to UCF is selective, with a 42.5% acceptance rate. Applicants seeking admission at UCF must provide TOEFL scores as an alternative to IELTS scores.
Read More: University of Central Florida
How to Study in USA without IELTS?
When considering studying in the USA without IELTS, students should follow a structured approach that involves a lot of background research and compilation of information. Students can follow the steps below on how to study in the USA without IELTS:
- Shortlist Universities and Apply Online
- Personal Interview: Video Call
- Pay the Tuition Fees
- Apply for US Student Visa
Shortlist Universities and Apply Online
The first thing that student must do is conduct thorough research on all the universities and programs they want to apply to without an IELTS score. All the admission requirements and information on rankings will be found on the respective websites of the various universities. Students will have to do their applications online for the most part.
Personal Interview: Video Call
Once a university has shortlisted a student, they will be asked to appear for an interview. The interview will take place online via video calls through apps such as Zoom or Skype.
Pay the Tuition Fees
If a student receives an acceptance letter from the university, they will then have to pay the particular program's requisite fees.
Apply for US Student Visa
Once a student has paid the fees, and the admission has been confirmed, the next step for the student will be to apply for a US student visa. In the next section, you will learn what documents you required to apply for a US student visa without IELTS.
Documents Required for US Student Visa
For international students, IELTS scores are exempted if they either have an international baccalaureate, have completed their studies in the English language, or come from an English-speaking country. For other international students, unless they have selected a high ranking university, they will be required to answer some queries in the visa interview. Furthermore, these students will have to submit the following documents:
- A valid passport
- Recent passport size photograph
- Confirmation page of DS-160
- Form I -20
- Payment of application fees for SEVIS
- Acceptance letter from the university
- Proof of funds equal to the cost of the program
- Proof of accommodation
- CV
- Original transcripts of marks
- Health insurance
Eligibility Criteria to Study in USA without IELTS
Certain criteria will enable students to study without an IELTS score in the USA. The criteria are as follows:
- If a student lives in an English speaking country and their first language is English
- If the student has previously completed some academic study in the USA for one year.
- For students applying to Intensive English Learning Programs (IELP) offered by some universities, an IELTS requirement can be waived.
- Just like IELPs, students pursuing summer programs in the USA are exempted from producing IELTS scores.
- Students opting for bridge courses offered by some universities are exempted from producing IELTS scores.
- For some universities, applicants who have completed their higher secondary education or undergraduate degree in the English language need not present IELTS scores.
How many IELTS Bands are Required for USA Universities?
For most universities in the USA, the minimum band score requirements are between 6.0 and 7.5 (and above). Some universities accept band scores between 5.5 and 6.0 as well. The list of universities accepting the various band scores are as follows:
| University | IELTS Band Score for Graduate Programs |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 7.0 |
| Harvard University | 7.0 |
| Yale University | 7.0 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 7.5 |
| Northwestern University | 7.5 |
| New York University | 7.5 |
| University of Texas, Austin | 6.5 |
| University of Southern California | 6.5 |
| University of Minnesota | 6.5 |
| Abilene Christian University | 6.0 |
| Texas A&M University | 6.0 |
| California University of Pennsylvania | 6.0 |
| Dakota State University | 6.0 |
| New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) | 6.0 |
| California State University, Los Angeles | 6.0 |
| California State University, Dominguez Hills | 5.5 |
| North Dakota State University | 5.5 |
| Old Dominion University | 5.5 |
| Southern Arkansas University | 5.5 |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | 5.5 |
| University of Mississippi | 5.5 |
What are ESL Courses?
It is also possible to study in the USA without IELTS by taking an English as Second Language (ESL) course. Similar to IELP, ESL courses are created for non-native speakers of the English language. Aspects such as pronunciation, grammar, spelling, and vocabulary are covered in these courses. These courses help students meet their English language proficiency requirements faster and offer an alternative to IELTS. However, you should check with your preferred university whether they accept ESL courses or not.
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