IELTS is an interesting English proficiency exam that checks the English level in different parameters. Of course, some international students find it difficult to acquire English skills in a faster manner, and they get a bit annoyed or frustrated while having fewer marks in their test report form. Although it is a very standard way to understand someone’s English level proficiency, yet it is also a little biased to judge someone only based on the IELTS proficiency exam and expect them to prove their understanding in all four modules, such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
If you are also one of the students who are willing to go abroad for further studies, have good grades in academics, have extraordinary curricular activities, have no backlogs, but are getting reluctant to appear for the IELTS exam, then you do not need to worry, as there are many top study destinations which do not require the IELTS exam. Of course, without appearing for IELTS, it not only saves your time but also your pocket, as you do not have to spend money on the test fee, plus it speeds up the application journey as well. Let’s understand the ways by which you can be exempted from IELTS or any other English proficiency exam.
- Medium of Instruction –- It is a very common practice done by students to get an exemption from the IELTS exam. Medium of instruction, or MOI, is a document that states the student has done prior education in the English language and the student is proficient in English. It is issued by the colleges, universities, and schools.
- University English Test – Many countries conduct their own free or paid English tests through which international students can be admitted to certain universities by appearing for the English test they conduct.
- Academic marks in the English subject – It is a very popular way for getting enrolled in universities abroad. The admission takes place on the basis of the academic marks of the students in grade XII or the undergraduate program of the English subject. For most of the programs, the requirement is 60% in English subjects, whereas for some programs it is 70%.
- Prior studies in English-speaking countries – The student can also get a waiver if he has pursued the last two years of education in any English-speaking country, such as Canada, Australia, the USA, etc.
- Pathway programs – International students who are not very proficient in the English language can enrol in pathway programs offered by some institutions, including Navitas, INTO, and Kaplan International. These pathway programs are known as foundation or pre-master’s programs in different study destinations.
Now let’s check the countries and universities that are taking international students without IELTS English proficiency exams.
Here are the Top 5 Countries without IELTS
1) United Kingdom
2) Finland
3) UAE
4) Germany
5) USA
1) United Kingdom
The UK is widely recognised for its oldest and most reputable institutions in the world, thanks to the relaunching of a two-year post-study work permit or graduate route visa in 2021. The international community are very much inclined towards the UK as a study destination because of lucrative scholarships, a variety of programs, and a widely recognised degree. It’s not only the quality of education that comes to mind for the UK, but also the country is known for lenient English language skills requirements. The international students can easily study in the UK without appearing for the IELTS exam.
Some UK Universities that accept international students without the IELTS Exam
- Coventry University
- Ravensbourne University
- Middlesex University
- Essex University
- University of Law
- London Metropolitan University
2) Finland
Finland, or the land of a thousand lakes, is known for its happy environment, excellent infrastructure, and clean environment. It is emerging as a study hub for international students because of its quality education, welcoming people, and a two-year post-study work permit. The main attraction, apart from the above-mentioned reasoning, is that Finland is very much spouse-friendly, which means you can also take your spouse along with you. Another best thing Finland offers IELTS waiver to students who are not eager to appear for the IELTS exam so let’s check out some of the Finnish universities that do not require the IELTS exam
- University of Eastern Finland
- Tampere University
- University of Turku
- Aalto University
- Vassa University
3) UAE
The UAE is pretty popular amongst Indian students, but recently other countries’ students are also aiming to study in the UAE because of affordable education, plus many top-notch universities have their campuses in the UAE, such as the University of Wollongong and the University of Birmingham. Middlesex University, Hult International Business School, University of West London, etc.
Dubai is a very good pathway for those international students who are not able to pursue their final journey in main study destinations such as Australia, the UK, the USA, etc. Since English is the second official language of the UAE after Arabic, it offers an IELTS waiver to international students. Let’s understand the universities that are giving entry without IELTS in the UAE.
Some UAE Universities that accept international students without the IELTS Exam
- Murdoch University, Dubai
- Middlesex University, Dubai
- De Montfort University, Dubai
- Regent College, Dubai
4) Germany
Germany has become the study centre for international students; as far as the latest data is concerned, in 2023-2024 Germany hosted more than 469,000 international students from across the globe. Of course, it has been tagged as an engineering hub, an easy permanent residency pathway, a post-study work permit and a no-tuition-fee approach. Germany provides free education not only to European countries but also to international students. Let’s check out some of the German universities that do not require IELTS exams.
- University of Kaiserslautern
- Free University of Berlin
- University of Bonn
- University of Heidelberg
- University of Siegen
- Macromedia University of Applied Sciences
5) USA
Interesting, right? Since the USA has English as its official language, it still gives opportunities to international students to pursue their further education on American soil without appearing for the IELTS exam. We all know that the USA is a superpower, whether it is Ivy League universities, research and innovation, a high standard of living, or all the big IT giants such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, and YouTube, which all belong to USA soil. Although the USA is getting a bit reluctant nowadays to take the immigrants under the Trump regime, we should not forget that it is the land of opportunities; even 36 universities found the spot in the top 100 tally of the QS World University Ranking in 2025, so it is a top-notch study destination when it comes to quality education and recognised degrees. Here are some of the USA universities that do not require the IELTS exam for further education.
- City University of Seattle
- Bay Atlantic University
- Central Michigan University
- University of Nevada
- Washington State University
- Westcliff University
Permanent residency through a study visa? Check out the best countries for International Students
Very informative article.
Thanks 🙂