Do I need to take a TOEFL (IELTS, Duolingo, etc.) test to study in the US (or Canada, or UK, or other county with an English-speaking program)?
Well, the answer to that very long question is relatively short: It depends. The truth is, it is complicated. The answer can vary widely by school and student circumstance. There may be literature available to you on a school’s website, or you may discuss this with the admission’s office or a representative at a visit or a fair. Typically, if English is not your first language, you will need a test. However, even if it is, if your passport is from a country where English is not the primary language, you may need a test. The complications only increase from here. What is accepted? The tests accepted at a university will vary. By far, the two most popular tests for this purpose are the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). While the tests have some similarities, they also differ in length, cost, and format. Consider that schools may have a preference between these exams and may not accept both. Furthermore, they may specify the difference between the paper-based vs. the internet-based versions of the TOEFL or the Academic vs. General forms of the IELTS. And if that was not enough of a conundrum, you must ensure that your chosen test will meet the requirements of the visa you will need to study in a particular country. There are other tests which are becoming more popular and are being adopted by schools, such as Duolingo, but it is unlikely all schools on your list will, and you need to consider visas. What are exceptions? There are often exceptions to the testing requirements which means if you can show proficiency in other ways, the school may waive the requirement of the TOEFL/IELTS. The SAT, AP, IB, and years of study in an English-speaking school are all ways that schools consider waiving the language-proficiency test. Again, the rules differ by each institution. To understand how these exceptions can vary widely, please look at MSU, UChicago, and Berkeley in the US, and U Toronto, Waterloo, and McGill in Canada. How to prepare? It is not necessary to have a tutor or pay for a structured class to prep for the test. In most cases, students at a school like ours have more than enough exposure and practice in classes to do well on these exams. Of course, this is a measure in which the student must score well enough to gain admission and get a visa, so it is worth preparing. Both of the major tests provide literature about the test and sample questions for practice. It would be recommended a student become familiar with the format of the exam and the types of questions they will encounter. Over preparing for this exam is not advised, and preparation at the expense of school coursework is risky. Find balance in preparation and the on-going required work of normal schooling. Will it help with admissions? People sometimes are under the impression that a higher English score will help them in admissions. They assume higher scores will be advantageous to their application. However, feedback is to the contrary. If a student has a score that the university deems acceptable for the level required to study at the university, it matters not. There are a wide range of language abilities on many campuses. Here is what the University of Toronto had to say about the use of English tests as a component of selective admissions: The short answer is “no, a higher grade or score on an English Proficiency Test (EPT) does not provide an admissions advantage”. Of course that short response won’t suffice so here is the reasoning behind it, because as you noted, logic might lead to the opposite conclusion. Our admissions team sets the English Language Requirement for the purpose of ensuring a student from any discipline can easily function in an “Academic English” environment. Students should be able to read and digest academic English as well as communicate effectively in both spoken and written formats. The EPT requirements do not exist as a litmus test for writing quality, meaning they are not looking for students to be the “next great” novelist, speech writer, or poet. In short, any score above the minimum may be indicative of a student with a stronger grasp of the nuances of the language but the measure exists to ensure they can operate in an English-speaking institution rather than compose prose etc. Of course, one might argue that for the majority of programs this is well and good but what about English Language programs, literature studies or those programs that rely heavily on essays? Even in these cases the position of the university is that our writing clinics and in class work exists to improve a student’s writing should it be required. In Summary and some considerations: English-language proficiency exams are likely to be required for study in many English-speaking countries or universities that offer English-speaking programs. There are exceptions to the testing, but they vary widely from school to school, and a test may ultimately be required for a visa. It comes down to this: I strongly recommend taking and submitting an English-language proficiency test. Here is why: Every year I have more than one student who does not submit a test because they meet the exceptions. However, one of two things always happens. First, the portal that the student applies through shows the language requirement as missing well after application. The student follows up on multiple occasions to clear this issue, sometimes with the decision being delayed as a result. And second, even though all these exclusions are listed, schools can and do come back and say, “We want to see the test.” It is difficult to scramble and take one at the last minute. I tell my students, “You will do fine on this. Take it, send it in, and never worry about having to follow up or fight the school on your exception.” I hope this provides some clarity around English language proficiency testing.
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AuthorOlder blog posts were for the UCLA Ext course "Using the Internet for College Counseling" Archives
February 2023
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