Universities in USA offering graduate admission without TOEFL/IELTS score

For an international student, one of the toughest hurdles to overcome for admission in a good American university is the TOEFL or the IELTS exam. The TOEFL and IELTS are tests designed to determine the speaking, reading and listening skills of the student in the English language. A satisfactory score in these tests is the English language minimum entry requirement for admission into most universities in the USA.

Why does one need to find Universities offering graduate admission without TOEFL/IELTS score?

There are many international students from non-English speaking backgrounds who have had little training in the language and didn't possess the level of English proficiency to qualify the TOEFL or the IELTS tests. For these students, it will be tough to gain admission in an American university as many of the universities regard a TOEFL/IELTS score a mandatory requirement. So the question that international students struggle with is whether a TOEFL/IELTS score is necessary for admission in any university in the USA.

For these students, there are several universities in the USA that ease up on the minimum English language requirement so that eligible international students may enroll. In such universities, TOEFL/IELTS scores are not compulsory for admission. There are also some universities that exempt the students from producing a good TOEFL/IELTS score if they attended secondary school or/and graduate school with English as their medium of instruction, or if they completed few years of studies in an English speaking country. Some universities also grant admission to non-English speaking international students 'conditionally' i.e. only if they undertake the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) which is a university preparatory program that trains the international students and equips them with the essential English skills.

Please note: TOEFL/IELTS is highly recommended, it might help to get a student visa (for non-native English speakers).

Some of these universities that can help you get admission without you requiring an IELTS or TOEFL score are below.

• 1)Rice University: TOEFL and IELTS is not required if you received a degree in from a university or College where English is official language of communication. Check with specific departmental requirements.
• 2) California State University: The California State University is a public university system in California. For admission in this university, international students need not produce a TOEFL/IELTS score if they have attended secondary school or/and graduate school with English as their medium of instruction. There are also a few countries for whose students they have waived the minimum English requirement.
• 3) Drexel University: Drexel University is a private research university with campuses in Philadelphia and California. Drexel University has two conditional admission programs i.e. University Preparation Summer Program (UPREP) and Bridge Program for international students who don't meet the language requirement.
• 4) State University of New York: The State University of New York is a public university system in Albany, New York. The University grants admission to international students provided they undertake the Intensive English Language Program (IELP).
• 5) University of Iowa: The University of Iowa is a public research university based in Iowa City, Iowa. The University grants admission to students who are eligible but do not meet the English proficiency requirement.
• 6) University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas is a public research university located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Eligible international students need not produce TOEFL/IELTS scores; instead, they must undertake the Intensive English Language Program (IELP).
• 7) University of Dayton: The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic national research university based in Dayton, Ohio. The university grants conditional admission to international students who are eligible but do not meet the university's language requirement. They are required to undertake the Intensive English Language Program (IELP).
• 8) University of Delaware: The University of Delaware is a public university located in Delaware. The university will accept international students who are admissible except for English proficiency.
• 9) University of New Orleans: The University of New Orleans is a public urban university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, US. The University offers conditional admission for international students with secondary education or degrees from certain countries.

TOEFL and IELTS are quite important not only for admissions but to get a student visa. It also shows your language skills (which is quite important if you are planning to work/live in US).