Can I Study in Canada Without IELTS?
This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions I get, “Can I study in Canada without IELTS?” The answer is not a simple yes or no. I know, I have left your confused, haven’t I? So, that is the answer? Do you need IELTS or not?
What Are English Language Admission Requirements?
Do you need IELTS for admission? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Some Canadian universities and colleges will admit you on grades from O Level English, AP English or IB English. Other universities and colleges require IELTS or another English Language Proficiency exam results. Some countries have language test exemptions. But these are countries where English is the official language. So if your country isn’t on the list, you are out of luck. Graduates from certain universities may be exempt from writing IELTS or another English language test. Pakistani graduates from some of the national universities might be exempt. It is always advisable to check the universities website for ELP requirements.
If you are applying to multiple universities, it is advisable to do IELTS. Even if you qualify for some universities based on your curriculum like AP, IB or O/A levels, you won’t for all. IELTS results are accepted by all Canadian institutions. If you are a Canadian citizen studying in a foreign country like Pakistan, you may need an IELTS score, even if your command of English is excellent.
Scholarships without IELTS?
If you have searched the Internet about scholarships in Canada, you have probably come across this headline “Canada Scholarships without IELTS/Fully Funded”. That kind of headline grabs your attention. But is it true? Well, the truth of the matter is if you can get admission without IELTS, you can get a scholarship without IELTS. If you need IELTS for admission, then you need IELTS for the scholarship. IELTS is irrelevant for scholarship consideration. But it is relevant for admission. So, the headline is rather misleading.
Study Permits and IELTS
After this, the question you might want to ask, “Do I need IELTS for my student visa if I got admission to university without it?” If you are applying through the SDS Fast Track route, the answer is YES! If you are applying through the regular way, you might get away with no IELTS by referring the government to the website that shows how you have met the university’s requirement. But that is kind of “dicey”. Some immigration officers will accept it and others will not. So the safest thing you can do is write your IELTS exam either before admission to university or after you receive the admission offer. You need it for your Canadian study permit. You will need to write Academic IELTS with an overall band of 6.5 with no band less than 6.
And the Canadian government is partial to IELTS. They don’t accept all other English language exams.
Should you write IELTS if you want to study in Canada? That depends. What does the university require? What curriculum have you studied under? What were your marks like? But the Canadian government likes IELTS so at sometime or other you need to write it. Based on the institution you are applying to, the real question becomes, “Do I write the exam before I apply for admission or after I receive an admission offer?” That is the bottom line.