Scholarships in Canada without IELTS
You have read it before, getting scholarships in Canada without IELTS – Can it be true? Can international students get scholarships in Canada without IELTS? The answer is yes. So how does it work?
The first thing everyone needs to know is that admission comes before a scholarship. I get many inquiries asking about scholarships and scholarship programs, but really, it’s the program that needs to come first.
Scholarships Vs. Admission
Every scholarship is dependent on an admission application and offer. So, you cannot get a scholarship unless you apply for admission. That means the first thing you need to do is apply to a university or college.
Admission Requirements and IELTS
IELTS is the preferred English language exam for universities and colleges in Canada. Other exams are accepted such as TOEFL, Duolingo, PTE, etc. but IELTS is the overall preferred exam and it is also the only exam the Canadian government accepts for the SDS study permit application.
But not everyone needs to provide an IELTS score or other language test score for admission. There are many exceptions and other ways a student can meet the ELP requirements.
O/A level English marks – Many Canadian institutions will accept a B or better in O level English. Some will do down to a C in O level and a few ask for English at the AS or A2 level. Some ask just for the transcripts, but other institutions will also ask for a letter from the school stating that the student has been attending a school where English has been the language of instruction and examination for the last 3 or 5 years (depending on the university – some want 3 others up to 5 years).
IB English – English A is accepted as long as the student has a grade of 5 or better. If they have English B1, B2 with a grade of 6 or higher, then that too meets the ELP requirement. In all cases, the IB school must appear on the IB School List.
Advanced Placement (AP) English is also accepted if the student has a grade of 4 or better on the College Board examination.
6 credits of transferable university-level English Language and Literature completed at a post-secondary institution where English is the language of instruction – students need a grade of B+ to meet ELP requirements.
Exempted Universities & Countries - In some cases, if the student is going into Graduate Studies, then some universities and countries meet the exemption list.
There may be other ways a student may be exempt from providing IELTS or another exam score, but as you can see, sometimes IELTS is not a requirement for admission. Having said that, it is always important to check the university or college website to make sure that the institution you are interested in does or doesn’t require IELTS. It can vary from Canadian institution to institution.
Based on your academic transcripts and meeting the ELP requirement and any other required documents, you may be given an admission offer. Now it is time to consider you for a scholarship
Scholarship Requirements and IELTS
Scholarship consideration is based on several factors depending in the kind of scholarship the university or college offers.
Merit Scholarships – you are automatically considered for these scholarships based on your admission mark. Generally, the starting point for these scholarships is 85%. If you received an offer with or without IELTS, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is getting admission and having sufficient high school or university marks to warrant a scholarship.
Application-Based Scholarships – students need to apply for these scholarships as they are offered based on a student’s academic grades and extracurricular activities, essays and reference letters from a school administrator or counsellor. IELTS scores are not a requirement for these scholarships as any need for IELTS is handled at the admission level. These scholarships do not use IELTS to decide on whether a student gets the scholarship or not. Remember ELP requirements are dealt with at the admission point.
So, the bottom-line is having or not having IELTS has nothing to do with getting a scholarship. But meeting ELP requirements either through IELTS or previous learning is an admission requirement.
To understand more about admission and scholarships make sure to contact us today to get all the information you need to decide which is the best university or college for you.