Do you want to study in the United Kingdom but worry about the IELTS? Have you appeared for the IELTS and have a lower band score? Do you want to bypass the pain of taking consecutive IELTS exams to score the required mark before applying to a college or university in the UK? The questions mentioned above are common to many students. If you are one of them, you have come to the best spot on the internet to get your answers. Keep on reading to know more about ”how you can study in UK without IELTS” and other details like top universities/ colleges in the UK without IELTS, BSc, MSc Nursing, MBA in UK without IELTS, the benefits of studying in the UK, the application process, required documents and other information.
Can I study in the UK without IELTS?
The answer to this question is ”YES”. You can pursue your higher education in the United Kingdom without appearing for IELTS. Various universities and colleges in the UK accept international students without IELTS. These universities and colleges use other methods to assess students’ English competency, which we will discuss further in the article. More than that, other entrance exams are much easier than IELTS and are accepted by top colleges and universities in the UK and worldwide.
Some IELTS coaching centers that demand a huge amount of money to prepare for IELTS may tell you that there is no possible way to get into the universities and colleges of the UK without appearing for IELTS. This is wrong and they do this to inflict fear among aspiring students to increase their revenue. Don’t fall into their traps. So, don’t worry about IELTS as higher educational institutions in the UK offer various other assessments.
What is IELTS?
If you are looking to study in a foreign country, especially the UK, you might have come across the term ”IELTS”. If you don’t know about it, IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an English entrance exam that tests the English competency of candidates.
It is available to take four times a month, i.e., 48 times a year. It can be taken as many times as students want and cost around USD 250 for one exam. Universities and colleges widely accept it worldwide to quantify the abilities of students in English. The duration is 165 minutes, and the following skills are tested:
- Reading.
- Writing.
- Listening.
- Speaking.
Recently, because of the ongoing pandemic situation and other developments, many colleges and universities in the UK have decided to assess the competency of English of candidates.
Why Study in the UK?
Check out some of the benefits of pursuing your higher education in the UK mentioned below:
- Quality of Higher Studies–Higher education offered in the UK is among the best in the world. Its quality is ranked quite high in global rankings for education, where England is ranked highest among the four nations of the UK. The colleges and universities in the UK use an advanced methodology of learning, and they keep on updating their curriculum to include cutting-edge topics for learning.
- International Recognition – The international recognition of higher educational degrees obtained from the UK is the best in the world. Almost all the international higher education agencies recognize degrees awarded in the UK. This means that the degrees are valid in all the corners of the world. You will also get access to various experts in the field of academics and industry experts.
- The Value of the Degree – The degrees obtained from the UK have an immense value worldwide. You can easily get good jobs with a good salary anywhere globally with a degree obtained from the UK.
- Career Prospects – In addition to the immense value of the degree are the career prospects offered to fresh graduates in the UK. You will be offered various positions and jobs paying you top-dollar in the UK itself and various other developed nations.
- International Relations – Along with local UK students, thousands of international students arrive in the UK to pursue higher studies. While you pursue your degree, you will get the chance to build international relations with classmates from various countries. The networking and relations will help you in various prospects.
- Standard of Living – The UK standard is good, and you will surely enjoy your time while you pursue your higher education in the UK.
UK Student Visa without IELTS
You might think that IELTS is required to obtain a student’s visa to pursue your higher education in the UK. That is certainly not the case. If you get admitted to a college or university that requires IELTS, you will have to submit the IELTS scorecard to the British Embassy.
If a college or university selects you without IELTS, you don’t have to submit anything related to IELTS to the British Embassy. You will get your student’s visa based on the “Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies” (CAS) issued by the higher educational institution of the UK. Anyway, all the other required documents have to be mandatorily submitted along with the application for a student’s visa.
How Can you study in the UK without IELTS?
If you fall under one of the categories mentioned below, you will be accepted without IELTS. The primary medium of instruction in your school/ college was English. You have always studied in an English-medium school and college in India, and you will be accepted by many universities and colleges in the UK without IELTS. As most schools in India are English-medium, this criterion becomes very helpful for students who want to pursue higher studies in the UK.
You will have to submit supporting documents, and you will also need to submit a letter obtained from your school mentioning that it is affiliated with English-medium.
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- You have appeared for English as a major subject in Class 10 and Class 12 Boards.
Many universities and colleges in the UK consider your average English score in Class 10 and Class 12 to be the basis of English competency. Often universities and colleges have their conversion system to check the equivalent IELTS score based on your average score in English in Class 10 and Class 12.
One such university is the Queen Mary University of London, which has the following conversion chart for Indian students:
Average % in English in Class 10 & 12 and its equivalent IELTS score:
- 60% – 6.0.
- 70% – 6.5.
- 80% – 7.0.
To obtain admission under this category, you should have a good score in English, i.e., at least 70%.
- Interview at the University/ College
Interviews are conducted at many universities and colleges to test the knowledge and skills of English. You will have to sit through some interviews where the university will test your abilities in English, and if you clear all the sessions, you will be exempted from IELTS.
- Pre-sessional English Course at the University/ College
Some universities and colleges also offer pre-sessional English courses to help students to cope up with English. These sessions generally run for 3 to 6 months, and after you have completed it, you will not have to sit for IELTS.
- Other English Entrance Exams
You can also sit for other English entrance tests that are easier than IELTS. Some of them are mentioned below:
- TOEFL.
- Integrated Skills in English (ISE).
- Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE).
- PTE Academic.
- Duolingo English Test.
These tests are also widely accepted by the universities and colleges located in the UK.
(Note: It is highly recommended over here that you check the eligibility requirements from the website of the university/ college to understand which of the eligibility mentioned above criteria are valid for that university/ college.)
Duolingo English Test – Take the exam at your home.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students could not travel to examination centres to sit for entrance tests. So, universities started accepting the Duolingo English Test as an official test of English competency.
You can appear for this exam from your home at any time. Its duration is 60 minutes, and you can take it as many times as you need to get a good score. The result is declared in only two days which is a plus point. It costs USD 49, which is quite cheap.
So, it is a good alternative for IELTS. Some of the colleges accepting the Duolingo English Test are mentioned below:
- Brunel University London.
- Imperial College London.
- Kingston University London.
- London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
- The Queen Mary University of London.
- University College London (UCL).
- The University of the West of Scotland.
- Leeds Beckett University.
Top Universities/ Colleges in UK accepting students without IELTS
- The University of Warwick.
- Birmingham City University.
- The University of Bristol.
- London Southbank University.
- Northumbria University.
- The University of Bolton.
- The University of Northampton.
- The University of Plymouth.
- Portsmouth University.
- Aston University.
Required Documents to Study in the UK without IELTS
- Result of Class 10 &Class 12 (Plus 2).
- Result of Bachelor’s Degree (If you are applying for a Master’s Degree).
- Answer-scripts of English examinations at your school/ college level.
- Academic Recommendation Letter.
- Valid Passport.
- Health Certificate.
- Vaccination Certificate of COVID-19.
- Passport size photographs.
- Proof of family income.
- Proof of Indian citizenship.
- Any other certificates/ diplomas (Required by the university/ college).
Application Procedure
- Step 1 – Go to the official website of the university/ college. Be sure that you fulfill the eligibility requirements.
- Step 2 – Fill the application form and make sure all the required valid documents are attached.
- Step 3 – If the university/ college require you to cover any extra certification or course, complete it within the required time.
- Step 4 – If you make it to the university/ college, you will receive a ”Letter of Invitation” or “Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies”.
- Step 5 – Make sure that you accept it. Once accepted, contact the nearest Embassy to complete your visa formalities.
- Step 6 – Based on your ”Letter of Invitation” or “Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies”, you will be granted a student’s visa.
- Step 7 – Pay the admission fee and fly to the UK.
Study in the UK without IELTS FAQ
- Can I study in the UK without IELTS?
Yes, you can study in the UK without IELTS. - Do good universities in the UK accept students without IELTS?
Yes, many of the top universities and colleges in the UK admit students without IELTS. - Can I get admission in the UK if I have an IELTS score of 4.0?
Yes, various universities and colleges in the UK offer alternative eligibility criteria for students with a low IELTS score.
In conclusion, there are several reasons why a person can study in Canada even without IELTS. First, it will help you secure a better job by increasing your employability chances. Second, it will increase your knowledge and proficiency in a particular field and will be helpful for your future caree. All the best for a UK Student Visa without IELTS.
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