<p>I have citizenships in an Asian country and an English speaking country, but for the past 8 years, I've been living in Asia. And of the two languages I know, I would consider English my mother tongue. In this case, do I still need to take the TOEFL? Even though I'm a native English speaker?</p>
<p>This is a question you need to ask each school.
It will probably depend on what the language of instruction is at the school you currently attend. Because academic English is different from “daily” English, if your school isn’t entirely in English, you would likely have to prove you can understand lectures in English, write papers, comment on textbooks… ie, what the TOEFL tests. If this were the case, in my opinion, since English is your first language that would likely be easy but it’d still need to be certified if your usual practice is with your parents.</p>
<p>Each college and university sets its own policy about the TOEFL/IELTS/other English proficiency examinations. You really do have to read each website separately. If you cannot find the information, contact the international admissions officer directly, and ask.</p>
<p>As mentioned above, there are significant differences between Academic English and everyday communication in English. Do not be surprised if you are required to take an ESL course specifically designed to bring you up to speed on reading and writing Academic English. Lots of native speakers find themselves in similar classes as well.</p>