English proficiency requirement? E.g. nyu, bu, etc

[MrDiaz]

I am a student in Singapore who is taking English as a first language (LANG LIT) in the IB diploma and most colleges says that “if you are an international student, you need to show english proficiency by toefl or ielts”. I am fluent in english and my english is way better than my native language (korean)…do i still have to do the english proficiency test?

[skieurope]

Ask your target colleges. Each college sets its own requirements for TOEFL, so there is not blanket answer. In general, if the language of instruction in the high school is English, then TOEFL is not needed. But again, there are exceptions, so check.

[Groundwork2022]

You have to check the requirements of each college individually, but I believe most of them are going to require it. Despite the minimum score the college requires, you want >105 in order to be most competitive, and it sounds like that isn’t going to be a problem!

[skieurope]

Despite the minimum score the college requires, you want >105 in order to be most competitive

I disagree with this. If the college requires a certain score (100 seems to be the most common) this is an example where higher ≠ better. The TOEFL is, IMO, like the written test for a drivers license - it only matters if you pass. If a cop stops you, s/he won;t care if you passed with a 100 or with an 85; you’re still getting a ticket.

Anyway, here are examples of what colleges say:
NYU:

Exemption will be given in the following circumstances:

• If your native language is English;
• If you have been studying in a school or college/university where the sole language of instruction is English for at least 3 full year at the time of your application; or
• If your education has been completed entirely in schools/colleges/universities where the language of instruction is English.

https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/high-school-programs/precollege/apply/international-students.html

BU:

If your first language or the primary language spoken in your home is not English, you must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). However, an applicant may request an English proficiency waiver.

http://www.bu.edu/admissions/apply/international/

So in these cases, TOEFL would probably not be needed for the OP, but other colleges might have different rules.