<p>English is not my first language, however, I have been in the US for 11 years. I did my high school, bachelors and masters in a US institution.</p>
<p>Im now applying to PhD programs (math). Some programs say on their website that if English is not your first language you need to submit a TOEFL score EXCEPT if you have a degree from a US institution in which case you would be exempt (my case). However, other programs dont say this and only have the part that if English is not your first language then you need it.</p>
<p>How does it work in general? Do you always get exempted if you have lived long in the country and have degrees from US institutions? I am also a US citizen (naturalized) if this matters.</p>
<p>I am a permanent resident whose whose first language is not English and a graduate student in mathematics. The only department I encountered that insisted on TOEFL scores was Stony Brook and I ended up not applying there.</p>
<p>Your situation is often addressed in the FAQ section or the program website if it’s not discussed under the general application requirements. If you can’t find it there either, call or email and ask.</p>
<p>A friend of mine is applying to Stony Brook (im not) and a while ago he emailed them to ask them this. They told him that if he has an undergrad degree from a US institution (which he does) then they will waive the TOEFL. I wonder why the discrepancy between your case and their answer to my friend. Could they have changed policy?</p>
<p>I was told that they <em>may or may not</em> waive the TOEFL - the decision would be made on a case-by-case basis after they have the rest of my application. I sincerely hope that the policy has changed because it was stupid and inconvenient for applicants.</p>
<p>I don’t know about math, but in biosciences most schools waive the Toefl requirement if you complete 2-4 years of study from English-speaking institutions of higher education.</p>