Hii. So I live in India and I’m completely fluent in English since it’s my first language and the language that I speak and understand the best. My school’s medium of instruction has always been English and I’ve studied in a British school in China as well as a public school in the US. Moreover, I’m doing English A Literature at HL in the IB diploma. Stanford is most probably the school I’m applying to EA (I’m a junior atm so I’m not a 100% sure right now).
Do I have to take the TOEFL or IELTS or any other English proficiency test? Please note that my medium of instruction in school has been English since kindergarten and I speak English at home with my parents. Thanks
TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language, which does not apply in your case. While every school seems to have unique requirements on TOEFL, I can’t imagine any college would require an applicant who has English as a first language and who will be graduating from a HS where English is the language of instruction to take it. Stanford certainly does not require it in your case (actually Stanford doesn’t require it at all.)
@skieurope - Yes, it is unlikely, but no it is not impossible. The TOEFL/IELTS/other English proficiency exam issue has to be addressed separately for every single college and university. I teach in an intensive ESL program on a university campus. Right now I have a student in my intermediate level class whose primary and secondary education was entirely in English language schools and whose primary home language is English. Yup, the universities the kid’s dad is interested in the kid applying to do require the TOEFL for students from that country, the kid didn’t do any prep, and missed the cutoff for the TOEFL iBT by about two points. Nice kid, lousy study habits, possibly a bit of ADHD, wiped out on our placement exam as well. Unless the kid pulls it together soon, the kid will need at least six more months to get through our program and be able to apply to universities here.
Take it! then take the SATs. I think it outrageous that some systems, including SUNY allow internationals to substitute TTOEFL for SATs/ACTs and then deny NY tax paying students entry to SUNY on the basis of SAT/ACTs when they’d nail the TOEFL! I know…My opinion-SUNY administration is corrupt- want the $$ from internationals even when the internationals cost NY tax payers. So take the TOEFL and if that is high enough, you may be able to opt out of SAT/ACT at some schools.
Take the damn test, regardless of how redundant it seems to you.
Only apply to universities that don't require TOEFL scores from applicants in your position. Most universities don't require TOEFL scores from applicants who self-identify as native speakers of English and/or have attended high schools where English was the primary language of instruction. However, a small number of universities have rigid TOEFL requirements for international applicants who did not grow up in the US, Canada, the UK or Australia.
If you go route 2, I recommend you first read the TOEFL policy stated on the admissions website and later contact each school to confirm that you are exempt from the TOEFL requirement. That’s to make sure that your application won’t be flagged as incomplete in their computer system due to missing TOEFL scores. You may want to wait until after you have submitted your main application, so that they have an active file for you.
^ No if you apply to American University. Pay attention to this phrase “where English is the native language”. English is NOT the native language in India and China.
I’m pretty sure that you don’t have to. I’m from Nepal and I took English B in IB and still wasn’t required to take any language tests. Talk to your guidance counselor so that they can write that you’re fluent in English in the recommendation letter.
