<p>I'm an international applicant (passport is indian, living in the UAE), and at my high school the first language is English. Everything around here is pretty much in English, and it's my first language (i.e. that's the language I think in and the language I'm most comfortable with).</p>
<p>I did the SAT and got a 740 on CR (680 in writing, but I heard that would be blacked out) and I have an A (max grade) in GCE O level English (plus an A* in IGCSE O level English Lit. if that means anything)..</p>
<p>With all that, do I still have to do the TOEFL? Or should everything else make up for it? </p>
<p>I wouldn't mind doing the TOEFL, but I don't have a lot of free time. So...yeah...</p>
<p>I find this ambiguous because English is officially a “recognized regional language” in the UAE. On the other hand, the countries they mentioned as examples all recognize English fully as an “official language”, not simply as a “recognized regional language.” It would seem to me therefore, that you would have to take an English competency test, as redundant as it may seem.</p>
<p>This is a call-the-admissions-office question.</p>
<p>It’s hard to believe that someone who attends an English-language school, comes from a country where English is widely spoken, has English as his or her first language, and has an SAT verbal score over 700 would have to take the TOEFL. There is a little wiggle room in the policy, the key being your statement that English is your first language. But I wouldn’t rely on any tricksy interpretation of it without a clear indication, in writing (e-mail) from admissions that it’s OK.</p>
<p>Don’t be embarassed. This is a perfectly legitimate question. That’s why they have people there. Call or e-mail as soon as possible so you will have time to register and take the TOEFL if you have to.</p>
<p>You can still double-check with some more admissions staff but AFAIK you are not exempt from taking the TOEFL.</p>
<p>According to the language of the Office of International Affairs at UChicago:</p>
<p>“Who must take the TOEFL/IELTS? Everyone who is an international student, has not studied for at least one academic year within the last five years in a school in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or an English-medium university in Canada or South Africa, must take the TOEFL or IELTS.” </p>
<p>Regarding exceptions the language is that “Students who studied in English in other countries, for example, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc., are not exempt from the English language requirement.”</p>
<p>Since it is a little absurd, considering that English is your first language, go ahead and shoot the admissions staff an e-mail about it anyway.</p>
<p>Wow, UChicagoPSAC, I just cited a source on UChicago’s website that directly counters what you just quoted about the UChicago policy. India, Pakistan, Singapore, and Hong Kong are all listed a countries that are exempted from the language requirement when a student attends a school where English is the language of instruction. </p>
<p>I didn’t mean to be. How so? The bold? I was just surprised that UChicago would post something on their website that apparently wasn’t their policy.</p>
<p>Contact your admissions rep. Introduce yourself! </p>
<p>This is a great question and one which I just researched for a student I am helping. Three of this person’s schools (Chicago is not on the list) require the TOEFL even though this he/she has studied in America for six years and has a 35 English, 34 Reading, 10 essay, 680 CR and 730 W. And English is this student’s third language!</p>
<p>Columbia exempts the TOEFL with a 650+ CR, Cornell with a 670 but “strongly encourages” students to take it anyway.</p>
<p>I just got a reply from the general question thing. They said that even though none of the tests would be a substitute for the TOEFL, I wouldn’t have to do it because English is the school’s first language, and they’d waive the TOEFL for that.</p>
<p>Just thought I’d put their reply in if anyone else looked this up.</p>
<p>Their exact words:</p>
<p>“Because you have been enrolled in an English curriculum, we would waive the TOEFL requirement for you. Your other scores and accomplishments would be noted, but they don’t need to “replace” the TOEFL because you are already exempt.”</p>
<ol>
<li><p>That’s great news. I’m not surprised.</p></li>
<li><p>I don’t know what signitblank’s problem is, but if I were working for the University of Chicago I would be very grateful to Ms. Kant for pointing out a rather glaring inconsistency in the way a policy of interest to thousands of potential applicants is presented.</p></li>
<li><p>I hope PSAC makes certain that the appropriate person knows about this. We now have three basically inconsistent statements about the policy.</p></li>
</ol>