For the longest time, international students have been mandated to write and pass English Language Proficiency Tests as a prerequisite for securing admissions in English speaking countries. This is especially true for students from countries where English is not the first language. The point of this is to ensure that these students have the ability to communicate, produce and understand academic materials in a foreign land.

While this is reasonable, it has become an arduous and expensive undertaking for students whose national official language is English like most Africans and who have carried out all previous academic activities in the same language. Requiring that these students write these tests is quite debatable. 

Students are required to write tests like the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and C2 Proficiency Exam.

These tests are expensive. For instance, IELTS costs $245-255. TOEFL costs about $190-200 and C2 costs €150-175. In addition to being expensive, IELTS and TOEFL, which are the most popularly demanded, are only valid for two years. Meaning you have to rewrite every two years! This coupled with other equally financially tasking application requirements has made these tests both unsustainable and plain unnecessary.

Following these, there has been a call for language test waivers for students who previously carried out academic activities in English and have proof to back these claims. The supporting documents that can be used as proof include: 

1. Completion of an accredited first undergraduate degree from an English-speaking institution

2. A high school diploma or transcript from an English-speaking school.

3. A waiver letter from an English speaking University.

Most schools have obliged to these waiver applications much to the delight of students. Scholarships Cafe founder, Dr. Olumuyiwa Igbalajobi has been at the forefront of actively applying to universities for English test waivers. Below is a list of schools that have waived these tests for Nigerians and other African students. This means, if you apply to these schools, you do not need to write an English test!

1. Almost all the universities in Canada 

2. University of Alberta

3. Athabasca University

4. University of Oregon

5.  University of Texas, Austin

6. Michigan Tech

7. Drew University

8. University of Alabama

9. University of New Orleans

10. University of Wisconsin-Madison

11. Northern Illinois University

12. Cleveland State University

13. University of Cincinnati

14. University of Houston

15. American University, DC

16. De Paul University

17. University of Missouri–Kansas City

18. University of Kansas

19. Florida International University

20. North Carolina State University  

21. Texas Tech University

22. University of Delaware

23. Wayne State University

24. University of Utah

25. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

26. Missouri University of Science and Technology

27. Oklahoma State University

28. University of Texas, Tyler

29. Texas A&M University

30. West Texas A&M University

31. Kent State University

32. Cornell University 

33. University of Minnesota

34. California State University

35. University of South Florida

36. Brown University 

37. University of Central Florida

38. University of San Francisco

39. Duke University 

40. University of Notre Dame

41. Boston University

42. University of Nevada, Las Vegas

43. George Mason University

44. Penn State University

45. Portland State University

46. North Arizona University

47. Brandeis University

48. Florida State University

49. Clemson University 

50. University of Arkansas at Little Rock 

51. University of Massachusetts Boston 

Below are universities that have waived the tests for only some English-speaking African countries like Nigeria and Ghana. However plans are underway to secure waivers for other African countries.

1.Loyola University

2.Clemson University- App fee waiver inclusive

3. University of Prince Edward Island

4. University of Dayton.

Thanks to the efforts and support of notable people in the academia like Dr Olumuyiwa and ed-tech companies like Scholarships Cafe, it is possible to lessen the burden that aspiring scholars have to bear on this journey. I am sure you are really delighted and grateful. We are rooting for you!