Application Tips

Study Abroad Without IELTS: 7 Countries That Welcome African Students in 2026

Seven destinations where African applicants legally skip IELTS and TOEFL — the rules, the alternative proofs (MOI letter, Duolingo, in-house tests) and the scholarship pools each country offers.

By Scholarships for Africans EditorialMay 18, 202611 min read

A world map with passport and a red pencil crossing through an English test prep book

The single most expensive piece of paper in African student migration is not the visa fee or the application charge. It is the IELTS test slip — $245, sometimes more than a month's rent in Nairobi or Lagos. And in 2026, you may not even need it.

This is a country-by-country map of where African students legally skip IELTS, what to send instead, and the scholarship pool waiting at each destination. For a fuller treatment of waivers themselves, our older post on scholarships without IELTS or TOEFL covers the document templates.

1. Germany — MOI letter, no IELTS for most English master's

Most German universities accept a Medium of Instruction letter for English-taught programmes. RWTH Aachen, TU Munich and the Hertie School do this routinely. Fully funded scholarships to study in Germany — DAAD, Heinrich Böll, Konrad-Adenauer — all accept MOI letters from African universities.

2. France — francophone or English-taught, your choice

Sciences Po, HEC Paris, EM Lyon and ESCP all accept TOEIC, Cambridge Advanced, or the DET in place of IELTS. For francophone applicants from Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin and Burkina Faso, French-taught programmes skip English testing altogether. See our France scholarships hub.

3. The Netherlands — Anglophone country, lenient rules

Dutch universities (Wageningen, TU Delft, Leiden, Utrecht) accept MOI letters from English-taught African undergraduate programmes, plus Cambridge English C1 Advanced. Browse open awards on our Netherlands scholarships for African students hub.

4. Malaysia — MUET or in-house English tests

Public universities (UM, USM, UPM) accept the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) or their in-house English placement. Living costs are among the lowest of any English-medium destination — around $500/month all-in in Kuala Lumpur.

5. South Korea — GKS uses TOPIK, not IELTS

The Global Korea Scholarship and most KAIST/SNU/Yonsei programmes care about Korean (TOPIK) for the funded language year, not English. African applicants regularly enter with zero Korean and a basic MOI letter. Full breakdown in our Korea GKS scholarship guide.

6. China — CSC accepts MOI or in-house testing

The Chinese Government Scholarship accepts MOI letters and most universities (Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, Zhejiang) run their own English interview. Our CSC scholarship guide walks through the exact wording reviewers want to see.

7. Türkiye — Türkiye Bursları accepts MOI plus the YÖS

The YTB scholarship asks for an MOI letter and the Turkish Foreign Student Exam (YÖS) for undergraduates. The mandatory Turkish prep year is free. See our Türkiye scholarships guide.

How to actually request the waiver

Email the programme admissions office — not generic admissions — three to four months before deadline. Use this opening line: "Per [University] policy on Medium of Instruction, I am writing to confirm whether a signed MOI letter from [my undergraduate institution] would substitute for the IELTS requirement for [Programme] entry [Year]." A polite, specific email gets answered. A generic one does not.

Frequently asked questions

Is an MOI letter enough to skip IELTS?

Often, yes. A Medium of Instruction letter from your undergraduate institution stating your degree was taught entirely in English is accepted by 70%+ of universities in Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Canada and Australia. Always confirm with the specific programme office in writing before applying.

Which language test is cheapest if I do need one?

The Duolingo English Test ($65) is one-third the cost of IELTS ($245) and now accepted at 5,500+ institutions including most US, UK, Canadian and Irish universities. Pearson PTE Academic ($210) is the fastest with results in 48 hours.

Will skipping IELTS hurt my scholarship chances?

No — selection panels evaluate academic merit and motivation, not test format. Chevening, DAAD and Mastercard Foundation explicitly accept MOI letters from African universities. Where IELTS is required (visa or programme rule), the funder usually reimburses the cost after you win.

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