For a prospective international graduate student, standardized tests are among the toughest U.S. university admissions hurdles.
But U.S. graduate schools have varying policies, and some allow international applicants to bypass exams like the TOEFL and GRE, depending upon the school and program. Experts suggest students carefully research schools for their policies on these tests.
[Learn more about graduate school entrance exams.]
— English proficiency tests: Prospective international students concerned about English language proficiency test scores have options.
For example, the University of Delaware‘s English Language Institute has the Conditional Admissions Program for graduate students who are otherwise admissible except for English proficiency. Students can first enroll in CAP to build their skills before beginning their graduate program, without needing a score on the IELTS or TOEFL, the two common standardized English proficiency tests.
Nancy Svenson, associate vice president for enrollment, graduate and professional enrollment at the University of Redlands in California, says while nearly all international students whose first language is not English need to submit a TOEFL score, there are a few exceptions.
“International applicants who completed their undergraduate degree in English may request to have the TOEFL waived, as well as applicants who have an in-person interview with an admissions counselor or faculty,” Svenson says.
At West Texas A&M University, applicants who are citizens of the countries listed on the school’s website, such as Ghana, Liberia and Commonwealth Caribbean countries, are exempt from the English proficiency requirement. The university also has an Academic English Pathway Program on campus for students who do not meet the TOEFL or IELTS requirements.
“We will also consider other waivers of the English proficiency requirement on a case-by-case basis,” says Giselle Alvarado, associate director of international student services at West Texas A&M.
Lidia Kos, associate dean of the University Graduate School at Florida International University, says the school is “in the process of changing our policy regarding the TOEFL to offer other options for an applicant to demonstrate her/his competency in English.”
[Learn what conditional admission means at a U.S. graduate school.]
— GRE: Several U.S. universities have programs that do not require the GRE, the graduate school entry exam that tests verbal, quantitative reasoning and writing skills. Examples include the M.S. in computer science at Purdue University–West Lafayette and master’s degree programs at the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering.
“DePaul offers over 175 graduate degree programs, many of which do not require the GRE or GMAT exam,” says Suzanne Depeder, associate vice president, graduate and adult admission in the enrollment management and marketing division of DePaul University in Chicago.
Depeder says in certain circumstances, based on the applicant’s background, a prospective student may be eligible to apply for a GRE waiver, such as for work experience or having U.S. degrees.
Paul Vanderburgh, associate provost for graduate academic affairs at the University of Dayton in Ohio, says most of the school’s 60 master’s programs do not require the GRE or GMAT.
He says the school looks at multiple factors when evaluating applications, such as cumulative GPA, the path a student’s GPA takes, GPA in key courses, time since the candidate earned an undergraduate degree, letters of recommendation and the personal statement.
Vanderburgh says these rigorous admissions requirements “help to ensure quality without adding another hurdle for international students.”
Indian national Swahnika Aitharaju, a computer science graduate student at Dayton, says she earned an average score on the GRE. She says she appreciates that the school gives “importance to undergrad grades and other accomplishments by students rather than accepting students based on GRE.”
Kos says some master’s programs at Florida International don’t require the GRE. She says students can search for these, such as the M.S. in environmental engineering, in the online catalog.
[See more tips for international students applying to popular U.S. grad programs.]
— GMAT: Students seeking an MBA typically take the GMAT or GRE. Some universities that do not require the GMAT for their MBA programs include the University of Dallas Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business, Ohio University‘s professional MBA program and the University of Redlands MBA program.
Jigar Trivedi, who graduated from law school in India, says he took the GRE twice but had little time to properly prepare for the test due to his busy schedule. So the University of Redlands was a good option for him — he’s now an international student pursuing an MBA with a global business emphasis.
“They evaluated my credentials based on my transcripts, resume and essay. Fortunately, I got admitted, and I really wanted to study here in this university,” Trivedi says.
Other universities like DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business and Golden Gate University in California, offer GMAT waivers based on factors like work experience or holding professional degrees from U.S. universities.
Similarly, Kos says master’s programs at Florida International’s business school require the GMAT but “they do waive it in some cases when the applicant has more than four years of work experience in the appropriate field.”
Trivedi suggests prospective international students weigh all of their options, including universities that don’t require standardized tests and look instead at GPA, work experience and other criteria.
“Merely a few hours of testing will not decide your future goals and neither should demotivate you,” Trivedi says. “Aptitude tests are part of applications but not the decision maker of your career.”
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Bypass TOEFL, GRE, GMAT to Attend U.S. Graduate Schools originally appeared on usnews.com
