4 scholarships for postgraduates with no IELTS or TOEFL

Pursuing your postgraduate studies overseas doesn’t come cheap. Apart from tuition fees, students also have to take into account living expenses, accommodation costs and others. Additional fees such as English proficiency tests only add to this. Typically, these come in the form of completing the IELTS and TOEFL. 

Fortunately, some international scholarships for postgraduates don’t require students to show proof of English proficiency with formal certifications. Instead, you may need to provide proof of your English proficiency through other means, such as by asking for an English proficiency report from your university.

Looking for alternative ways to fund your postgraduate studies without IELTS or TOEFL? Here are four fully-funded scholarships for postgraduates to consider: 

British Chevening Scholarships, UK

The Chevening Scholarship is among one of the most prestigious international scholarships that students can be awarded for their master’s. To qualify, students have to be enrolled at an accredited university in the UK and hail from a Chevening-eligible country. For more eligibility requirements, read here. 

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, taking required English tests have added an extra challenge for some students. As a result, the scholarship committee waived English proficiency requirements to better standardise scholarship applications. 

However, some universities may have their own conditions of entry separate from that of the Chevening application. The best thing to do is to check with your individual universities if they still expect proof of English test requirements.

Interested to learn more? Here are five things they don’t tell you about this competitive scholarship.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships, UK

Bill and Melinda Gates started a foundation in partnership with the University of Cambridge that provides students a fully-funded opportunity to study in the UK. Source: Ludovic Marin/AFP

Here’s another fully-funded scholarship awarded to students planning to pursue their master’s in the UK. Formally known as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Scholarship, the scholarship offers awardees financial and non-financial support at one of the world’s leading institutions: the University of Cambridge.

Do note that students taking the following courses are not eligible for the scholarship. These include: 

• Any Undergraduate degree, such as BA (undergraduate) or BA affiliated (a second BA)
• Business Doctorate (BusD)
• Master of Business (MBA)
• Master of Finance (MFin)
• MASt courses
• PGCE
• MBBChir Clinical Studies
• MD Doctor of Medicine degree (6 years, part-time, Home students only)
• Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
• Part-time degrees other than the PhD
• Non-degree courses

Check here for instructions on how to apply. 

SIIT University Scholarships, Thailand

The Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT) Scholarship is a fully-funded scholarship open to all international students. There are also no application fees required.

This international scholarship was designed to attract the brightest talents in engineering and information technology to enhance the industrial development of Thailand. Awardees will also be greatly exposed to Thai culture as the scholarship makes it mandatory for students to stay in the on-campus dorms. 

The validity of the scholarship for master’s students is two years while PhD candidates are covered for three years. What’s more, students can show proof of their English proficiency in more accessible English test formats such as Duolingo or the Cambridge English test.

Click here for more admission details. 

Hokkaido University Scholarships, Japan

Hokkaido is home to exciting festivals with creative installations, including the annual Sapporo Snow Festival, pictured here. Source: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP

Ranked sixth in Japan University Rankings 2022 and 10th for Impact Rankings 2022, Hokkaido University has 34 faculties, which include law, medicine and economics and business administration. The university is located in Sapporo, one of the four biggest cities in Japan. It is a metropolis surrounded by lush nature, providing students a blend of both the city life and nature.

This Japanese scholarship does not require students to show proof of IELTS or TOEFL. Instead, an English proficiency report from your university will suffice.

The best part? If you are a recipient of the scholarship, you will also be exempted from various expenses such as application fees and flight tickets.

Interested in other scholarships for postgraduates in Japan? Here is a list of other Japanese scholarships that will help you fund your studies.