h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The university I'm applying to wants me to take the IELTS to prove that I can speak the language.

I have no doubt that I would pass it. But I don't want to. It costs €170, and the nearest testing centre is 150km away.

Does anyone know whether it's possible to just get some certification that's equivalent, based on one's work?

Which language do they want to prove you can speak?

RF

English. Maybe I should've clarified that. IELTS = International English Language Testing System

Sounds a bit harsh. Cant you write them a beautifully handwritten letter explaining that your english skills are perfectly adequate and that if they wish you to take such a test they will need to provide funding and transport, or perhaps at interview you could prove your adequacy?

You could phone them up and explain, in long, carefully-thought-out sentences, why you think this is unnecessary. The phone call should last around half an hour. Under no circumstances let your interlocutor get a word in edgeways until the end, when you say "you do agree that this is unnecessary, don't you?"

RF

well.. any one of those may work .. but what if you're talking to a group of bureauc-rats?

In fairness, these tests are important to ensure that universities only accept students who have sufficient written and spoken English language skills to be able to complete their course with no more than the standard language assistance and training provided to all overseas students. It's clearly unfair if one student takes up four or five times as much time as others because his language skills aren't good enough.

A university cannot accept a student onto any programme of study unless it has every reason to think that the student is capable of completing the programme. To do otherwise would be irresponsible and would be failing in a duty of care. I'm aware of cases where students have dropped out or failed because of a lack of language skills. In one case, a student's language skills were sufficient to work in the UK in a very responsible and technical role, but not sufficient to be able to write comprehensible essays to the required standard.

Also, spoken language skill is not an infallible guide to written English at the best of times - and it's certainly not when it comes to academic English. Letters and telephone conversations can be faked, and unfortunately there's plenty of people who abuse the university system solely to get a student visa.

Yes, it's a pain if you're a genuine applicant and your English skills are comfortably good enough. But there's really no alternative. I think there might be another provider to IELTS, but I'm not sure.

However, I am aware of exceptions. Academic or vocational qualifications with English as the medium of instruction can be counted as meeting this criteria. Some work references might help, but there would need to be evidence. I'm aware of someone who was accepted on the basis of having published journal articles in English, and there might be other kinds of evidence that would be acceptable. But the word of colleagues alone almost certainly wouldn't.

Well said.

As frustrating and expensive as it is, it proves the uni's doing their job. It's probably worse for people who are barely under the required level. But we're sure our h2g2-er will sail through

Mala, have you got any German qualifications in English language? Did you have to do any English modules as part of your original degree?

I've only got experience of university admissions in England, but if you can provide evidence of doing English earlier, like during the Abitur, they should accept it.

>>these tests are important to ensure that universities only accept students who have sufficient written and spoken English language skills to be able to complete their course with no more than the standard language assistance and training provided to all overseas students.<<

I can see the point of that, but have you seen the (non) standard of written English of quite some native speakers? Surely they should have to pass such tests, too?

Mal, weren't you at school in America? If so, won't you, or be able to get, some of your qualifications from there? And a letter/email from an old teacher who'll vouch for your proficiency?

I knew a native speaker of English who was made to take an English test in Paris as part of a postgraduate French course. She failed it. At the time I knew her some years later she was teaching and examining for IELTS.

"I can see the point of that, but have you seen the (non) standard of written English of quite some native speakers? Surely they should have to pass such tests, too?"

That's true, but it's generally assumed by a university that success in the previous tier of qualification is evidence of sufficient language skills for the next one. If you're sufficiently academic qualified in English, you're regarded as language-qualified in English - and that's regardless of nationality or first/second language.

Conversely, it's not necessarily true that someone academic-qualified with French qualifications is language-qualified to study at an English-speaking university. Hence the need for extra evidence.

Technically there's no pass or fail with IELTS. It's also worth noting that even a native speaker of English could fail to reach the higher levels (7,8,9).

http://www.ielts.org/test_takers_information/getting_my_results.aspx

In this case, at least, I would say that my English skills are certainly more than "comfortably good enough". I have been working as a translator/interpreter for the last seven years, largely in two fields closely related to the course I'm applying for, and both into and out of English. And yet they don't believe that this signifies at least level 6 in their test, that is "generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings".

I also still have report cards with straight As in English from various American schools spanning eight years - but because I didn't *graduate* there, that apparently doesn't count, either

Who's "they"? If it's the Department (or whatever) that runs the course, there's not a lot you can do. But if it's the Admissions Office (or equivalent) you might be able to get someone in the organising Department to tell them that the general rule should not apply in this case.

Admissions Office staff don't usually know a great deal about individual courses (because there are lots of them), but just enforce standard rules in a straightforward way unless someone gives them permission to do otherwise.

Yes, at the moment, it's the Admissions Office that I'm (very politely) arguing with. I wrote them back and asked them not "how do I get around doing the test?", but, because they said it's required for all non-native speakers, how I go about proving the fact that I *am* a native speaker.

It doesn't look like I'll get to deal with the architecture department directly until the admissions office approves me.

If it's a postgraduate course there ought to be an informal enquiries contact somewhere on the website. It can't hurt to drop that person a quick email....

Or try speaking to the International Office: although they don't have any formal involvement with Admissions, they can usually help out with any issue an international student is facing.

The international and admissions office seem to be the same place there Maybe I'll go dive into that website again. Unfortunately, a lot of it is only in Danish.