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If you are in Class 11 or 12 and planning a degree in Canada, the US or the UK, the English test question comes early. There is no single answer: each university sets its own rule, and many give Indian students more than one route.
Do you need IELTS or TOEFL for undergraduate study abroad?
You usually need to prove your English, but a test is only one way. Depending on the university, you may be able to use:
a test score, such as IELTS, TOEFL or the Duolingo English Test
your Class 12 English mark from a named board
an SAT or ACT score in reading, writing or English
several years of schooling taught in English
The visa sits on top of this. For a UK Student visa at degree level, the government asks for English equivalent to CEFR level B2, and it says your university can assess your level itself. If your university assesses your English through your Class 12 marks, you may not need a separate test for the visa. Get this confirmed in writing first.
Which universities accept Class 12 English instead of a test?
The University of British Columbia accepts a minimum of 75% in your senior English subject if your school is affiliated with CBSE or CISCE. UBC uses your interim Class 12 grades while you are still at school.
Purdue University accepts, in place of an English test, 600 or more on the SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing section, or 26 or more on the ACT English section. Purdue also considers at least three years in an English-taught curriculum, with the equivalent of a B or better in all English courses and strong overall academic performance.
Some waivers apply only to certain courses. For Medicine, the University of Edinburgh's India page says it does not require an English test if you achieve at least 85% in your Standard XII CBSE or CISCE exams. Other Edinburgh programmes set their own English requirements.
How do you choose between IELTS and TOEFL?
Start with your shortlist, not the test: list every university, the tests it accepts and its minimum score. Purdue, for example, generally looks for IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each section, or a TOEFL iBT score of 4.5 with 4.0 per section for tests taken from 21 January 2026. Pick a test that every university on your list accepts.
Then compare how fast you get results and how you can retake:
IELTS on computer usually gives results within 1-2 days. IELTS on paper gives results within 13 days, or 7 days in India.
TOEFL iBT scores reach your ETS account 3 days after your test.
IELTS One Skill Retake lets you resit one of the four skills within 60 days of the full test, so one weak section does not mean sitting the whole test again. It is offered only for IELTS on computer at official test centres, once per test and not everywhere, so check first.
If both suit your list, try a timed practice paper of each.
When should you take the English test?
Not too early, because scores expire. TOEFL iBT scores are valid for 2 years from the test date. The IELTS partners recommend treating a result as proof of your English for a maximum of two years. Your score has to stay valid through admission and your visa application.
Not too late either. Count back from your first deadline:
Sixteen weeks before your first deadline, check each university's English page and note any waiver you already meet.
If any university still needs a test, book it for about 12 weeks before that deadline.
Within a week of the test, compare your score with every minimum on your list.
If one IELTS section falls short and your centre offers One Skill Retake, use it within 60 days; otherwise book a full retake.
Keep the last three weeks free for sending scores and uploading documents.
A worked example. Aarav studies at a CBSE school and his earliest deadline is 15 January 2028. His interim Class 12 English mark is 82%, which meets UBC's 75% rule. He scored 640 in SAT reading and writing, which meets Purdue's 600. One UK university on his list asks for IELTS, so he books IELTS on computer for 23 October 2027, which is 12 weeks before his deadline. If his writing score is short, his retake window runs until 22 December 2027, 24 days before the deadline. His score stays usable until October 2029, well past a September 2028 start.
What should you do next?
Spend one evening building your shortlist table: university, waiver route, accepted tests, minimum score, deadline. Parents can help by emailing admissions when a rule is unclear.
Your Class 12 marks still matter, and some waivers depend on them. If a science chapter is holding you back, Fermi's AI tutor can work out what you already know and build a plan for the session. If you are worried about lectures in English, read our guide to studying science in English. Later, our post on your first semester at college covers settling in. For help with costs, see our list of scholarships for science students in India.
