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Did my brother give the IELTS exam for his studies abroad in UAE for a Postgraduate?

04 Sept 2026 · Answered by Leeladhar S · 2 min read
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There is no way to confirm with certainty whether your brother sat IELTS, since that depends entirely on his specific UAE university and program. Many programs require IELTS Academic, but he may have received a waiver if his degree was fully English-taught, or the university accepted TOEFL or PTE instead.

Leeladhar S
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There is no definitive answer here about whether your brother actually sat IELTS, since that decision depends entirely on the specific UAE university and postgraduate program he applied to. Many programs do require IELTS Academic scores, but real exceptions exist that could explain why he skipped it. The scenarios below cover the most common reasons a student bypasses the exam.

Why He Might Have Skipped IELTS

ScenarioWhat It Means
Medium of Instruction waiverHis undergraduate degree was taught fully in English and the university accepted that as proof
Alternative test acceptedThe institution took TOEFL or PTE scores instead of IELTS
Internal assessment usedThe university ran its own English test or an online interview instead

How to Get a Definite Answer

  • Ask which specific university and postgraduate program he applied to, since requirements vary widely even within the UAE.
  • Check his application portal or offer letter, since English requirement waivers are usually listed there explicitly.
  • Look for a TOEFL, PTE, or MOI certificate among his submitted documents if IELTS is not listed.
  • Confirm directly with the admissions office if his documents do not clarify which route he used.

My Advice

Pull up his actual offer letter or application checklist, since UAE universities list the exact English proficiency route accepted right there in black and white. If he genuinely never took IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE, his acceptance likely rested on an MOI waiver or internal assessment, so confirm that with his university's admissions office directly to close this out.

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