Do I need to take IELTS for master's programs in the UK, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Austria, and the UAE, where English is not my first language?

There is no blanket rule requiring IELTS across these six countries. Instead, whether you need it depends on the individual university, the specific programme, and whether your bachelor's degree was already taught in English.

Where a Waiver Is Genuinely Common

UK immigration rules allow an overseas degree taught in English to satisfy the English requirement when appropriately verified, often through Ecctis, and individual universities such as the University of Bath separately accept documentation confirming an Indian degree was taught in English alongside specified Class 12 English results.

Where You Should Assume IELTS Is Needed

For the UAE specifically, United Arab Emirates University lists IELTS Academic 6.0 or equivalent for master's programmes delivered predominantly in English, and Ajman University lists the same 6.0 threshold with narrower exemption rules. Unless your target UAE university explicitly confirms an exemption, plan to take IELTS.

This Information Is Also Available On

UK Government's Immigration Rules Appendix English Language, United Arab Emirates University's Graduate Programs Admissions page, and BOKU's English language proficiency requirements page.

My Advice

Search each shortlisted programme's page for the exact phrase Medium of Instruction certificate or English proficiency waiver rather than assuming the country-level pattern applies to your specific university. In my experience, students applying across all six of these countries at once find that sitting IELTS Academic once and holding a portable score removes the guesswork entirely, even where a waiver might technically be possible.