Do I need to take the TOEFL test even if I'm British?

Some of the websites for US universities state that all "international" students need to submit their TOEFL scores when applying for their graduate program. I'm British, though, so is this necessary even for native speaking, albeit international, students?

Reply 1

nulli tertius

21

Original post by lettheheadsroll

Some of the websites for US universities state that all "international" students need to submit their TOEFL scores when applying for their graduate program. I'm British, though, so is this necessary even for native speaking, albeit international, students?

Please link to one of these websites, because I suspect you are not reading this correctly (but some US schools require TOEFL for people educated in English in non-English speaking countries and the fact you are a British citizen doesn't mean you are a native English speaker)

Reply 2

lettheheadsroll

OP

1

Original post by nulli tertius

Please link to one of these websites, because I suspect you are not reading this correctly (but some US schools require TOEFL for people educated in English in non-English speaking countries and the fact you are a British citizen doesn't mean you are a native English speaker)

You were right, I didn't read it properly. It was the UCLA website and further down in its requirements page it said TOEFL isn't necessary if you studied at a university "located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the primary spoken language of daily life (e.g., Australia, Barbados, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, United Kingdom)".
I'm clearly UCLA material :congrats:

thanks for alerting me

https://grad.ucla.edu/admissions/english-requirements/

Reply 3

jeremy1988

13

I'm American, and I was wondering if I needed to take this test to attend a British university. I was thinking maybe it would be needed to prove that I understood how to spell colour correctly, and show that I know to put punctuation on the outside of quotation marks in British English.

It turns out that TOEFL isn't specific enough to test your skill in British English or American English, and only guarantees basic fluency. Which means as an American, I probably have better English skills than anyone taking the TOEFL. They would need a completely different and much more specific test for Americans to show that we understand British English, and they don't care enough to make one because teachers can easily just mark Americanisms like color (colour), theater (theatre), gasoline (petrol), and gotten (got) wrong.

So yeah, if you go to the US, they'll let you in, but just make sure that you know how things are spelled (spelt) here.

Reply 4

1775339

9

Original post by jeremy1988

I'm American, and I was wondering if I needed to take this test to attend a British university. I was thinking maybe it would be needed to prove that I understood how to spell colour correctly, and show that I know to put punctuation on the outside of quotation marks in British English.

It turns out that TOEFL isn't specific enough to test your skill in British English or American English, and only guarantees basic fluency. Which means as an American, I probably have better English skills than anyone taking the TOEFL. They would need a completely different and much more specific test for Americans to show that we understand British English, and they don't care enough to make one because teachers can easily just mark Americanisms like color (colour), theater (theatre), gasoline (petrol), and gotten (got) wrong.

So yeah, if you go to the US, they'll let you in, but just make sure that you know how things are spelled (spelt) here.

I have a funny story about this actually. I am British but did my last three years of schooling in the US. When I arrived back home in the UK at my university they asked me to go to the TOEFL test! I went to student services and said I'm not taking it because I'm British and regardless, a native speaker. They apologised and took me off the list saying they automatically put all people on there who have listed non-UK secondary education.

Reply 5

lettheheadsroll

OP

1

Original post by jeremy1988

I'm American, and I was wondering if I needed to take this test to attend a British university. I was thinking maybe it would be needed to prove that I understood how to spell colour correctly, and show that I know to put punctuation on the outside of quotation marks in British English.

It turns out that TOEFL isn't specific enough to test your skill in British English or American English, and only guarantees basic fluency. Which means as an American, I probably have better English skills than anyone taking the TOEFL. They would need a completely different and much more specific test for Americans to show that we understand British English, and they don't care enough to make one because teachers can easily just mark Americanisms like color (colour), theater (theatre), gasoline (petrol), and gotten (got) wrong.

So yeah, if you go to the US, they'll let you in, but just make sure that you know how things are spelled (spelt) here.

I'm actually all set then - my British father through-and-through actually talks in an American accent, worships NFL etc. and therefore I adopt a few Americanisms too (e.g. I say eraser, much to the annoyance of everyone who knows me).

Do I need to take the TOEFL test even if I'm British?

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