If you finished secondary school in English and you still got stopped at the IELTS stage, you already know how frustrating this journey can be.
I have sat with students in Lagos, Accra, and Nairobi who had strong grades,
They had a real admission offer in hand, but then had to pause everything because they could not raise ₦150,000 (or the local equivalent) for the English test.
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The good news is that several fully funded scholarship programs do not require IELTS at all, especially if your education has been in English so far.
This article lists the real programmes, the actual portals, the deadlines that matter in 2026, and how to prove your English ability without touching a test centre.
Why Some Scholarships Skip The IELTS Requirement
Governments and universities do not require IELTS from every applicant.
What they actually want is proof that you can study, follow lectures, and write assignments in English.
If your primary, secondary, and any post-secondary schooling were conducted in English, which is the case for most students from Nigeria,
Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other Anglophone African countries — many programmes will accept a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter instead of a test score.
Read More:Â MTN Scholarship Application Guide 2026 For Nigerian Students
An MOI letter is simply a document from your former school’s registrar confirming that English was the language of instruction throughout your studies.
It costs nothing but a signature and a school stamp, unlike IELTS, which currently costs between $200 and $250 per sitting, depending on your country.
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Other scholarships avoid IELTS entirely because the host country runs its own language screening, or because the programme itself includes a free preparatory language year before the main course starts.
Top Scholarships That Don’t Require IELTS
1. Türkiye Scholarships (Türkiye Bursları) — Turkey
This is one of the most generous, fully funded programmes open to Africans, and it does not demand IELTS for most degree tracks.
It covers full tuition, a monthly stipend, free dormitory accommodation, a round-trip flight ticket, health insurance,
and a full year of free Turkish language preparation (TÖMER) for students who need it.
- Stipend: around 4,500 TL/month for bachelor’s students, 6,500 TL/month for master’s students, and 9,000 TL/month for PhD students
- 2026 application window: 10 January – 20 February 2026
- Where to apply: the official portal is tbbs.turkiyeburslari.gov.tr, run directly by the Turkish government — never pay a third party to “process” this application for you
- Note: English-medium programmes may still ask for an English test at some universities, so check your specific programme page before assuming you’re exempt
2. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
The China Scholarship Council funds thousands of African students every year across more than 270 universities.
If your last qualification was taught fully in English, most universities will accept an English Proficiency Certificate from your old school instead of IELTS.
Some do ask for IELTS 5.5+ or TOEFL for specific English-taught programmes, so always confirm on the individual university’s admission page.
- Covers: tuition, accommodation, a monthly living stipend, and comprehensive medical insurance
- Apply through: campuschina.org, the official CSC application system, or through your country’s designated nominating agency (Type A route) if one exists
- Tip: Apply to no more than three universities at a time, and keep a separate application for each one — CSC and the individual universities are not the same system
3. Stipendium Hungaricum — Hungary
Hungary’s government scholarship is fully tuition-free and includes a monthly stipend and health insurance.
Several African countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, have bilateral education agreements with Hungary, which reserve a fixed number of seats every year.
- 2026/2027 deadline: 15 January 2026, 2:00 p.m. Central European Time
- Apply at: apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu
- English proof: many programmes accept an MOI letter or a school-issued English certificate instead of IELTS, though some specific courses still list IELTS/TOEFL as one accepted option among several
- Kenyan applicants, for example, have historically had around 200 scholarship slots available yearly through their Ministry of Education
4. MEXT Scholarship — Japan
The Japanese government’s MEXT scholarship (administered through Japanese embassies and JASSO) rarely asks undergraduate or research-student applicants for IELTS.
Many embassy-track applications instead assess you through your transcripts, an entrance exam set by the embassy, and an interview.
- Apply through: your local Japanese embassy or consulate education section, or directly through a partner university under the University Recommendation route
- Official portal: www.studyinjapan.go.jp
- Deadlines vary by embassy — the Japanese Embassy in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana typically announces its own MEXT call between April and June each year, so check your nearest embassy’s website directly rather than relying on third-party blogs for the date
5. DAAD Scholarships — Germany
Not every DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) programme needs IELTS. Programmes taught in German only require a German test (TestDaF or DSH).
Even some English-taught master’s programmes accept a TOEFL score or an MOI letter instead, depending on the university.
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- Apply through: www.daad.de and the DAAD scholarship database, which lets you filter by “language requirements” before you commit to a programme
- Covers: tuition (many German public universities are already tuition-free), a living stipend of around €934–€1,300/month depending on degree level, and health insurance
6. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
This programme funds African students at partner universities both on the continent and abroad, including the University of Toronto, Duke Kunshan University, and Ashesi University in Ghana.
Because many partner universities already teach in English at the secondary level across partner African countries,
the Foundation and its partner institutions frequently waive IELTS in favour of a school-leaving transcript review and an internal English assessment.
Read More:Â Scholarships For Single Mothers In Nigeria
- Apply through: the specific partner university’s own admissions and scholarship page — there is no single central portal, since each partner institution runs its own selection process
- Official information: mastercardfdn.org
- Covers: full tuition, accommodation, books, travel, and a living stipend, with mentorship support built in
7. Commonwealth Shared Scholarships (with alternatives)
Some Commonwealth Scholarship categories still list IELTS or an equivalent as a formal requirement,
but the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission also accepts a Medium of Instruction letter for candidates whose entire undergraduate education was in English, on a programme-by-programme basis.
Always confirm on the specific scholarship category page at cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk before assuming you’re exempt, since policies differ between Master’s, PhD, and Shared Scholarship tracks.
How To Prove English Proficiency Without IELTS
- Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter — request this from your former school’s registrar or principal on official letterhead. State clearly that your entire programme was taught and examined in English.
- WAEC or NECO result slip — for Nigerian and Ghanaian applicants, an English Language pass on your WAEC certificate is sometimes accepted as supporting evidence alongside your MOI letter. Check requirements at waecdirect.org if you need to verify or reprint your result.
- TOEFL iBT or Duolingo English Test — cheaper and more widely available than IELTS in many African cities, and accepted as an alternative by a good number of universities.
- University-administered English test or interview — some institutions test you directly during the admission process, which removes the need for any external certificate altogether.
- A completed preparatory language year — programmes like Türkiye Bursları and some in Hungary include a free foundation year that ends with an internal test, not IELTS.
Common Mistakes African Applicants Make
- Applying to the wrong portal. CSC applications go through campuschina.org or your country’s nominating agency — not random “agent” websites that ask for a processing fee.
- Assuming “no IELTS” means “no English proof at all.” You will almost always need something — an MOI letter, WAEC slip, TOEFL score, or interview. Missing this step is one of the most common reasons applications get rejected outright.
- Waiting until the deadline week to request documents. Registrars and exam offices in many African schools take two to four weeks to issue an MOI letter or certified transcript. Start early.
- Ignoring the university-specific requirement. A scholarship’s general rules and a specific university’s admission rules can differ. Always check both.
- Falling for agents who promise guaranteed admission for a fee. Every scholarship listed here is free to apply for directly through the official portal.WHAT IF YOUR BLOG MADE ₦500K+/MONTH? 👀💰
Tips Before You Apply
Keep digital copies of your transcripts, MOI letter, passport bio page, and recommendation letters ready in one folder before any application window opens
— Most of these portals only stay open for four to six weeks a year, and you do not want to be chasing documents while the clock is running.
Read More:Â How To Apply For Commonwealth Scholarship For Nigerian Students
Also, read the call for applications document in full rather than relying only on summaries (including this one);
Scholarship terms are updated yearly, and small eligibility details like age limits or GPA cut-offs can change.
If you’re also working on the writing side of your application, our guide on how to write a scholarship motivation letter that gets shortlisted and our breakdown of fully funded scholarships in Africa for undergraduates go into more detail on the documents side of this process.
Conclusion:
IELTS should never be the wall that stops a qualified African student from studying abroad.
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Programmes like Türkiye Bursları, the Chinese Government Scholarship, Stipendium Hungaricum, MEXT, DAAD,
and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program all offer real, workable paths around the test — provided you can show your English background another way.
Start your document folder today, confirm the exact requirements on your target university’s page, and apply directly through the official portal.
The 2026 intake windows are open now, and they will not stay open for long.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I really study abroad without ever taking an English test?
Yes,
if your prior education was fully in English, and the scholarship or university accepts a Medium of Instruction letter.
Some universities still require a test for specific English-taught programmes, so confirm this on the exact course page, not just the general scholarship page.
2. Is an MOI letter accepted everywhere?
No.
It is widely accepted by Chinese universities under CSC, several Hungarian and Turkish programmes, and some German universities.
It is not accepted everywhere, so always check the specific school’s admission requirements before you skip IELTS preparation entirely.
3. Which scholarship is easiest for Nigerian, Kenyan, or Ghanaian students to get without IELTS?
The Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) and Türkiye Bursları are generally the most accessible in terms of English proof, since both accept MOI letters from Anglophone African applicants for most programmes.
Acceptance still depends on your grades, personal statement, and the specific university’s competition level.
4. Do these scholarships charge any application fee?
No.
Türkiye Bursları, CSC, Stipendium Hungaricum, MEXT, DAAD, and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program are all free to apply for directly through their official portals.
If a website asks you to pay to “process” your scholarship application, that is not the official channel.
5. What if my school is not fully English-medium?
You will likely need TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test instead of an MOI letter.
Some programmes, like MEXT and Türkiye Bursları, also offer a free preparatory language year that removes the need for an external test score before you start your main degree.
WHAT IF YOUR BLOG MADE ₦500K+/MONTH? 👀💰
I’ll show you how to build, grow & monetize it.
