7 replies to this topic

[rock_chris]

Okay so ill start ib next year and I'm going for a bilingual diploma in which i took French A SL and English B HL (when you do all your subjects in english it counts as bilingual).

I was wondering about the english language requirements of universities.

Lets say they ask for English A as either HL or SL. But I've done English B HL, still my diploma is bilingual and english counts as my first language, what happens? Will i have to pass another english test just to get in because i did English B?

[rFumachi]

If you are going to take all your other courses in English, why don't you take English A Lang & Lit (which I believe is the new A2), instead of English B? Because the way I see it, most universities will ask you to take some other English tests to verify that you, in fact, know the language.

[Desy Glau]

you know when you're applying to uni you have to write some personal statement or essay? perhaps you can mention there that you've always studied in English and it's your first language. some universities don't mind English B if they know you've been studying in English in the past 2 years.

I know one of the unis I applied to only want English A1 and they don't accept English B, but idk my offer condition from them is a 6 in English B. also Oxford normally requires any IB English but my offer condition does not include any English requirement (I think because I mentioned in my personal statement that I've been studying in English for the past 3 years that's it). I'm even an international student and English is not my first language. I seriously think you should be fine.

[ShootingStars]

You will normally be fine. To be on the safe side, just ask your guidance counsellor to drop the university an email saying English is your first language etc etc. Thats better than mentioning it on your personal statement/essays.
On another note, in the UK you will definitely be fine but if you're applying to the US then you may still need to take the TOEFL, in which case, just take the test, its a piece of cake if your first language is English.
Hope this helps!

[CasaNova]

you will have to take TOEFL anyway... some schools will waive toefl for English A1, or for some good score on SAT(CR, W)

[Procrastination]

I agree with everyone who have posted before me but I'm pretty sure universities would be kinda confused? If english is your first language why didn't you took it at "A Literature level" or "A Language and Literature"? You'll have to take TOEFL and universities might think you chose B because you wanted to score higher. (This only applies if Language A is offered in your school, in which case, you'd be seen as a "cheater" from part of the IB). Forget about everything I said if these options are not offered in your school

[chrypton]

Better check up the specific requirements for all the universities you want to apply to. It's very likely that you'll have to take the TOEFL or something similar.

[Arrowhead]

I took English A1 HL or what I assume now is the English A: Literature HL course. Anyway, I was still required to sit for either the IELTS or the TOEFL as one of my school's graduation requirements simply because I was registered as holding a passport from a non-English speaking country. I was a little miffed by the necessity of it, but I gave the IELTS (which took a day and being fluent in the language made the testing a cakewalk) and submitted my results to all the universities I was applying to regardless of whether they asked for it. It headed off any further queries the Universities might or might not have had.

Think of it like a failsafe, just in case, kind of thing.

Also, since you're taking English B, that might put a spanner in things. Take either the IELTS or TOEFL and be done with it. If you're fluent in the language, either of these tests won't be challenge for you in any case.

Arrowhead.