Scholarships
Top schools that offer college grants for women to international students without IELTS requirement
While standardized tests like IELTS and TOEFL are required for admission at many American colleges, some top universities offer exemptions for international women applying to certain grant-based scholarship programs. This allows access to quality education regardless of English test scores. Here are some schools with IELTS waivers:
Yale Women’s Leadership Program: This selective fellowship at Yale University is open to women globally and doesn’t require IELTS. Candidates need just secondary transcripts and letters of recommendation. All expenses including tuition are fully covered.
Harvard University Women’s Leadership Program: Similar to Yale WLP, this one-year initiative at Harvard is designed to cultivate future leaders and waive both IELTS and fees. Admitted students receive scholarship support.
University of Southern California Women’s Leadership Summit: USC hosts an annual summit awarding full-ride merit scholarships for outstanding international women leaders. The program automatically exempts IELTS/TOEFL.
Carnegie Mellon Qatar Women’s Scholarship: Carnegie Mellon’s Doha campus funds undergrad education of gifted female candidates worldwide through this need-cum-merit award with no language tests mandated.
Duke University women@Duke Global Internship Initiative: Duke accepts applications to this immersive summer program from non-native English speakers exempt from submitting TOEFL/IELTS scores or paying any charges.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology LEAD Fellowship: MIT’s elite Leadership Equity and Diversity Fellowship is open to non-US female undergrads training in science/tech. Language tests are waived for admitted LEAD Scholars.
Stanford University Mayfield Fellows Program: This prestigious one-year fellowship at Stanford accepts non-native English speakers without IELTS/TOEFL results if they meet academic standards. All costs are covered.
Cornell University Global Internship Program: Cornell provides IELTS exemptions and scholarship funding to international women joining its selective on-campus internship cohort.
University of Pennsylvania Global Penn Program: Penn admits women to its merit-cum-need Global Penn scholarship opportunities overlooking standardized test scores.
Columbia University Global Women’s Leadership Program: Columbia’s summer initiative empowers female leaders worldwide and relinquishes mandatory English proficiency tests for selected candidates.
These institutions demonstrate commitment to equity, access, and inclusion by waiving IELTS for deserving international women in certain prestige programs focused on leadership and community betterment.
All the best!