PhD Without GRE or IELTS in 2026: Which Countries and Universities Waive Them
October 4, 2026
Two tests sit between many Indian students and a PhD application: the GRE and an English test. One of them has quietly left most of the map. The other depends on which country you apply to and how your degree was taught.
Below is what the universities themselves say in 2026, program by program: where the GRE is no longer used, where an English-medium degree from India replaces IELTS or TOEFL, and where sitting one test is simply the quickest route.
GRE for a PhD in 2026: what each program says
| Program | GRE status | In the university's words |
|---|---|---|
| MIT EECS (USA) | Not used | GRE scores are not used in the admission process |
| UC Berkeley EECS (USA) | Not accepted | No longer requires, nor accepts, GRE scores |
| Stanford Computer Science (USA) | Not required | Not required for PhD or MS applicants |
| Purdue Computer Science (USA) | Not required | GRE is NOT required |
| Carnegie Mellon CS PhD (USA) | Optional | An application without GRE scores is not at a disadvantage |
| Georgia Tech PhD in CS (USA) | Optional | General GRE scores are optional |
| UIUC Computer Science (USA) | Recommended, not required | Recommended but not required |
| Imperial Computing (UK) | Not required | GREs are no longer required for any computing postgraduate degree |
| UBC PhD in Computer Science (Canada) | Not required | The GRE is not required |
| ETH Zurich Computer Science (Switzerland) | Not mandatory | Include results if you have them |
| EPFL Doctoral School (Switzerland) | Not required as a general rule | Does not require GRE, TOEFL or IELTS results as a general rule |
| NUS Computing PhD (Singapore) | Not required, encouraged | Graduates of Indian universities may submit GATE scores instead |
| NTU Electrical and Electronic Engineering PhD (Singapore) | Not mandatory | Applicants from India may use GATE in place of the GRE |
As published by each program on 4 October 2026. Policies are set department by department, so a different department at the same university can take a different line.
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The GRE: mostly gone, with one useful exception
For a STEM PhD, the GRE has stopped being the gatekeeper it was a decade ago. Several of the strongest US departments do not look at it, British, Canadian and German doctorates do not ask for it, and TU Munich's doctoral requirements do not list it at all. If your shortlist is built from the table above, you may never need to register for the test.
Where a program calls the GRE optional or recommended, a strong quantitative score can still add something, especially when your college is not well known to the committee. That is a judgement to make per program, not a reason to sit the test by default. In Singapore there is a third option for Indian applicants: a GATE score in place of the GRE, which we explain in Is GATE or CSIR NET valid for a PhD abroad?.
IELTS or TOEFL: where an English-medium Indian degree is enough
| Country | Can you skip the English test? | Official example |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Often, for the doctorate itself | TU Munich sets no formal language requirement for doctoral admission, while expecting very good English |
| Switzerland | Often | ETH Zurich Computer Science does not require language tests; EPFL's doctoral school does not require TOEFL or IELTS as a general rule |
| Canada | Yes, with a letter from your university | Toronto waives the test when your institution confirms English as the language of instruction and examination; UBC asks for a test only from Indian universities where English is not the primary language of instruction; McGill accepts a degree taught in English with documentation |
| Singapore | Yes, with documentation | NTU Electrical and Electronic Engineering may waive TOEFL or IELTS on proof that English was the medium of instruction |
| UK | At some universities | The visa rules let a university assess your English itself for degree-level study; Sheffield generally accepts Standard XII English at 75% or above |
| USA | Rarely | Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science issues no waivers for non-native speakers; UIUC's list of approved countries does not include India; Stanford exempts graduates of universities where all instruction was in English |
As published on 4 October 2026. A waiver is granted by the program you apply to, usually on a medium-of-instruction letter from your university, so request that letter early.
When one test is the simpler route
If your shortlist is Germany, Switzerland, Canada or Singapore, a medium-of-instruction letter from your university may be all you need, and it costs nothing. Ask your registrar for it on letterhead, stating that your whole degree was taught and examined in English.
If the shortlist includes the USA, plan to take the test. Most US graduate schools decide waivers by the country your degree comes from, and India is usually not on the list. One sitting covers every application you send: in India, TOEFL iBT costs ₹15,729 and IELTS Academic costs ₹19,000, and a typical target is TOEFL 90 to 100 or IELTS 6.5 to 7. Set against a five-year funded offer, it is a small line in the full cost of a funded PhD abroad.
Whichever route you take, settle it before deadlines arrive. The dates for this cycle are in our Fall 2027 PhD application deadlines guide.
EduSail Abroad works on one thing: fully-funded PhD admissions for Indian students. We check the test rules of every program on your shortlist, so you only sit the tests that move your application forward.
A merit-based commitment fee - ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 plus GST, set by your eligibility score - and a success fee only after your funded offer.
The one-line takeaway
Most STEM PhD programs no longer need the GRE; an English-medium Indian degree can replace IELTS or TOEFL in Germany, Switzerland, Canada and Singapore, while a US shortlist still calls for one English test.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do a PhD abroad without the GRE?
Yes. PhD programs in the UK, Germany and Canada do not ask for it, and many leading US departments have dropped it: MIT EECS does not use GRE scores, Berkeley EECS does not accept them, and Stanford Computer Science and Purdue Computer Science do not require them. Some programs, such as Carnegie Mellon's CS PhD and Georgia Tech's PhD in CS, list the GRE as optional.
Which US universities do not require the GRE for a PhD?
Among computer science and electrical engineering programs in 2026: MIT EECS (not used), UC Berkeley EECS (not accepted), Stanford Computer Science (not required), Purdue Computer Science (not required), Carnegie Mellon's CS PhD and Georgia Tech's PhD in CS (optional), and UIUC Computer Science (recommended but not required). Each department sets its own policy.
Can I do a PhD abroad without IELTS or TOEFL?
In several countries, yes, if your degree was taught in English. TU Munich sets no formal language requirement for doctoral admission, ETH Zurich Computer Science does not require language tests, and Toronto, UBC, McGill and NTU can waive the test on proof that English was the medium of instruction. Most US universities do not extend that waiver to degrees from India.
Is a medium of instruction letter accepted instead of IELTS?
It depends on the university. Toronto asks for an official statement sent by your institution confirming English as the language of instruction and examination, McGill asks for documentation sent to the department, and NTU's Electrical and Electronic Engineering school may waive TOEFL or IELTS on such documentation. In the USA, Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science issues no waivers for non-native speakers.
Can I do a PhD in Germany without IELTS and GRE?
Often, yes. TU Munich states there are no formal language requirements for doctoral admission, though very good written and spoken English is expected, and its doctoral requirements do not list the GRE. Individual graduate schools and supervisors can ask for evidence of English, so confirm with the group you are applying to.
How much do TOEFL and IELTS cost in India?
TOEFL iBT registration costs ₹15,729 in India, and IELTS Academic costs ₹19,000, as listed by the test providers in October 2026. One test result can be used for every university you apply to.
Does UK visa law require IELTS for a PhD?
Not necessarily. For study at degree level or above, UK visa rules let a higher education provider assess your English itself, at a level equivalent to CEFR B2. Some universities accept other evidence from Indian applicants; Sheffield, for example, generally accepts Standard XII English at 75% or above.
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