MOI letter
A letter from your university confirming that your degree was taught in English. It works mostly for a master's, and in this guide mainly in Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye.
2027 intakes · 12 countries checked
Yes, you can study abroad without IELTS, but not everywhere. For a master's, universities Sunrise works with in Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye accept a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter. Universities in the USA, Canada and China accept the Duolingo English Test, and some take English-medium schooling or their own test. Italy is the trap: a university may waive IELTS, but the student visa from Dhaka still asks for it.
Written and reviewed by Anisuzzaman Kiron, Founder & CEO · Updated
| Is it possible? | Yes, at many universities, mostly for a master's |
|---|---|
| MOI letter | Accepted for a master's in Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye (universities Sunrise works with) |
| Duolingo | USA (Arizona State 95), Canada (120 at five universities), China (Zhejiang Gongshang 90) |
| Own test or prep year | EUC placement test (Cyprus); preparatory programmes in Hungary |
| English-medium schooling | Accepted at UTP (Malaysia), Zhejiang Sci-Tech (China), Pannonia (Hungary) |
| Not enough | Italy's student visa from Dhaka still asks for IELTS 6.0 |
| Test still needed | Norway (Agder, UiT); most Finnish programmes |
From university pages and Sunrise's 2027–28 counselling guidance, as cited on each country page · Last verified
The basics
Yes. Universities need proof that you can study in English, and IELTS is only one way to show it. The other routes are an MOI letter, another test such as Duolingo, English-medium schooling, the university's own test or a preparatory year. Which one works depends on the country, the university and the level.
A letter from your university confirming that your degree was taught in English. It works mostly for a master's, and in this guide mainly in Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye.
The Duolingo English Test is accepted at many universities in the USA, Canada and China; in this guide, TOEFL iBT and PTE Academic are accepted in more countries than Duolingo.
Some universities run a placement test (EUC in Cyprus) or a preparatory English year (Budapest Metropolitan and Miskolc in Hungary).
Admission is not the visa. Italy's visa checklist at VFS Dhaka asks for IELTS 6.0, even when a university admits you with an MOI letter. Check the visa rule for your country in our student visa guide before you decide not to take a test.
Sources: the requirements sections of our Italy, Hungary, Cyprus, USA, Canada and China pages and their university sources. Last verified 9–11 Nov 2026.
By country
By situation: with an MOI letter for a master's, look at Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye; with a Duolingo score, the USA, Canada and China; with no test at all, Hungary's preparatory years and EUC's placement test in Cyprus. Italy, Finland and Norway usually need a test.
Showing 12 countries
| Country | Without IELTS? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Hungary | Yes | MOI for a master's; BME accepts an MOI certificate; Pannonia needs no test after English-medium study; prep year at Budapest Metropolitan and Miskolc |
| Malta | Master's only | Many colleges accept an MOI certificate for a master's; plan for IELTS 5.5 for a bachelor's |
| Greece | Master's only | MOI or IELTS 5.5 for a master's (Sunrise advises) |
| Türkiye | Master's only | MOI can replace IELTS 5.5 for a master's at the universities Sunrise works with; IELTS 5.5 for a bachelor's |
| USA | Yes, with another test | Duolingo 100–120 at most universities; Arizona State Duolingo 95 or TOEFL 61; Harvard and Stanford can waive the test for an English-medium degree |
| Canada | Yes, with another test | Duolingo 120 at Toronto, Alberta, Calgary, UVic and Winnipeg |
| China | Partly | Duolingo 90 at Zhejiang Gongshang; English-medium schooling at Zhejiang Sci-Tech |
| Malaysia | Partly | UTP accepts an English-medium letter or TOEFL iBT 40; EMGS also lists MUET and Cambridge tests |
| Cyprus | Partly | EUC's own English Placement Test without a certificate; an English-taught bachelor's for an EUC master's |
| Italy | Not for the visa | Some universities accept MOI, but the Dhaka visa checklist asks for IELTS 6.0 |
| Finland | Rarely | No general exemption; each programme lists its accepted tests on Studyinfo.fi |
| Norway | No | Agder and UiT do not exempt Bangladeshi English-medium degrees |
Each country name opens its hub, where the requirements section links every university source. "Sunrise advises" marks counselling guidance, not a national rule. Last verified 9–11 Nov 2026.
MOI letter
Often, for a master's. A Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter is an official letter from your Bangladeshi university saying that your degree was taught in English. Universities Sunrise works with in Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye accept it in place of IELTS 5.5 for a master's; for a bachelor's, plan for IELTS.
Master's in Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye; the Budapest University of Technology and Economics accepts an MOI certificate; UTP in Malaysia takes an English-medium letter.
Italy's visa checklist asks for IELTS 6.0; Agder and UiT in Norway do not exempt Bangladeshi English-medium degrees; most Finnish programmes list specific tests.
Your name, degree, years of study and that teaching and exams were in English, on university letterhead with a signature and seal. Some countries also need it attested.
An MOI letter helps even when IELTS is required. Finland and Italy ask master's applicants for an MOI certificate alongside the test, so request it early from your university.
Sources: the requirements sections of our Hungary, Malta, Greece, Türkiye, Malaysia, Italy, Finland and Norway pages. Last verified 9–11 Nov 2026.
Duolingo
The Duolingo English Test is taken online, so you do not need a test centre. In our guides it is accepted mainly in the USA, Canada and China, with scores from 90 to 120. European universities in this guide usually ask for IELTS, TOEFL or PTE instead.
| Country | University | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Most universities | 100–120 | Arizona State: 95 for most majors, 105 for engineering |
| Canada | Toronto, Alberta, Calgary, UVic, Winnipeg | 120 | Same as IELTS 6.5 at these five |
| China | Zhejiang Gongshang University | 90 | Other Chinese universities ask for IELTS or TOEFL |
Check the visa too. A test waiver at admission does not always carry over to the visa stage, so read the visa page for your country. Test details are on the official Duolingo English Test site.
Scores from the requirements sections of our USA, Canada and China pages. Last verified 9–11 Nov 2026.
Other routes
If you have no test and no MOI letter, look for a university that tests you itself, runs a preparatory year or accepts English-medium schooling. TOEFL iBT and PTE Academic are tests too, but in this guide they are accepted in more countries than Duolingo.
| Route | Where (examples) | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Own placement test | EUC (Cyprus) | Without a certificate, EUC tests your English itself |
| Preparatory year | Budapest Metropolitan, Miskolc (Hungary) | An English foundation year before the degree |
| English-medium schooling | Zhejiang Sci-Tech (China), Pannonia (Hungary), UTP (Malaysia) | Proof that your earlier study was in English |
| Foundation or diploma | Malaysian universities | For HSC results below direct entry, with English built in |
| TOEFL iBT or PTE Academic | Finland, Norway, USA, Malaysia, China, Cyprus | Not IELTS, but still a test: TOEFL iBT 40–85, PTE 55–66 on our pages |
| MUET or Cambridge tests | Malaysia (EMGS list) | Score set by each university |
From the requirements sections of our Cyprus, Hungary, China, Malaysia, Finland and Norway pages. Compare all English tests on our study abroad requirements page. Last verified 9–11 Nov 2026.
Where IELTS is still needed
Three places in our guides: Italy, because of the visa; Norway, because Agder and UiT do not exempt Bangladeshi degrees; and most Finnish programmes, which list specific tests. Major scholarships also set test scores.
IELTS 6.0
The VFS Dhaka checklist asks for IELTS 6.0, issued in the last 2 years, whatever the university accepts. See the Italy page.
IELTS 5.0–6.5
Bachelor's IELTS 5.0 or TOEFL iBT 60 at Agder; master's IELTS 6.0–6.5, TOEFL iBT 80–85 or PTE 62. See the Norway page.
IELTS 6.5–7
Australia Awards asks for IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, and Fulbright for TOEFL 90 or IELTS 7. See our scholarships guide.
Sources: our Italy, Norway and Finland pages and the scholarships guide, with their official sources. Last verified 9–11 Nov 2026.
Steps
Six steps, and the order matters: check the visa rule before you pay any university fee, so that a waived test does not come back to stop you at the embassy.
Without IELTS is easiest for a master's with an MOI letter; for a bachelor's, look for Duolingo, a placement test or a preparatory year.
FirstAsk your university for a signed letter on letterhead stating that teaching and exams were in English.
Early; it can take weeksUse the country table above and check each programme's own English rule.
Before you applyMake sure the visa does not ask for a test the university waived, as Italy's does.
Before you pay any feeIf your shortlist accepts it, the test is online, so there is no centre to book.
At least a month before deadlinesUpload the MOI letter or score with your application and keep the original for the visa file.
When you applyBased on the requirements on each country page. Timing: Sunrise advice. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
FAQ
Ask a counsellor directly if your question is not here.
WhatsApp 01611878274Yes, at many universities. For a master's, universities Sunrise works with in Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye accept an MOI letter, and universities in the USA, Canada and China accept the Duolingo English Test.
For a master's: Hungary, Malta, Greece and Türkiye, at the universities Sunrise works with. UTP in Malaysia also accepts an English-medium letter.
Some Italian universities accept an MOI letter, but the student visa checklist at VFS Dhaka asks for IELTS 6.0, so plan for IELTS.
Many do: most ask for 100–120, and Arizona State accepts 95 for most majors (105 for engineering). Harvard and Stanford can waive the test for an English-medium degree.
Yes, with Duolingo at some universities: Toronto, Alberta, Calgary, UVic and Winnipeg accept a Duolingo score of 120.
It is harder than a master's. Options include Duolingo in the USA and Canada, EUC's placement test in Cyprus and preparatory years at Budapest Metropolitan and Miskolc in Hungary.
Not as a replacement in Norway: Agder and UiT do not exempt Bangladeshi English-medium degrees. Most Finnish programmes list specific tests on Studyinfo.fi, though they also ask master's applicants for an MOI certificate.
Many do: Australia Awards asks for IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, Fulbright for TOEFL 90 or IELTS 7, and the Malaysia International Scholarship for IELTS 6.0.
Your name, degree and years of study, and that teaching and exams were in English, on university letterhead with a signature and seal.
They are still tests, but accepted widely: TOEFL iBT in Finland, Norway, the USA, Malaysia, China and Cyprus, and PTE Academic in Finland, Norway and Cyprus. Sunrise does not sell test preparation.
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