What the letter must contain
Weak MOI letters get rejected. A strong one includes:
- 1The university's official letterhead
- 2Your full name, roll or ID, and programme name
- 3Dates of enrolment and completion
- 4The explicit sentence: *"The medium of instruction and examination for this programme was English."*
- 5The registrar's or controller of examinations' signature, name and designation, with the institutional seal
- 6The letter's date and reference number
⚠️ The most common weakness is a letter saying only "instruction" and omitting "and examination". Many universities specifically check that examinations were in English too. Ask for that exact wording when you request it.
Who can get one
| Your institution | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| Private university (English medium) | ✅ Straightforward |
| Public university, English-medium department | ✅ Available, sometimes slow |
| National University / colleges | ⚠️ Depends; check NU's rules |
| Madrasah stream | ❌ Usually not (medium is Bengali) |
| Any Bengali-medium programme | ❌ No |
Where it works
| Country | Position on MOI |
|---|---|
| Italy | Accepted on many master's programmes at admission — not on the Dhaka visa checklist; IELTS is needed unless the university records your language on Universitaly |
| Cyprus | No — a state minimum applies (IELTS 5.0 or a listed test) |
| Malta | No — listed countries only |
| Hungary | Some programmes, often with an interview |
| Bulgaria | The university's own online test is more usual |
| Greece | Limited |
| Finland | No — Bangladesh not listed |
| Sweden / Denmark | Generally not — a test is required |
⚠️ Italy deserves a line of its own, because it is the country where this letter looks most useful and is most likely to strand you. Italian universities really do accept it; the Italian Embassy in Dhaka's list does not include it. Its published study visa checklist asks for a language certificate unless your university has already verified your language and reported it on your Universitaly pre-enrolment — and when it asks, a certificate under two years old at B2 or above for Italian or another European language, or a score no lower than 6 for English, with IELTS the only English certificate on it. Get the letter, get admitted with it, and ask the university whether it will record your language on Universitaly; if it will not, plan for IELTS: studying in Italy without IELTS sets out both stages. This applies to Italy only; every other row above has its own separate immigration rule.
Three real limits
1. It rarely works at bachelor's level. The logic of MOI is "the previous degree was in English", and after higher secondary that argument is weak.
2. It is weak in competitive programmes. Where applicants outnumber places, IELTS holders are ahead even if MOI is technically accepted.
3. It often fails for scholarships. Most scholarships specify a test score. You can be admitted on an MOI and then be excluded from the funding — and you find that out late.
Practical advice: an MOI costs nothing, so get one if you are eligible — there is no downside and it occasionally proves useful. But do not decide to skip IELTS on the strength of it unless every programme on your list has confirmed in writing that it accepts MOI.
How to be certain
One email to the admissions office:
"My Bachelor's degree from [University], Bangladesh was taught and examined entirely in English. Do you accept a Medium of Instruction certificate in place of IELTS for [Programme]? And is it also accepted for the residence permit application?"
The second question is the one people forget, and the one that causes the most trouble later. Keep the reply in writing — if anyone says otherwise afterwards, that is your evidence.
Official sources — check for yourself
- Studying in Europe without IELTS
- IELTS requirements by country
- Cyprus Department of Higher Education — knowledge of English (national minimum)
- University of Malta — exemptions from the English requirement
- UASinfo — language requirements for the joint application (Finland)
- University of Copenhagen — language requirements, master's
- Aarhus University — English language requirements, master's
Rules and figures change. We review these articles periodically and show the date above, but always confirm the current requirement with the official source before you act on it.
Common questions
How do I get an MOI certificate?+
From your university's registrar or controller of examinations, usually free or for a nominal fee. Insist the letter states that the 'medium of instruction and examination' was English — a letter saying only 'instruction' is rejected by many universities.
Can an MOI replace IELTS?+
Only where every programme on your list accepts it and the country's immigration authority does too. It is free so worth having, but skipping IELTS on the strength of it is risky, particularly for scholarship applications, and in Cyprus, Malta and Finland it does not work at all — nor, generally, in Sweden or Denmark. Italy is the clearest case of the gap: its universities accept the letter, while for the visa the Italian Embassy in Dhaka asks for a language certificate unless your university has already reported your language on your Universitaly pre-enrolment — and when it asks, the only English certificate it lists is IELTS at 6.0 or above. So ask your university first.
Does MOI work for bachelor's admission?+
Rarely. The logic of MOI is that a previous degree was taught in English, and that argument is weak straight after higher secondary.
Tuition, funds, IELTS band and the visa route — side by side.
All 31 guides on this topic, in one place
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