How to Get a Medium-of-Instruction (MOI) Letter from a Zambian University

What an MOI Letter Is — and What It Is Not

A Medium-of-Instruction letter is an official document from your university’s registrar’s office (or equivalent academic authority) confirming that your degree programme was taught and assessed entirely in English. It is not a translation of your transcripts. It does not confirm your English proficiency in the way a standardised test score does — it confirms the medium in which you studied, leaving the university you are applying to judge whether that constitutes adequate preparation.

European universities use it as a proxy for English ability when the applicant’s prior study was demonstrably in English at a recognised institution. Because Zambia’s higher-education system uses English exclusively — the country’s official language since independence — MOI letters from Zambian public universities carry credibility with most admissions offices.

An MOI letter is not a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test. For UK student visa purposes below degree level, it has no official standing as proof of English. That distinction matters and is covered under the UK section below.

Why Zambian Students Often Need One (Rather Than IELTS)

Zambia is not on the UK Home Office “majority-English-speaking” exemption list (source: gov.uk/student-visa/knowledge-of-english). This surprises many applicants. The exemption list covers countries such as the United States, Australia and South Africa — not Zambia, despite English being the official and only medium of instruction in Zambian schools and universities.

That said, the visa English requirement and the university English requirement are different things:

• For the visa (UK, degree level): the sponsoring UK university (the HEP) may assess English itself. If it confirms your degree was English-taught — often by requesting an Ecctis verification or reviewing your transcripts — the IELTS requirement is effectively removed at the visa-application stage. Most UK universities with Zambian applicants use this route.
• For university admission: each institution sets its own threshold. An MOI letter satisfies many universities’ policies without any standardised test.

Germany, Ireland and several other destinations handle English evidence entirely at the institutional level, making the MOI letter the primary — and often the only — document needed.

What a Valid MOI Letter Must Contain

Not all MOI letters are accepted. A letter that omits key information will be rejected by the admissions office and you will need to go back to your institution. A complete MOI letter from a Zambian university should include all of the following.

The letter should be printed on the institution’s official headed paper and signed by the Registrar or an authorised officer of equivalent seniority. It should confirm: your full name as it appears on your academic record; the name of the institution; the degree programme and level (bachelor’s, master’s, diploma); the years of study (start date and completion or expected completion date); and a clear statement that English was the sole or primary medium of instruction and examination throughout the programme. If any component of the programme was taught in another language, the letter should specify which subjects and what percentage of the total programme those represented.

Some European universities additionally ask for the letter to reference the institution’s language policy or to include contact details for the registrar so they can verify authenticity. Include these if possible.

The letter should be an original bearing a wet signature and official stamp. Photocopies, scanned PDFs sent via email, and digital signatures are not accepted by most European embassies or admissions offices — this is specifically flagged in the German Embassy Lusaka’s guidance on document originals (source: lusaka.diplo.de/zm-en/service/visa/visaneu).

How to Request an MOI Letter: Step-by-Step

The process is broadly the same at UNZA, Copperbelt University (CBU) and Mulungushi University, though processing times and fees differ. Contact the Registrar’s Office directly rather than going through a faculty office or student support desk — the request must originate from the right authority.

Step 1: Gather your academic records. Before approaching the registrar you need your student number, the name of your programme, and the years you attended. For graduates this is straightforward. If you are a current student requesting a letter before completion, clarify with the admissions office in Europe whether they accept an MOI letter for a programme still in progress — most do.

Step 2: Write a formal request letter. Address it to the Registrar. State your full name, student number, programme, years of enrolment, and the specific purpose of the letter (European university application, and the name of the institution or country). Include the contact details of the receiving institution if you have them — some Zambian universities will address the MOI letter directly to the foreign university, which increases its credibility.

Step 3: Allow adequate processing time. UNZA and CBU do not publish guaranteed turnaround times publicly. Realistically, allow four to six weeks. Applications to European universities typically have submission deadlines months in advance of the course start — request your MOI letter as early as possible, ideally when you submit your application rather than after receiving a conditional offer.

Step 4: Collect the original. Collect the letter in person from the registrar’s office if at all possible. This allows you to check immediately that all required information is present, that the signature is original (not a stamp or printed signature), and that the official seal is clearly visible. If you are applying to multiple universities, request multiple original copies at the same time — it is significantly easier than returning for additional copies later.

Step 5: Confirm acceptance before submitting your visa application. Before including the MOI letter in a visa dossier, verify with the receiving embassy or university that they accept this format. Requirements change. Getting written confirmation by email means you have a record if there is any dispute.

Which Destinations Accept MOI Letters from Zambian Universities

Germany

German universities assess language competence during the admission process, not through the visa. The standard is B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). If the Zambian degree was taught in English and the German university accepts English as the medium of instruction for the programme, an MOI letter from your Zambian institution supports admission. Admission is managed via uni-assist for most universities, and the language documentation forms part of the Vorprüfungsdokumentation (VPD). The visa itself — a national Type D visa applied for at the German Embassy, Lusaka — does not require a separate English-language certificate; what matters is the admission letter your university issues once satisfied with your language evidence.

United Kingdom

At degree level, the UK approach is more nuanced than a simple MOI letter submission. The sponsoring UK university may:
– Accept an Ecctis (UK ENIC) verification confirming your degree was taught in English, without requiring IELTS at all; or
– Require IELTS or another approved SELT if its own admissions policy specifies a standardised score.

An MOI letter alone is typically not sufficient for the UK student visa at degree level — but in practice many UK universities use it alongside transcripts to confirm English competence and then issue a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) without IELTS. Confirm this with your specific UK university before assuming IELTS is waived.

Ireland

Irish universities widely accept MOI letters from Zambian institutions for admission purposes. The Irish Immigration Service’s student visa checklist asks for “evidence of English language proficiency” but does not mandate IELTS specifically — an MOI letter from a recognised Zambian university satisfies this in the majority of cases. Apply online via AVATS and submit documents to the Embassy of Ireland, Lusaka. Zambian nationals pay no visa fee (fee-exempt as of June 2026, per irishimmigration.ie).

Hungary, Poland, Malta, Cyprus

These four destinations handle English-language evidence at the institutional level. Whether an MOI letter is accepted depends on the specific university and programme. In general:

Poland’s national student visa checklist references a B2 English certificate; however, because English is Zambia’s official language there is a reasonable basis to request an exemption — confirm with the Polish Embassy in Pretoria (which handles Zambia) before assuming this applies to you (Estimate; source: our destination research).

Malta’s University of Malta does not automatically waive IELTS for Zambian applicants — Zambia is not on UM’s nationality-exemption list. Zambian applicants to UM generally need a SELT or standardised test result unless the university makes an individual exception on review of the MOI letter and transcripts (source: universities table footnote, our destination research).

For Hungary and Cyprus, confirm the English-evidence requirement directly with the admitting university’s international admissions office. Most private English-taught programmes across these two countries accept MOI letters as part of a holistic document review.

The Main Catches to Know Before You Apply

Allow six to eight weeks, not six to eight days. Last-minute requests rarely arrive in time. European universities with January or September intake deadlines often want documents two to three months before the course start. Plan accordingly.

One letter per application, ideally. Some universities will forward it on your behalf; others want you to submit it directly. Do not send photocopies. If you need letters for three different universities, request three original letters at once.

Check if the foreign university needs it apostilled. For Polish visa purposes, sponsor documents and academic attestations may require apostille authentication or notarisation. Zambia is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Confirm whether your MOI letter needs apostille before you travel to submit your visa application in Pretoria — it is much harder to resolve this from abroad.

An MOI letter does not affect your grade or ranking. Admissions offices use it solely to assess language competence. It carries no weight in competitive academic ranking against other applicants.

How World Study Helps

World Study Africa is a study-abroad advisory for African students applying to European universities. Our service is commission-based (funded by partner universities at no cost to you for core guidance), and we help you identify which universities in your target country accept MOI letters from Zambian institutions, prepare the correct document checklist for your specific corridor, and avoid the most common submission errors.

To get a personalised document checklist for your specific programme and destination, check your eligibility here or message us on WhatsApp for a direct conversation.

For the full picture on English-language alternatives, read our IELTS alternatives guide. For everything you need to know about studying in Europe from Zambia, start with the Zambia country hub.