English Language Proficiency

1. English Language Proficiency Last updated 1/16/14

2. Areas of Responsibility • Office of Graduate and Professional Studies Works with Departments on policy interpretations, approvals, and exceptions. • Data and Research Services Testing – English Language Proficiency Examination • English Language Institute Instruction in English Last updated 1/16/14

3. English Proficiency Policy • English Language Proficiency Verification Required of all TAMU international students for whom English is not the native language (as defined by the Office of Admissions) • English Language Proficiency Certification Required of all TAMU international students who will serve as Graduate Assistant – Teaching or who have not achieved ELP Verification. Last updated 1/16/14

4. English Language Proficiency Verification • TOEFL Test Score Internet – 80 Paper – 550 • IELTS Score – 6.0 • GRE Verbal Score – 146 New Scale (was 400) • GMAT Verbal Score – 22 • Alternative verification through OGAPS Last updated 1/16/14

5. English Language Proficiency Verification Alternative Verification methods (handled through OGAPS) • Master’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution • Departments initiate alternative verification requests • The Department Head must sign the submitted Alternative Verification Form Last updated 1/16/14

6. English Language Proficiency Certification Four Areas of Competence: • Written Composition • Listening • Oral Skills • Reading Can meet certification requirement with: • Score of at least 80 on each section of English Language Proficiency Examination (Writing Skills, Listening Comprehension, Oral Skills, Reading Comprehension) • Grade of A or B in an English Language Institute course at 300 level or higher (Composition, Listening, Oral Skills, Reading) Last updated 1/16/14

7. English Language Proficiency Certification Alternative Certification methods (handled through OGAPS) • Undergraduate degree following four years of study at an accredited U.S. institution. • Completed an equivalent English Proficiency Program at another institution. • Other requests require strong department justification and review in compliance with OGAPS policies and deadlines • Departments initiate alternative certification requests. • The Department Head must sign the submitted Alternative Certification Form Last updated 1/16/14

8. Emergency One-Semester Deferral • On rare occasions, a department may need to hire as a Graduate Assistant-Teaching an international student who has not met the English Proficiency Certification requirements • In such a case, the department may request from OGAPS a one-time, one-semester emergency deferral of: • One or more English Language Proficiency Exam (ELPE) sections OR • A retest of one or more ELPE sections • Deferral request comes to OGAPS through the Graduate Operations Committee (GOC) Dean via a memo from the Department Head • The level of justification for approving an emergency deferral is very high. See Graduate Advisor Handbook for examples of justifiable conditions Last updated 1/16/14

9. English Proficiency on Compass Last updated 1/16/14

10. SHANCRS – Non-Course Requirement Z1EL – Overall ELPE Status Z2G –Grammar (UGrad only) Z3C –Composition Z4R – Reading Z5L – Listening Z6V – Vocabulary (Ugrad only) Z7O – Oral Skills Last updated 1/16/14

11. SHANCRS Last updated 1/16/14

12. SHANCRS – Status ZA – Certified by Alternate Means ZC – Certified ZE – Native English Speaker ZN – Not Verified ZP – Postponed ZV – Verified ZX - Excluded Last updated 1/16/14

13. English Language Proficiency Examination • Offered on a monthly basis. • Students register at dars.tamu.edu • Testing in August and January for new students handled with a priority system. • Students must wait three months between exam administrations (except with written approval from OGAPS). • Students without ELP Verification or enrolled in an ELI course must test between semesters. Last updated 1/16/14

14. ELP Examination PrioritiesFor late August and early January testing • First priority given to students who have not met ELP Verification. • Next priority goes to departments using new, first-semester international graduate students as GATs. The department will send DARS a list of students identified as potential GATs. • Remaining slots will fill on a first-come, space-available basis. Last updated 1/16/14

15. English Language Proficiency Examination Written Composition • 30 minute essay on a general topic. • Scored by 2 or 3 readers using a structured rubric. Listening • 90 question test delivered by recorded exam developed at the University of Michigan. Oral Skills • Short oral reading passage. • Brief lecture presentation based on content provided by the student’s department. • Question and answer on a general topic chosen by the student. Reading • 20 Question test using short passages, developed at University of Michigan. Last updated 1/16/14

16. Retesting • Retesting within 3 months of most recent attempt requires OGAPS permission. • Request comes from the Departmental Graduate Advisor • Department Head must sign the submitted Request to Retake the English Language Proficiency Examination Form • Eligibility requirements: • The department needs the student to work as a Teaching Assistant • The student has passed at least two sections of the ELPE • The two ELPE areas lacking have a minimum score of 75 in each Students will be scheduled with DARS once OGAPS permission is granted. Last updated 1/16/14

17. Placement in ELI courses • Required of students not meeting ELP Verification or Certification requirements or departmental standards. • Certain departments allow students to postpone English Verification requirements for their first enrolled semester ONLY at TAMU. • ELI course placements are handled by the Departmental Graduate Advisor in consultation with OGAPS, DARS and the English Language Institute Last updated 1/16/14