Last updated 1/16/141

 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 1/16/142

 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 1/16/143

 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 1/16/144

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 1/16/145

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 1/16/146

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 1/16/147

‣ 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 Emergency One-Semester Deferral Last updated 1/16/148

English Proficiency on Compass Last updated 1/16/149

Z1EL – Overall ELPE Status Z2G –Grammar (UGrad only) Z3C –Composition Z4R – Reading Z5L – Listening Z6V – Vocabulary (Ugrad only) Z7O – Oral Skills Last updated 1/16/1410

SHANCRS Last updated 1/16/1411

ZA – Certified by Alternate Means ZC – Certified ZE – Native English Speaker ZN – Not Verified ZP – Postponed ZV – Verified ZX - Excluded Last updated 1/16/1412

 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 1/16/1413

 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 1/16/1414

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 1/16/1415

 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 1/16/1416

 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 1/16/1417