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English oral proficiency testing offered at Northwestern University
TGS English Proficiency RequirementThe Graduate School requires international PhD and MFA students whose primary language is not English to fulfill The Graduate School’s English proficiency requirement in order to become eligible to earn funding as teaching assistants. Students may fulfill this requirement in one of 4 ways:
- Score 26 or higher on the Speaking Section of the TOEFL iBT. Students who submit a score 26 or higher (out of a possible 30) on the Speaking Section of the TOEFL internet-based test with their application materials fulfill the English proficiency requirement. These students are not required to participate in further English proficiency testing at Northwestern.
- Score 65 or higher on the Versant English Test (out of a possible 80). Only scores from tests administered at Northwestern will be accepted. Students who score 63 or 64 on two separate Versant tests will also be considered to have fulfilled the English proficiency requirement.
- Score 50 or higher on the SPEAK test (out of a possible 60). Only scores from tests administered at Northwestern will be accepted.
- Pass a teaching demonstration at the conclusion of Linguistics 480. Students who demonstrate the required level of English proficiency during a teaching demonstration at the conclusion of this course fulfill the English proficiency requirement.
Proficiency Testing Students who have not already fulfilled The Graduate School’s English proficiency requirement are required to take the Versant test during the first test period after they arrive on campus (typically September of the first year). Those who do not pass will be required to participate in Versant testing approximately every six months until they fulfill the English proficiency requirement. Students who fulfill the English proficiency requirement are not required to participate in further testing.
Other proficiency test opportunities like the SPEAK test and Linguistics 480 are available to students upon request from their department or program. All requests must be approved by The Graduate School (in consultation with English Language Programs).
If you have additional questions about testing policies and procedures, please contact Dr. Erin Leddon (e-mcmahon "at" northwestern dot edu).
