University of Connecticut English Proficiency Policy

ATTENTION: All Teaching Assistants for whom English is not a native language must pass an oral English proficiency test regardless of citizenship or visa status.

Each academic unit should ensure that each graduate student has appropriate oral proficiency in English before he or she is employed as a teaching assistant, instructor, or lecturer with direct instructional responsibilities. These responsibilities extend to both classroom and laboratory settings. Certification of English proficiency is filed with the Graduate School and made a part of the student's record. The student is responsible for obtaining certification in a timely fashion. The academic unit is responsible for reviewing the certification in PeopleSoft before employing the student in an instructional role.

1. Speak English as a native language.
2. Submit a valid TOEFL iBT score with a speaking subscore of 28 or higher, or an IELTS speaking band score of 8.0 or higher.
3. Pass Pearson’s Versant™ for English Test (Phone Pass) with an Overall score of 65+. Students receiving an Overall score of 57-64 or having a TOEFL iBT speaking subscore of 27 must pass an additional Microteaching Test to be certified to teach. Students who take but do not pass the Microteaching test may not be appointed to a position with direct instructional contact and must be retested.  Students who receive an Overall Versant (phone) score lower than 57 may not be appointed to a position with direct instructional contact and must be retested.
4. Modern and Classical Languages:  Pearson’s Versant™ for English Test (Phone Pass) overall score of 55+ is passing; below 55 will require enrollment in the appropriate class (see below for further information on classes).  If you will be a Teaching Assistant in Modern and Classical Languages you do not need to take a Microteaching Test.

Testing Policy