Unless they are exempt for the reasons described below, all non-native English-speaking TAs who will be assigned classroom duties as part of a graduate teaching assistantship are required to take the UWM International Teaching Assistant Assessment (MITAA) before or during orientation. Information on this test is available from the ELA office and from the Center for International Education. A Department representative must be available to participate in the assessment. There is no charge for the MITAA.
Note: There are two primary exceptions to the MITAA requirement for International Teaching Assistants.
- The assessment is generally not required for prospective ITAs who have graduated from an American college or university, with the following conditions:
- The prospective ITA attended the institution for at least one year and the degree was earned within two years of applying to UWM; OR the prospective ITA attended the institution for at least one year and has lived and worked continually in the U.S. since earning the degree.
- The assessment generally is not required for prospective ITAs with one of the standardized test scores below (taken within the last two years):
- 24 or better on the speaking section of the internet-Based TOEFL (iBT) with test dates before January 21, 2026 or 5 or better on the speaking section of the internet-based TOEFL (iBT) with test dates on or after January 21, 2026
- 7.0 or better on the Speaking section of the IELTS
- 185 or better on the Speaking section of the Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) or the Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
- 125 or better on the Conversation and Production sections of the Duolingo English Test
Some UWM Schools or Departments may have higher requirements.
If the MITAA reveals that the prospective ITA’s language proficiency is inadequate, the y will be required to take a course in oral English skills (EAP 435) at their own expense.
For more information visit this website of the English Language Academy (ELA): or email: el-academy@uwm.edu.