English Proficiency Requirements

All University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Graduate School applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate a suitable level of proficiency in the English language to gain admission in one of two categories:

1. Full admission with English proficiency
2. Dual admission with English deficiency

I. Full Admission with English Proficiency

The English proficiency requirement can be fulfilled by A or B below:

1. Receipt of a baccalaureate or higher degree from UWM, or another accredited institution where English is the language of instruction (as determined by the Center for International Education – CIE), including:
   1. The applicant must have attended this institution for at least one year; and
   2. The applicant must have lived and worked in the U.S. continuously since receiving the degree OR must have received the degree within the previous two years of the application date.
2. Submission of official standardized test scores that demonstrate a high B2
   Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) level.
   Acceptable score types will be determined by the Center for International
   Education (CIE). As new tests are available in market, CIE will collaborate with the Director of UWM’s English Language Academy to determine CEFR level equivalencies. All acceptable tests and required scores will be available on CIE’s website for international applicants.
   1. Test date must be within the previous two years of the application date.
   2. Some programs may require higher minimum overall or sub-scores.

II. Dual Admission with English Deficiency

1. Qualification for dual admission – Applicants who do not meet any of the above (I.A. and I.B.), may be recommended for dual admission in academic coursework and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) coursework by submitting official standardized test scores that demonstrate a low B2 Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) level. Acceptable score types will be determined by the Center for International Education (CIE). As new tests are available or are updated, CIE will collaborate with the Director of UWM’s English Language Academy to determine CEFR equivalencies. All acceptable score types and required scores will be available on the International Admissions website for graduate applicants.
   1. Test date must be within the previous two years of the application date.
   2. Programs are not obligated to accept students in dual admission status.
   3. Dual admission with English Deficiency is not allowed for online programs.
   4. Some academic courses may not be suitable for dually admitted students before they reach full proficiency. Graduate advisors and/or course-instructors should advise students before enrolling in academic courses.
2. Subsequent Demonstration of English Proficiency to Gain Full Admission – Once dually admitted, the student may demonstrate English proficiency by doing one of the following:
   1. presenting a new official test score that demonstrates a high B2 CEFR level and meets the English Proficiency requirement for full admission for the program of the student, or
   2. achieving a CEFR level of high B2 (or higher level if required for a specific degree program) through assessment of a portfolio that includes the following:
      • a grade of B or better in ESL 420 and passing the impromptu writing
      • a grade of B or better in ESL 435 and passing a speaking and listening test.

The portfolio will be assessed by a normed EAP portfolio committee.

Upon demonstration of proficiency, the Graduate School will remove the English
deficiency, and the student will gain full admission in the semester immediately
following submission of the requisite scores or achievement of a passing portfolio. If proficiency is attained through submission of qualifying official test
scores before the student arrives at UWM, the student’s proficiency status will
be changed to allow unrestricted enrollment.

3. Enrollment Requirements and Restrictions for Dual Admission – Graduate students in dual admission status must simultaneously enroll in their academic program and in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) subject to the following restrictions:
   1. EAP instruction will be required each semester until the English deficiency is removed. Specific EAP courses (420 and/or 435) will be assigned based on areas of need identified by test sub-scores.
   2. If the English deficiency is not removed within 3 enrolled semesters, the student will be dismissed.
   3. The maximum academic course load is 6 graduate credits each semester until the English deficiency is removed.

III. Assessment of English skills for International Students Appointment as Teaching Assistants

1. An assessment of spoken English is required to appoint an international student as a Teaching Assistant unless the student has a CEFR C1 level of speaking as demonstrated with a correlated official language proficiency score. All acceptable tests and required scores will be available on relevant websites and on student and faculty facing documents.
   1. The test must have been taken within the previous two years of the
      application date.
2. Those who do not meet the criteria above must take the University of
   Wisconsin–Milwaukee International Teaching Assistant Assessment (MITAA). The student may then be hired as a TA subject to the following:
   1. Score of 45+ with a benchmark of 3 in overall language ability, pronunciation, and interaction with committee pronunciation – no restrictions
   2. Score of 35-44 – the student must take the International Teaching Assistants oral skills ESL course (EAP 435), or an equivalent course approved by GFC, concurrent with the TA appointment.
   3. Score of 34 or below – the student must take the International Teaching Assistants oral skills ESL course (EAP 435), or an equivalent course approved by GFC, before the TA appointment begins.

Students will be re-tested after completion of one semester in the International Teaching Assistants oral skills class and will be reassessed for the TA appointment based on the MITAA score ranges in III B 1-3 above.

IV. Consideration of Exceptional Cases

The admissions staff of the Center for International Education (CIE) has discretion to determine whether this policy applies to applicants with circumstances not considered by the parameters of this policy. In so doing, the admissions staff will work with representatives from the program to which the student applied, the English Language Academy (ELA) program, and the Graduate School.

September 15, 2016

This policy was initially codified September 15, 2016, superseding GFC Document No. 1373 (2015/16) and GFC Document No. 876 (2002).