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International Teaching Assistants (ITA)

To be eligible for a TA or AI appointment, non-native speakers of English must receive ITA English Certification.

ITA English screening assesses the skills ITAs need to be effective educators in the classroom. Certain exemptions apply and some departments may have additional requirements.

Prospective ITAs must clear any speaking J-Hold before they may complete an ITA screening.

Department Information for ITA Screening and Certification

Graduate Advisers and Graduate Coordinators are encouraged to read over our departmental information page for cost information, instructions to register students for an ITA screening, iBT TOEFL and IELTS score interpretation, graduate-level ESL courses, and best practices.

What's the process?

  1. Register

    Students

    If your native language is not English, you will need to complete the Oral English Proficiency Assessment or ITA Screening to be eligible for a TA/AI appointment with a department. 

    • Reserved Screening Appointments: To guarantee a screening appointment, the Graduate Adviser or Graduate Coordinator of the employing department must request an ITA screening.
    • Open Screening Appointments: Students may schedule an open ITA screening (first-come-first-served with limited availability). 
    Cost 

    The cost for the assessment is $80 per screening (starting July 31, 2025, this cost will increase to $100 per screening). 

    • Reserved Screening Appointments: The screening fee is charged to the department only if a department advisor or coordinator has provided IDT billing information to our office. Otherwise, students are billed for the screening fee through What I Owe. Check with your department if you have any questions about payment.
    • Open Screening Appointments: The screening fee is charged to the student through What I Owe. 

    Departments

    Check our ITA Department Information page for comprehensive instructions specific to Graduate Advisers and Coordinators, including the ITA screening request form.

  2. Schedule

    Reserved ITA Screenings

    ITA screenings for specific semesters are reserved for students referred by departments or students enrolled in graduate-level ESL courses. ITA screenings may only be taken one time per semester.

    For Fall 2025, screenings will be offered July 31-August 1, August 4-8, and August 20-21. Students will be emailed individually for scheduling.

    Open ITA Screenings

    Students who do not meet the criteria for a reserved ITA screenings may schedule an open ITA screening on a first-come-first-served basis with limited appointments available. Students will be charged the screening fee through What I Owe. Students with a J-Hold for speaking on their record are not eligible for these appointments. ITA screenings may only be taken one time per semester.

    Book Open ITA Screening  

    Screening Cancelation Policy

    Appointments must be canceled or rescheduled at least 72 hours in advance in order to avoid a $80 no-show fee. Beginning July 31, the no-show fee will increase to $100. 

  3. Prepare

    Familiarize yourself with the directions for all four sections of the assessment. See the FAQs below for detailed task explanations and suggested practice activities for the screening tasks.

    1. Brief conversation: 5-7 minutes of speaking time
    2. Explanation of a basic concept in your field: 5-minute explanation, followed by 2-3 minutes answering questions about the concept
    3. Explanation of a visual: 2 minutes of preparation time (you may take notes on the visual) and 2-3 minutes of speaking time
    4. Syllabus role play: 2 minutes of preparation time (you may take notes on the syllabus) and 2-3 minutes of speaking time
  4. Scores & Results

    Students are rated by two English Language Center professionals using a 1-9 proficiency scale (1-3 beginner; 4-6 intermediate; 7-9 advanced) in the skills below. The two raters' scores are averaged for a total score.

    • Fluency (30%)
    • Grammar (20%)
    • Vocabulary (20%)
    • Pronunciation (15%)
    • Communicative Competence (15%)

    The scores and results are emailed to the student and the department contact (if applicable) within five business days.

Scores & Results Details

Re-Screening Policies

Students may take the screening only once per semester and are limited to three attempts per year, with a maximum of five total screenings. 

After the initial screening, the student is charged for all additional screening fees unless their department authorizes subsequent payment. 

Frequently Asked Questions