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.

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 or submit qualifying DET, IELTS, or TOEFL iBT scores to be eligible for a TA/AI appointment with a department. 

   • Reserved Screening Appointments: The Graduate Adviser or Graduate Coordinator of the employing department must request an ITA screening for a student.
   • Open Screening Appointments: Students may schedule an open ITA screening (first-come-first-served with very limited availability). 

   Cost 

   The cost for the assessment is $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. The fall semester is July to October, the spring semester is November to February, and the summer semester is March to June. 

   • Spring 2027 - reserved screenings will be offered in early December and early January (dates to be confirmed in mid-October)

   Screening Cancelation Policy

   Appointments must be canceled or rescheduled at least 72 hours in advance in order to avoid a $100 no-show fee. 

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

    

   Want to practice and improve your English before completing an ITA screening? The International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Preparation classes are offered online every summer, giving students the opportunity to participate anywhere in the world.  

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.

   ITA screening scores are valid for two years. 

Scores & Results Details

• Score Below 6.0: Did Not Pass

  Students who receive a Did Not Pass result are ineligible to work as a TA/AI with student contact for the semester. ESL 388S Oral Communication is the recommended course to continue improving speaking skills.

• Score 6.0 to 6.99: Conditional Pass

  As required by the Graduate School, students who receive a “Conditional Pass” must enroll in and regularly attend a required ESL course in order to conditionally be appointed as a TA/AI with student contact for the semester. Students who receive a Conditional Pass are eligible to work as a TA/AI with student contact with required ESL courses for a maximum of two semesters.

  Score 6.5-6.99

  Students with a 6.5-6.99 Conditional Pass result must enroll in and attend ESL 389T Communication and Teaching Culture (3 credit hours) to be conditionally certified to TA/AI with student contact for the semester. This course may not be repeated; ESL 389S Oral Communication is the alternative course.

  • Rescreening and Certification: Starting in Fall 2025, students enrolled in ESL 389T in the 6.5-6.99 score range do not need to rescreen and will be fully certified as long as course grade conditions are met (details will be provided in ESL 389T). Students who do not meet these conditions must rescreen at the completion of ESL 389T and earn a passing score to be fully TA/AI certified. If they earn a score of 6.5-6.99 again, they must enroll in ESL 389S to maintain their conditionally certified status for one additional semester and rescreen at the completion of ESL 389S.

  Score 6.0-6.49

  Students who receive a 6.0-6.49 Conditional Pass result must enroll in and attend ESL 388T Basic Speaking Skills (3 credit hours) to be conditionally certified to TA/AI with student contact for the semester. This course may not be repeated; ESL 388S Advanced Oral Communication is the alternative course. 

  • Rescreening and Certification: Students enrolled in ESL 388T must rescreen at the completion of ESL 388T. If they earn a passing score, there are no further ESL course requirements, and they are fully TA/AI certified. If they earn a score of 6.5-6.99, they must enroll in ESL 389T to maintain their conditionally certified status for one additional semester. If students score in the 6.0-6.49 range again, they are no longer conditionally certified and will have to rescreen in later semesters to earn a score in the 6.5-6.99 range to enroll in 389T.  
• Score 7.0 and Above: Pass

  Students who receive a Pass result are fully certified to TA/AI but may have recommended ESL coursework.

  • Score 7.0 to 7.5: Students who receive a Pass result in this score range are encouraged to take ESL 389S Advanced Oral Communication to continue to improve their low-advanced English skills.
  • Score 7.5+: Students who receive a Pass result in this score range have no recommended ESL coursework. 
• ITA Screening Detailed Score Descriptors

  	Score below 6 Did Not Pass	Score 6-6.99 Conditional Pass	Score 7-7.49 Pass	Score 7.5 and above Pass+
  Fluency 30%	Speech is slow and requires effort on the part of the speaker and/or listener. Speaker is not able to speak at length; thought groups may be short and/or “choppy” sounding. Hesitations, fillers, restarts, word searches and/or self-corrections are prevalent and very distracting.	Speech may be slow at times and requires some effort on the part of the speaker and/or listener, especially on unprepared tasks or unfamiliar topics, May be able to speak at length with long continuous thought groups at times; however, intermittent fragmented thought groups often interrupt the flow of communication. Frequent and unpredictable hesitations, fillers, restarts, word searches and/or self-corrections are prominent and distracting.	Speech rate is natural and requires very little effort on the part of the speaker and/or listener (*some students may even need to slow down!) Speaks at length most of the time (“long runs”); isolated occurrences of fragmented thought groups may occur; however, they are not distracting and rarely impede the flow of communication. Sporadic/Minor hesitations, fillers, restarts, word searches and/or self-corrections are not prominent and rarely distracting.	Speech rate is fluid and effortless; approximates that of a native speaker. Offers extended responses with ease. Hesitations, fillers, restarts, word searches and/or self-corrections are rare.
  Grammar 20%	May use complex structures, but overall range is limited. Sentences usually contain errors, and these errors may cause some comprehension problems. Lacks control of major verb tenses (past, present, future).	Uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility. May make frequent mistakes with complex structures, though these rarely cause comprehension problems. Inconsistent control or systematic errors with verb tenses.	Uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility in communicating ideas, information and/or opinions. Frequently produces error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist. Appropriate, accurate control of a range of verb tenses.	Uses a wide range of complex structures, flexibly in communicating ideas, information and/or opinions. Produces mainly error-free sentences with only very occasional minor/non-systematic errors. Appropriate, accurate control of a range of verb tenses.
  Vocabulary 20%	CONTROL: Lack of control of vocabulary and/or expressions with frequent errors in word choice and/or word form. RANGE: Comprehends and produces high frequency words, highly practiced expressions, and formulaic phrases within familiar themes or topics, but cannot discuss topics at length. Lack of awareness for culturally appropriate vocabulary and expressions. FLEXIBILITY: Uses vocabulary resource to discuss familiar and some unfamiliar topics but with limited flexibility.	CONTROL: Semi-consistent control of vocabulary and/or expressions with some errors in word choice and/or word form. RANGE: Comprehends and produces both high frequency and personalized vocabulary within familiar themes or topics and has a wide enough vocabulary to discuss some topics at length and make meaning clear with some effort. Lack of use of culturally appropriate vocabulary and expressions. FLEXIBILTY: Uses vocabulary resources to discuss familiar and unfamiliar topics but with some limited flexibility.	CONTROL: Consistent control of vocabulary and/or expressions with infrequent errors in word choice and/or word form. RANGE: Comprehends and produces both high frequency and personalized vocabulary on a variety of topics and has a wide enough vocabulary to discuss most topics at length and make meaning clear. Uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary with some inappropriate choices. Recognizes and uses some culturally appropriate vocabulary and expressions. FLEXIBILITY: Uses vocabulary resource flexibly to discuss a variety of familiar and unfamiliar topics.	CONTROL: Strong control of vocabulary and/or expressions with almost no errors in word choice and/or word form. RANGE: Comprehends and produces a broad range of vocabulary and has a wide enough vocabulary to discuss any topic at length and make meaning clear. Recognizes and uses less common and idiomatic vocabulary skillfully, with occasional inaccuracies. Recognizes and uses culturally appropriate vocabulary and expressions. FLEXIBILTY: Uses a wide vocabulary resource readily and flexibly to convey precise meaning.
  Pronunciation 15%	Lack of accuracy in sounds, word stress, rhythm, and/or intonation patterns. Listener effort is consistently required.	Generally accurate use of sounds, word stress, rhythm, and intonation patterns but has some noticeable errors Requires extra listener effort at times.	Mostly accurate sounds, word stress, rhythm, and intonation patterns, but may have minor errors that do not affect overall comprehensibility. Rarely requires extra listener effort	Nearly always accurate sounds, word stress, rhythm, and intonation patterns. May have occasional minor errors that do not affect overall comprehensibility. Almost never requires extra listener effort
  Communicative Competence 15%	Conversation difficult. Incomplete utterances with lack of detail. Needs prompting from proctor. Lack of eye contact, gestures, and/or facial expressions/flat affect. Inappropriate responses due to comprehension issues Lack of discourse markers.	Conversation strained at times. Some incomplete utterances some utterances of appropriate detail. Needs some prompting. Some Eye Contact and appropriate facial expressions but needs work A few inappropriate responses due to comprehension issues Discourse markers help flow	Conversation flowed for the most part. Mostly complete utterances of appropriate detail, only minimal prompting from proctor Eye Contact and facial expressions mostly appropriate for successful conversation Very few to no inappropriate responses due to comprehension issues Good use of discourse markers	Conversation very easy. Complete utterances of detail that enhances conversation. Little to no prompting necessary Eye contact and facial expressions add to and enhance conversation Always appropriate responses due to clear comprehension Excellent use of discourse markers Demonstrates cultural awareness

Re-Screening Policies

ITA screening scores are valid for two years. 

Students may take the ITA screening only once per semester and are limited to three attempts per year. 

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

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Oral English Proficiency Assessment or ITA Screening?

  This 30-minute screening is designed to determine whether your level of English oral proficiency is sufficient to work as a TA or AI at The University of Texas. It measures your ability to communicate in English in an instructional setting and includes a variety of situations to demonstrate how well you speak English when presenting information in your academic area to undergraduates. 

  You will meet online with a proctor, who will guide you through the assessment. Be ready to verify your identity by showing your UT ID, passport, or another official document with your photo and your name in English. 

  ITA Screening Tasks 

  Task 1: A Brief Conversation 

  (Speaking Time: 5-7 minutes of conversation with your proctor) 

  When the proctor begins recording, you will be asked to say your name, EID, and department. Be prepared to discuss topics such as your daily life, your studies, your opinions on topics, and/or your future plans. 

  Task 2: Explanation of a Basic Concept from your Field 

  (Speaking Time: 5-minute explanation, followed by 2-3 minutes answering questions about the concept) 

  • In advance, prepare an explanation of a basic concept from your field. This should be a concept that students in a first-year undergraduate course would learn (NOT your graduate research topic). You should approach this task as if you were explaining it to a small group of first-year undergraduates. 

  • Prepare ONE visual (1 slide only!) that you will screenshare to support your explanation. You may use an outline or notes, but DO NOT READ your explanation; this can negatively affect your score. Look up at your computer camera as much as possible. 

  • After explaining a concept, you will be asked 2-3 questions about it. 

  Note: If you retake the ITA Screening, you must present a different topic from your previous assessment. 

  Task 3: Explanation of a Visual (graph, pie charts, infographic) 

  (Prep Time: 2 minutes; Speaking Time 2-3 minutes. You may take notes.) 

  We will screenshare a graph or chart on a general topic (such as technology or education). We often use infographics from websites such as Statista. 

  • Provide a general overview of the basic elements in the visual.
  • Identify a few specific trends or points that you find interesting (no need to describe every data point in detail).
  • Offer an interpretation of the data. You can also comment on how this data relates to you and/or what is not included or is not clear to you.
  • The raters will be listening to your English, so you do not need to worry about the actual correctness of your responses. There are no right answers or wrong answers. There is no penalty if you mention something that turns out not to be true. 

  Task 4: Syllabus Role Play 

  (Prep Time: 2 minutes; Speaking Time 2-3 minutes. You may take notes.) 

  You will be given a very basic one-page outline of a syllabus for a class. Pretend that you are introducing yourself and the course on the first day of class. 

  • Briefly introduce yourself.
  • Give contact and other useful information (from the syllabus).
  • Preview what will be covered in the class/lab.
  • Explain any course/university rules. 

  After you finish the syllabus role play, the screening is finished. Students will receive their results by email within five business days. 

• How can I prepare and practice for the ITA screening?

  Familiarize yourself with the directions for all four sections of the assessment and practice responding to each section. It is very helpful to record yourself and then listen to how your speech actually sounds. Suggested practice activities for each of the sections follow:

  1. Brief conversation — For the introduction, practice saying a greeting, your name, EID, and major. For the conversation, practice talking about the following kinds of topics: what's been going on in your life recently, your studies, your future plans, daily life, and current events.
  2. Explanation of a basic concept in your field — Practice speaking for 5 minutes about your concept. Be sure to use organizational expressions to help your listeners follow your ideas. Think about questions that the raters might ask you, and practice potential answers.
     1. Note that raters are trained to recognize memorized responses, which typically sounds artificial. If you do not demonstrate the ability to speak spontaneously, you will not receive a high score. Raters are evaluating students' ability to communicate effectively and spontaneously in actual academic environments (not their ability to memorize or read a script). 
  3. Explanation of a visual — Practice describing and discussing information presented in a graph or chart. This usually involves talking about numerical data, percentages, and trends.
  4. Syllabus role play — Imagine you are an instructor on the first day of class and need to give your students information about the class schedule, location, test dates, textbooks or lab materials, etc. Make sure that your message is clear and that you emphasize the key points.
• Is there a course that can help me prepare for the ITA screening?

  The English Language Center offers Summer Academic English Programs at UT Austin that will help students prepare for the ITA screening:

  • In-Person: The Academic English Program courses strengthen academic English skills. Students will also learn about expectations that are emphasized in U.S. higher education and are especially challenging to international students (10-week and 5-week program options).
  • Online: The Online International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Preparation classes allow students to preview and practice for each section of the ITA screening. Students can participate from anywhere in the world. 
• When can I take the screening?

  See the ITA Screening Schedule above.

• Who is exempt from the ITA screening requirement?

  The following students may be exempted from the ITA English Certification process:

  • Native speakers of English from a country where English is the primary language, such as English-Speaking Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S.
  • High school diploma or undergraduate university degree from a U.S. institution
  • English-medium schooling from elementary school through college (all subjects taught in English). Most students from India are exempt based on this criterion.

  English Proficiency Test Scores 

  Scores must be from the last 24 months. UT only keeps one TOEFL iBT, IELTS, and DET score on file. Additional TOEFL, IELTS, or DET scores used for ITA exemptions must be submitted to The University of Texas at Austin through the ETS, IELTS, or DET student portal at least 5 business days before a scheduled ITA screening appointment to be considered for an ITA exemption. 

  • A score of 5.5 (25 on the previous scale) or higher on the speaking section of the TOEFL iBT
  • A score of 7.5 or higher on the speaking section of the IELTS
  • A score of 145 or higher on the speaking section of the Duolingo English Test (DET)
• How is the screening scored?

  The ITA Screening is scored by two English Language Center professionals who have received extensive training in tests of this type. The two raters' scores are averaged. If the two scores differ by two or more points, a third rater scores the exam, and the third score is then averaged with the closer of the two original scores. 

• What does this screening measure?

  The screening measures students' ability to communicate in English in an instructional setting and includes a variety of situations to demonstrate how well they speak English in the context of presenting information in their academic area. 

  Within this context, the assessment measures five skills: Fluency (30%), Grammar (20%), Vocabulary (20%), Pronunciation (15%), and Communicative Competence (15%). 

  See the ITA Screening Detailed Score Descriptors in the Scores & Results Details section for more details.

• What are raters listening for?
  • Your ability to respond spontaneously to the questions. Answers must be original, not memorized. Note that raters are trained to recognize memorized responses, which typically sounds artificial. If you do not demonstrate the ability to speak spontaneously, you will not receive a high score.
  • Your ability to elaborate. Explain your answers as best as you can in the time allowed by giving many details, reasons, and examples. In terms of content, you do not need to worry about the actual correctness of your responses. There are no right answers or wrong answers to any of the questions. There is no penalty if you mention something that turns out not to be true. If you do not know a lot about a topic, just provide common sense comments that are closely related to the topic.
  • Clarity and comprehensibility of speech. Speak as clearly as possible. Your grammar and pronunciation do NOT have to be perfect. However, the harder it is to understand what you are saying, the lower your score will be.

  In short, raters are evaluating the comprehensibility of your spoken English and your ability to elaborate in providing original, spontaneous answers to questions. You will not receive higher scores for clever content, nor will you receive lower scores if your answer is not necessarily true or accurate.

• How can I give my best performance?
  • Speak loudly enough so that the raters can hear you easily.
  • Articulate clearly but do not slow down your rate of speech unnaturally.
  • Use authentic spontaneous language; memorized or over-rehearsed responses may negatively affect scores since we are evaluating students' ability to communicate effectively in actual academic environments (not their ability to memorize or read a script).
  • Elaborate by explaining your answers as best as you can in the time allowed by giving many details, reasons, and examples. In terms of content, you do not need to worry about the actual correctness of your responses. There are no right answers or wrong answers to any of the questions. There is no penalty if you mention something that turns out not to be true. If you do not know a lot about a topic, just provide common sense comments that are closely related to the topic.
  • Your teaching skills are not being evaluated, but your presentation and delivery skills do affect the quality of your communication.
  • Knowledge of your field is not being evaluated, so do not worry if you are unsure of some information. What is most important is that you use appropriate strategies and language to explain what you do know.
  • Serious lack of intelligibility results more often from non-native intonation and fluency problems than from isolated errors in pronunciation or grammar.
  • To enhance your comprehensibility, emphasize key words, link phrases fluently, and use the rhythm and cadence of English correctly.
• How much does an ITA screening cost?

  The cost for the assessment is $100 per screening. This 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. 

  Note: Appointments must be canceled at least 72 hours in advance in order to avoid a $100 no-show fee. 

• Why is the ITA screening and certification process important?

  House Bill 638, enacted by the Texas Legislature in 1989, requires all public universities in the state to ensure that faculty whose primary language is not English are proficient in the language for teaching purposes. 

  The bill added Section 51.917 to the Texas Education Code, which defines "faculty member" to include teaching assistants and mandates that universities use a proficiency test, such as the Test of Spoken English or a similar assessment, to evaluate these instructors. 

  This law is still in effect, and compliance is managed by individual universities through their own policies and procedures.