International Student Placement Assessment FAQs
When should CaMLA EPT be completed?
The CaMLA EPT should be completed during Global Student Orientation or at the Academic Success Center when you arrive on campus.
Who should take the CaMLA EPT?
All international students (F1 or J1 visa holders) who are conditional, probationary, or developmental admits for undergraduate programs.
Note: In addition to the CaMLA, conditionally admitted F1 and J1 students who have not met the English proficiency requirement will also need to take two additional tests—an American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI) writing test as well as an oral interview. This is offered by ALCI at the beginning of fall, spring, and summer semesters. Your international enrollment counselor will provide further information.
How long does CaMLA EPT take?
Each test form takes around 80 minutes to be completed. Proctors will need 10 minutes of additional time for administrative procedures and directions.
How do I know if I need to take the CaMLA EPT?
Your admission letter will indicate the need for English language proficiency placement assessment, and your enrollment counselor will let you know that you are required to take the assessment before registration to classes can be finalized.
I met the TOEFL/IELTS admission requirement. Why do I have to take the CaMLA EPT?
The TOEFL/IELTS requirement is for admission into APU, not a placement tool that allows us to determine the kind of language support you need in order to help you succeed. The TOEFL/IELTS requirement is just one part of the total picture that determines admission. Other indicators that are considered include prior study in English, GPA, writing sample, interview results, etc.
I’m not a first-year student. Do I still need to take the CaMLA?
Even if you are transferring from another school, you may still be required to take the CaMLA—you must have completed two years of prior study in English without ESL support to waive this assessment. Check our English Proficiency Requirements page to verify that you meet the requirement.
How will the results impact my class schedule?
Your scores will determine whether you will be placed in TESL 101, TESL 102, Writing 1, or Writing 1 + lab in your first year at APU.
TESL 101 English for Academic Purposes I (4 Units)
This is an advanced-level English language course designed to prepare international students for the cultural and academic realm of speaking and listening at an undergraduate level in an American university. Students put into practice the communication skills used at an American university by getting involved in and observing social contexts in and around the university campus, and by emulating and discussing in class many of the situations in which these skills take place. In addition, students will examine American values that influence and determine the use of listening and speaking for communication in American culture. For international students only; to be taken concurrently with TESL 102.
TESL 102 English for Academic Purposes II (4 Units)
This is an advanced-level English language course designed for students who speak English as a second language. Emphasis is placed on reading and writing skills used within academic settings. These skills include interacting with a text, reading for information, paraphrasing, summarizing, expressing an opinion, writing essays, and documenting papers using academic citations. For international students only; to be taken concurrently with TESL 101.