This document discusses IELTS, an English proficiency exam, and opportunities for universities to become IELTS test centers. It provides an overview of IELTS, the process for becoming a test center, requirements for administering the exam, and examples of the University of Arizona and ELS Language Centers partnerships with IELTS. It encourages universities to consider offering IELTS exams on campus or through off-site agreements to generate additional revenue and provide important services to students.

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A New Wave of English
Language Exams on your
Campus - IELTS
2011 NCTA Annual
Conference
San Diego, CA

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•Akiko Aharonian
Testing Office
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
•Aubree Gold
ELS San Diego, San Diego, CA

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Presentation Overview
1. What is IELTS?
2. Why and how to become a IELTS test center?
3. Test Administration in a college setting
4. UA Testing Office and IELTS (Off-site testing)
5. ELS San Diego and IELTS / San Diego State Univ.
(Off-site testing with other existing IELTS test
centers)
6. Q & A

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What is IELTS?
•Four skills test – Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking
•English as an international language
•2 modules – Academic and General Training
•Pen and paper delivery, face to face Speaking test
•3 international test partners – Cambridge ESOL, British
Council, IDP: IELTS Australia

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Speaking
1:1 oral interview (11-14 minutes)
General Training Writing
2 tasks (60 minutes)
General Training Reading
3 sections, 40 items (60 minutes)
Academic Writing
2 tasks (60 minutes)
Academic Reading
3 sections, 40 items (60 minutes)
Listening
4 sections, 40 items (40 minutes)
Test Format
Total time = 2 hours 55 minutes

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Scoring
9 Expert User
8 Very Good User
7 Good User
6 Competent User
5 Modest User
4 Limited User
3 Extremely Limited User
2 Intermittent User
1 Non User
0 Did Not Attempt the Test

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Recognition
• Over 6,000 organizations globally in 135 countries
• 3,000 US institutions and programs
• Test Report
Form Verification
site
• Electronic score
downloads

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Candidature
•over 1,4 million candidates tested globally in 2010
•US candidature:
• students applying for graduate and undergraduate study in
the US, Britain, Canada and Australia
• applicants for immigration to Canada and Australia
• healthcare professionals applying to work in US hospitals
and for US permanent residency

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Test centers
•Test locations in 135 countries
•Currently 39 US anchor test centers
operating 61 test locations

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Why become a test center?
•Develop a new income stream - testing at your center and
off-site
•Provide professional development opportunities to campus
staff
•Open new markets - attract new students to your campus –
offer wrap-around products
•Provide a service to your students and the community

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Application Process
•Application form and Web Requirement Guide
•Business case questionnaire
•Site visit
Center access / Security & Storage / Staff /
Test Equipments / Testing rooms / Marketing
•Service Agreement

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Set up
• Business plan including marketing plan
• Where will the center be housed and managed?
• Provide office and storage space
• Computer with internet, printer, scanner
• Recruit
• IELTS Administrator
• Examiners (Speaking and Writing) from faculty and local
schools
• Clerical Markers (Listening and Reading)
• Invigilators
• Free on site training for Administrator, Examiners, Clerical Markers,
Invigilators

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Local test administration
•Promoting testing services locally
•Processing and confirming candidate online
registrations, including collection of fee
•Reserving test rooms to deliver paper based test and
also for face to face Speaking tests
•Marking 4 test papers onsite and issuing results from
center
•Providing candidate customer service
•Managing IELTS staff and materials
•Storing applications, test and related materials safely.

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Revenue
•Breakdown of income and costs / one candidate
(FY1011)
Test fee collected from candidate: $185.00
Less fee remitted to IELTS International: $ -80.00
Less estimated local costs testing one candidate: $ -63.31
Estimated gross total per candidate tested: $ 41.69

15. www.ielts.org
Becoming an IELTS Center
•Establishing a Service Agreement Between IELTS Inc. and
your institution. This is a contractual document that will
need to be reviewed and authorized by the Dean, Director
or appropriate governing authority at your institution.
•Key obligations of the Service Agreement:
– Establish test dates and capacity
– Make all the necessary arrangements and meet all
reasonable costs for IELTS test delivery and
administration
– Register candidates and collect all test fees

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Becoming an IELTS Test Center
•Key obligations of the Service Agreement:
– Provide all staffing for administration and delivery of
the test (recruiting, hiring, training).
– Adhere to the IELTS Code of Practice with particular
reference to the security arrangements
– Attend the mandatory IELTS Annual General Meeting
held every 18 months for updates and training.

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Staffing your IELTS Test Center
•IELTS Administrator: designated staff person who
oversees all facets of test delivery and staffing.
•Administrative Staff: personnel who register candidates,
respond to inquiries, enter test scores, issue test results
•Clerical Markers: trained to grade the listening and reading
answer sheets
•Proctors (Invigilators): if you have an existing proctor pool,
they can be trained as IELTS invigilators

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Staffing your IELTS Test Center
•Examiners: experienced educators with a recognized
qualification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other
Languages (TESOL)
– Recruit from ESL/English Language Programs
– Application process includes review by Examiner
Trainer and interview
– Induction: general overview of IELTS prior to training
– Training: 4 day intensive training program, center to
provide copies of all training materials and meals
– Certification: assessment tool for the marking criteria

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University of Arizona
• IELTS History at UA Testing Center
– Marketing challenges (Location Disadvantage)
– Off-site strategy in Phoenix, Las Cruces and Salt Lake
City
– Regional demand for test is still developing
• TOEFL versus IELTS
– TOEFL: Ready-made with a limitation for the test demand
– IELTS: DIY with a flexibility for test demand
• Off-Site Testing
– Extended services to Phoenix

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ELS Language Centers
Partnership with IELTS to be official Testing Center
o Established partnership in 2002
o On/Off Campus locations
o28 ELS/IELTS Testing Centers
– 10 off-site testing locations

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San Diego State University
Off-Site Testing Agreement
o Offer IELTS exams 3-5 times per year on
campus
– Reserve block of seats for ALI students
o Host enrollment sessions
o Provide testing services
o ALI - IELTS teachers take IELTS exams for
experience

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San Diego State University
Benefits
• Provide students with more testing options
• Increased convenience & comfort for ALI students
• Advertising SDSU-ALI to potential students